Since 2012, Lady Flower Gardens (LFG) has supported supervised access for experiential learning opportunities on 3 acres of agricultural land to member agencies that build community with Edmonton's disadvantaged citizens. We also have access to a 75 acre old growth forest nestled in the oxbow of the North Saskatchewan River.
Primary Objective Our primary objective is growing a healthy agricultural community with people who have experienced serious obstacles in developing adequate health and wellness. The gardens, the forest, the river, the fauna, the tranquility, the learning, the labour, the food and the fellowship are the foundation for building health and wellness, particularly with people who have formerly been pushed to the margins. At LFG, they are the centre.
Strategy Our strategy at LFG is a specialized collaboration. We work with groups that actively practice social and environmental justice. Our member agencies employ the experts who build community with people who face disadvantages. LFG provides the land for their civic engagement.
Vision Our long term vision is to become an accredited inter-collegiate learning site where people from all walks of life can take a variety of experiential courses and workshops about living sustainably with the land and each other, within a variety of learning modalities.
Next Steps Research into good practices for sharing our piece of land, and integrating our resources and knowledge with our member agencies, is the next step in our evolution. We are starting to partner more intentionally with organizations that are in the business of knowledge generation, documentation, sharing, integration and application. The groups we are working with so far are; The King’s University Community Engaged Research, and The University of Alberta’s Faculty of Extension and Community Service Learning.
Your generosity allows LFG to continue being a place of support for social agencies that practice land based community development and mental health and wellness programming for Edmontonians who face disadvantages.