Patrice Bolomope planting first seedlings with students of “Mystic Mamas Homeschool Collective”

The People’s Enchanted Garden is located in Pittsburgh’s Allentown. “When I first moved to the area I quickly realized I didn’t know who lived on the street or who was passing by…” Patrice Bolomope, an artist and homeschooling mother decided to create a space of beauty, learning, and community by utilizing an abandoned city lot and a start-up grant from Neighborhood Allies; “Love Your Neighbor”. The garden has colorful beds of food-bearing plants, herbs, and flowers. Space also serves as a sensory-friendly garden; tactile and vividly-scented flowers, brightly-colored walk paths and steps leading to a stage, a play area, and the beds. So many neighbors have supported the effort by donating time, resources, hydrating beverages, and seeds. Elders have stopped by to tell their invaluable stories of what the space represented for them prior to the garden, while the youth of the street contribute their laughter, inquisitiveness, and handprints.