Transitional gardens are not a new concept, but systematic implementation is just beginning to develop into an acceptable idea. Because of more public awareness and desire for community sustainability - especially when it comes to agriculture - neighborhoods and municipalities are taking notice of their existing natural resources.

Transitional gardens use public space for cultivating edible plants like fruit-bearing trees, bushes, vegetables and herbs. Plants grow naturally and are harvested by the public at no cost.

Doug Smith, Worthington City Councilman, led the efforts to promote transitional gardens in Worthington.
“The idea is to allow nature to ‘do its thing’ with minimal attention from the community and minimal resources from the city,” said Smith. “Worthington is the perfect community in central Ohio to begin a transitional garden. We have public space that can sustain edible plants, and a lot of residents are happy to participate to increase community sustainability.”

Plants like raspberries, mulberries, serviceberries, paw paw trees, apple trees, walnut trees, hickory trees thrive in central Ohio soil and climate. These plants, and more, are seen around the city. Unlike urban gardens, transitional gardens are not defined by boundaries. Edible plants may grow randomly in a park thicket or near the Olentangy River.

A new Web site will be launched this summer and will feature an interactive map to identify edible plant locations and species. Healthy Worthington will be the host of the site, and the site will be linked to the city Web site, worthington.org, on the Parks and Recreation Department resource page.

 “It is a start to a long-term culture shift in Worthington to be closer to nature,” said Smith. “Hopefully residents will get excited about using an online map to see plant locations. They can add locations to the map if they know of other edible plants. They can also post recipe ideas and other information about the edible plants.”

The city will gauge resident interest and feedback and will plant additional edible plants in various public spaces throughout the city in the future.