Address
1099 Osage Court
Neighborhood
Auraria – Lincoln Park
Established
2012
The Tapiz Community Garden is located in the heart of the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood and the gardeners truly represent the neighborhood’s diversity of cultures. The plots brim with plants, such as tomatoes, red and green peppers, onions, beans, spinach, lettuce and herbs. Communal planting takes place in garden beds along the fence that surrounds the garden, as well as in pallet garden beds made by the residents. These beds are used for varieties that require more space to grow, such as watermelon, squash and cucumbers. The garden is supported by Denver Urban Gardens, and donations from community members, and is run by Denver Housing Authority residents that live in the South Lincoln Homes, a low-income family site, and the Tapiz at Mariposa, a low-income senior and disabled site. The gardeners attend on-site classes by Denver Botanic Gardens where they learn how to plan their plot and how to plant, harvest and compost. Vegetables harvested from the garden are used at the Osage Café, which operates on site at 1099 Osage Street. The Osage Café is a non-profit restaurant that is completely student-run by low income youth, ages 16-21, who have completed the Youth Culinary Training. The restaurant offers healthy dishes at a low cost and gives the youth an opportunity to get experience running a full scale restaurant!
