On the first volunteer day, volunteers worked to pull up invasive plants, and prepare a pathway and open seating area.

On the first volunteer day, volunteers worked to pull up invasive plants, and prepare a pathway and open seating area.

Volunteers at Fresh Fest helped out by painting stones that will become part of the garden.

Nicole tamping the ground to set a bench in place

Nicole and volunteers built a bench out of cinder blocks and 4 x 4 posts.

A split rail fence adds a clean edge to a vacant lot project. Though it may seem contradictory, this edge makes a space feel more welcoming because it creates a designated entrance.

It's a good idea to take a minute to celebrate after each step of the process. The work of reclaiming vacant lots is hard, and worth a little celebration!

Biggs Hillside Garden has a newly painted hand rail

A new inviting entrance to the garden

Biggs Hillside Garden is now an inviting area to sit and relax

A widened path to make access a breeze

The hillside at the front of the lot is now planted with pachysandra, a low-growing ground cover. Next year, it should be covering the whole slope to prevent erosion.

The space is relaxing and quiet, with large mulberry trees shading the central gathering space.

Volunteers from The Academy Schools helped place stones, and seal the fences and Little Free Library.

Nicole is ready for some books to fill up her Little Free Library! Consider donating a few!

The Baytree Street lot has some interesting topography. It sits about 15 feet off the sidewalk level and is bordered by a sheer rock wall.

The site has held a few small cook-outs which will be greatly improved once some amenities are added.

Ambassador Doug Deckert and Michelle Steinmetz set up bricks to edge the site.

Ambassador Nicole lent Doug a hand with his project. Here she is edging the site with brick.

Doug plans to keep the milkweed

Volunteers, including Ambassadors Nicole and Ayanna, have been working to get Doug's site looking nice.

Feeling accomplished after installing the bean tunnel

The mighty deer fence is underway

Beautifully crafted vine trellis, made from found materials on site

Dirty hands after a good workday

Garden Bed Construction

This Garden Bed is Growing a Doug!

Soil was placed on the site so beautiful native plants could replace the grass.

In addition to enjoying the beauty of the site when it's finished, passersby will also be able to pick flower seeds for their own garden, or pick a book from the Little Free Library.

Matthew places a stone with Ed, a volunteer from the Brighton Heights Garden and Greenspace Committee.

Volunteers placed reclaimed stones on the pathway.

The pathway, when completed, will provide a way for visitors to interact with the site.

The finished product! What a fantastic change!

Final touches to the

Linda, Riley and Luna (Riley's daughter) show their design idea as they stand on the Asylum lot.

Bye bye knotweed, hello food garden!

This knotweed does'nt stand a chance

The iron fence gets a much needed coat of paint

These raised garden beds are beautiful

Asylum Parklet Volunteer Day

It Takes an Army to Paint a Fence

Painting the Park Picnic Tables

The Finished Community Garden

The Garden is Ready for Planting!

Ambassador Cynthia tearing up the sod to put a welcoming corner garden

Almost ready for planting!

Beautiful flowers to welcome people into the neighborhood

Beautiful plantings!

The design for A Place for Moms Welcome Corner will be a space for her Brown Mamas to meet.

The lot has been unmaintained for many years. However, it still has some great qualities like beautiful old trees.

Cynthia stands on her lot. What was once a overgrown bus-stop will become a beautiful garden and reading spot.

GTECHer, Lydia Kramer, and volunteers work to get the site ready for planting.

Feeling accomplished after their workday

Beautiful Tire Planters

Flowers on Cynthia's Welcome Corner

The Pathway is Almost Finished

Before work began on the lot, it was not a welcoming sight for those coming into Perry Hilltop.

The lot was filled with invasive plants like knotweed and garlic mustard.

Knotweed can be tough to get rid of, but the hard work is worth it to keep the invasive plant from spreading.

There are many young volunteers from the neighborhood dedicated to making a beautiful gateway to the neighborhood.

Stones, bricks, and pieces of foundation can often be found in vacant lots.

It can be fun to pull out knotweed if you do it in a team!

This volunteer was excited to show off a worm he found. Worms are a sign of fertile soil.

Adding color to these beautiful tire planters!

The battle with knotweed continues!

Working together to move a big pile of mulch

We had a great turn out, with lots of community support

Like many other lots, this one once held a house.

The design for the lot features a star shape in the center of the space.

Corner benches for the star

digging in deep for planting the hillside

Start theme

Prepping the back wall for the mural

Flowers

Front Hillside

Star Meditation Garden

Star

The Star Meditation Garden is Complete!

It was once home to a home.

The design will incorporate a bioswale.

Starting on that front stairway

Al clear for planter boxes!

Digging out the big planter box

Coming soon! Stairway planters

Clearing brush from the top terace

Brush removal

Completed planter boxes

Peacful seating area

The Stair Planter Boxes are Taking Shape

Workday complete

The design for the space will incorporate trees and an established walkway.