We are looking forward to seeing you all at our first IN PERSON Open House Registration in four years! It is on Monday March 18 from 5:30-8:30 pm at Five Parks Depot. There will be snacks, education and activity stations, Bingo and Door Prizes! We value this time together, allowing for mixing with new and seasoned gardeners, the opportunity to share plans for garden plot set up, and gather with garden friends to kick off another season of gardeners growing community! Bring a computer or tablet and a credit card to get registered for a plot.
Gardener Resources
Compiled by Katie Meis, Pollinator Garden Lead, and Shannon Sawyer, Rose Roots Administrator, are some fabulous resources HERE for a strong season kick off! Resources include Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) online resources, free local garden classes, Jeffco CO Extension classes and resources through Colorado State, and free classes at Echter's among many others! One of our favorite local resources is SHE GROWS, a flower garden started by one of Rose Roots Founders, Gina Schley. She is now offering classes and workshops at her flower farm just down the way!
A Borrowing Request
Our Operations Team is looking to borrow several drop fertilizer spreaders if anyone has any available. Please reach out to Gary Williams at (720) 771-4535 or email at
Meet your Garden Leaders
Come say Hi at the Garden as the season gets started or at our next All Gardener meeting held at the garden the second Tuesday of each Month at 6 pm, weather permitting (otherwise at Standley Lake Library). Check the Calendar HERE for changes to time, location or date.
Special Projects
Special projects lead Patty Sacks is excited to supporting projects, continuing to beautify the west side. The Westside Landscaping Project will continue with new benches, planting troughs, and maintenance of newly planted trees, shrubs, and plants. Shannon Sawyer and Katie Meis will be leading twice monthly evening Work Parties in the Pollinator Garden the first and third Thursdays as their schedules allow. Check the calndar for dates as the season beings. HERE are other garden teams you can join or help lead! Contact us at leadership@roserootsgarden.org to learn more or step up and help lead this all volunteer community garden.
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Beeler Street Community Garden, Our Sister Garden
Rose Roots Gardeners believe in growing community, and that includes reaching out and supporting new and underserved gardens in the Denver Urban Garden (DUG) system, including our sister garden Beeler Street Community Garden located in Aurora. We would love to plan a garden work day with their garden community this year and offer to help with an infrastructure improvement project. Many of the gardeners are from Nepal. Let us know if you would like to help lead this Community Service Day which would include a work party and a multicultural potluck experience at their garden site.
Garden Plot Planning
Grayson Inman, Youth Team Lead, tested out a few garden planning apps and recommends the simple to use Ipad App "Veggie Garden Planner" (Cost: $3.49/annually) which also works on a Mac and a phone. After gardening at Rose Roots for ten years, he is looking forward to leading Youth Projects and planning and growing his own full size 15' x 15' ft plot with his younger brother Julian Inman, who has been a garden member for seven years. We expect them to be successful and learn a lot and hope other youth will join the Garden Youth Team! Learn more HERE and watch for Youth events on our calendar, in the newsletter, and on social media.
HERE is a helpful comparison of Six Vegetable Planner Gardening Apps from Food Gardening Network.
What Does it Take to Run a Volunteer Community Garden?
Like Karel Hemler, our Lead of Food Bank Plot Donations, likes to say, "Many hands make light work!" We neeeeed yoooouu! No experience is necessary. You don't even have to be a good gardener! You just have to you love our space, our community, and giving back a few hours each month. Come to our monthly meetings to see how you can get more involved or sign up to help with a team or be a lead. When it comes to volunteer work, you make the role and contribute when you can! A volunteer garden doesn't run itself, and we are stronger as a community when everyone takes a little ownership. Plus, you get to know great people, make new friends at social events, and learn new gardening skills! It's a win win!
If you're looking for a job, check out available roles HERE and be sure to hit up our Operations Leads Gary Williams and Jim Richards, founding members, who will put you to work! Or Reach out to Laura Bennett, President and Membership Coordinator at leadership@roserootsgarden.org to join or lead a team.
A Tribute Farewell to our Neighbors
We offer a tribute farewell to Zander Farms, the Llama Farm that was on the East side of of the Garden long before Rose Roots started in 2012. We loved when Sonja and the Argentine llamas came to visit! We wish them well on their move to Michigan!
Nicole and Tyler started a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Flower Farm just south of the garden last season on land leased from the City within the Hills at Standley Lake Park where Rose Roots also resides. For various reasons, they won't be returning this season and Taylor, the umbrella leaser has moved his operations to Steamboat. We wish all successful future gardening and farming ventures!
Required Service Hours to the Garden
As garden members we are required to give 12 service hours each season for full plots, and 6 service hours for half and ADA plots. This can be accomplished by attending meetings, work parties, garden events, workshops, donating your skills like playing music for a special event, offering a workshop, or leading a Thursday work party. These hours can also be fulfilled by weeding in community spaces, mentoring a new gardener, or helping weigh food donations. Hours are logged on your honor HERE thanks to a new and improved Service Hour Form upgraded by garden member Brian Seater. Service hours not logged by October 31 will be considered a monetary donation of $7 per hour.
Upcoming Events
March 18, 5:30-8:30 pm: Rose Roots Open House Registration, Five Parks Depot, bring your computer and a credit card to pay your plot fees and get registered for a plot!
April 6, 10-1 pm: Pollinator Garden Spring Clean Up
April 9, 6 pm: Monthly Garden Meeting, Standley Lake Library Meeting rooms
April 27, 9-12 pm: Kick Off Work Party and Potluck at the garden
May 25, 10-11 am: Seedling Exchange at Rose Roots
Repeating Events: First and Third Thursday Work Parties at 6 pm. Bring snacks for Barby!
Gardener Gratitude
A huuuuuge thank you goes out to Anna Campbell and Julie Gleason for the generous donations from our gardeners through their work donation programs. With their two donations we are getting a strong financial start to the year!
Thank you for thinking of us!
Some photos over the years to get you excited for another season!
Looking forward to seeing you out at the garden!
Rose Roots Leadership Team