Residents plant solid roots at Friendship Gardens

In Spokane’s East Central neighborhood, there is a senior housing complex that has an attractive garden for the residents to use. Located at 2201 E. Fifth Ave., Friendship Gardens easily lives up to its name.

Five residents share three large raised beds made from landscape blocks. Each of them has grown gardens in the past and they all enjoy working together in this garden.

“I love gardening because I can share with my family and the people at the complex,” Phyllis LaRocque explains. “That’s the best part because it’s fun to give.”

Her garden space is filled with cabbage, squash, cucumbers and most of all beets, which she enjoys pickling.

“I’ve gardened all of my life, growing berries and veggies,” says Olga Schuh. “I love canning and even though it takes a lot of work, it gives you a lot of satisfaction when you look at what you’ve canned to enjoy later.”

Her garden space this year is filled with tomatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips, butternut squash and cucumbers. Schuh is especially excited about how well her parsnips are growing.

Angie Nemerimana is neither a senior nor from Spokane, but she loves gardening all the same.

She came here from the Republic of Burundi in east Africa a year and a half ago to become the caregiver for her grandmother, who taught her how to garden as she was growing up.

“We had big gardens (in Burundi) and grew everything,” she explains. “We grew a lot of carrots but we didn’t eat them because we took them to the market to sell instead.”

Now she is growing tomatoes, cabbage and salad greens. Instead of buying stakes or tomato cages, Nemerimana uses sticks and branches to prop them up, one of many techniques she learned in Burundi, where people make everything they need for their gardens to grow well.

Joie Florea enjoys the stress-reducing benefits of gardening.

“I like the plants and how peaceful gardening is,” she says. “I’m used to having flowers and vegetables so it’s nice to be able to garden here.”

This season, Florea is growing tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, spaghetti squash, zucchini, corn and Swiss chard.

“I choose vegetables that I can freeze, like beans and tomatoes,” she says.

Carolyn Main has also been a lifelong gardener.

“It’s very relaxing, it relieves stress and is so enjoyable,” she says. “Watching things grow is my favorite part.”

Her thickly planted garden includes corn, peas, green beans, Swiss chard, parsley, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, kohlrabi, carrots, red peppers and cilantro.

“I grow everything closely and break all the rules,” she adds with a laugh, “but they grow great.”

Eric Nelson, who along with his wife Andrea manages the apartments, is delighted to be a part of Friendship Gardens.

“I like being the manager of a senior complex and love having the garden here,” he says.

“I enjoy seniors so much. They have a wealth of knowledge and it’s fun seeing the strategies the residents come up with for the garden. I especially like seeing how happy the garden makes them.”