Gardens are sanctuaries, swathed in color, fragrance, creatures and peace. A church garden has more layers. It’s spiritual and steeped in creation.
Fremont Presbyterian Church, a block from Sacramento State University, is perched at the gateway to River Park and East Sac. It sprawls on four acres. One acre is garden beds, borders and open spaces wrapping buildings and parking lots in pleasing hues and textures.
Unrest throughout the world nudges us to seek tranquil environments, like gardens. At Fremont Presbyterian, pastors, the congregation and community are welcome to wander and worship among birds, bees and butterflies. Preschoolers can stroke soft velvety leaves of perennial lamb’s ears.
Volunteers foster this treasure. A dozen gardeners maintain the grounds, arriving one morning each week to prune, plant, spread mulch, collect debris and, sometimes, assist in planning the next project.
“My hope is people who see the gardens feel peace,” landscape coordinator Joan Smith says. “There is so much ugliness in the world, but here we create beauty and enjoy two hours of peace every week.”
Smith, who began coordinating the beautification projects nine years ago, purchases plants and designs new garden areas. She spent more than 30 years maintaining the grounds before taking the lead position. Church leadership is supportive. Her volunteer group evolved into a family unit.
“The church has allowed us to do whatever we feel is necessary,” she says. “They understand how much it means to the congregation. People love the plants, the gardens.
“Our gardening team has their own gardens at home but here it is a community. We meet people for the first time who attend different services. Some of us have worked together for years. We have developed relationships and know each other’s families. We share our gifts and talents with the community. Our gift is gardening, and it is our gift to the church. God created gardens.”
Fremont Presbyterian does not have the common “Bible Garden,” featuring plants mentioned in the Bible. There are surprises around every corner, a streetside border of red kangaroo paws, loads of salvias, and eye-catching desert willow and Meerlo lavender.
Smith introduces flashes of whimsy with bulbs and annuals for additional cheery notes. Some plants have labels, but most do not.
Original plantings are being replaced by California natives and plants that require minimal water. She says she wanted, “different plants, not Home Depot plants.” The gardens transitioned from sprinklers to drip irrigation.
Smith scours plant sales, including the UC Davis Arboretum’s events. Fair Oaks Boulevard Nursery stocks a good selection of California native plants, she says. Trips to Southern California are reasons for Smith to seek out more plants at select nurseries.
“We gardeners love giving our time and talents to enhancing the church campus for the enjoyment of the congregation and broader community,” volunteer Elaine Moody says. “Fremont is on a busy corner in East Sacramento, and we like presenting a pretty, inviting corner for all who pass by.”
An area fronting Carlson Drive is the site of major transition. With the aid of a city rebate program for water-efficient landscapes, traditional lawn was removed and replaced with kurapia, a drought-tolerant, low-maintenance groundcover. Kurapia uses about 60% less water than traditional lawn, Smith says.
A barren area off a parking lot was selected as a future daylily bed. A group trip to Amador Flower Farm in Plymouth is planned.
“Our team will go up and pick out three or four favorite daylilies each and we will plant them next spring,” Smith says.
“She shares her vision for the work we do,” says Moody, who credits her increased knowledge of plants and techniques to Smith and the other volunteer gardeners. “Joan makes everyone feel included. It’s fun!”
Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County. He can be reached at masterg29@gmail.com. For answers to gardening questions, contact UCCE Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338, email mgsacramento@ucanr.edu or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
