This is the web page for the previous Purdue Extension-Marion County demonstration garden. It was in operation from 2009 through 2011. For information on the current demonstration garden, click HERE.
Demonstration Garden Established
A demonstration garden was created in 2009 by Purdue Extension-Marion County staff and volunteers. The garden was located on the grounds of Intech Park near Building Ten (6640 Intech Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46278) where the Purdue Extension office was located.
The red arrow in the image to the left showed the location of the garden next to the southeast parking lot of Building Ten. Specific directions and a map to Intech Park are located here.
Purpose of the Garden
An outdoor hands-on learning lab was needed to show Marion County residents how to grow food and ornamental plants, and how to utilize the plants to save money and increase quality of life. Reasons to establish the garden included the following.
-Prior to 2009 no demonstration site existed in Marion County to show residents new award winning vegetables and flowers. Gardeners need to see plants adapted to Indiana and how to care for them.
-Food gardening is on the rise. The National Gardening Association estimated that 21% of food gardening households were new to gardening in 2009 and 11% of households already active in food gardening planned to increase both the amount and variety of vegetables they grew in 2009.
-Reasons for food gardening include better-tasting food, to save money on food bills, for better quality food, and to grow food of known safety.
-People need to know how to safely harvest, prepare and preserve food crops.
Garden Size and Features
The center of the demonstration garden featured 600 square feet of growing space reserved for food crops (vegetables, culinary herbs). This is the average size of a food garden in the United States. Close to 400 additional square feet of planting beds surrounded the 600 square feet. Flowers, other ornamentals, and/or vegetables were planted in these areas. All plantings were in raised beds due to compacted poorly drained soil.