By Tabitha Redder/nw news editor

A little-known plot of green charity lies behind the greenhouse on NW Campus with only a handful of devoted gardeners tending to it.

Community gardens are nothing new, and neither is this one.

The garden is over six years old, but many are unaware of its existence.

It was started as a part of the support staff for professional development to give employees an opportunity to plant things, release stress and get in touch with nature and also to give to local food banks.

“But, as with many things in life, people get excited in the beginning, but very few stick with it for a long time,” said NW administrative assistant Kathy Saburn.

Saburn, who has a garden herself at home, is one of the few dedicated gardeners who has kept the plot alive after the other gardeners slowly dwindled and then quit helping all together.

“I am so addicted to nature,” she said. “How many people can really say at their job, ‘I’m going outside to water the garden’? It’s just a beautiful privilege for me.”

NW administrative assistant April Miske recently began helping with the garden and plans on having her family volunteer to help too.

“We live in this totally fast-paced world,” she said. “It’s a very peaceful activity. I really enjoy gardening.”

Last year, the garden produced cucumbers, yellow squash, tomatoes, green beans, cantaloupes and a variety of peppers and also yielded enough crop to donate four separate times to the local food bank.

This year, zucchini, squash, spinach, carrots and peas have been planted so far.

In addition to the produce grown in the garden, Saburn takes pride in a rose bush.

“It smells so good,” she said. “There is no way you can buy roses with that scent.”

Although she is passionate about nature, Saburn said she would still appreciate help with the gardening.

“To me, it is not a chore,” she said. “But it would be a little easier on me if we had people who were willing to say, ‘I’m going to water [the garden] on Monday or Wednesday.’”

NW student Daniel Wilson has a garden at home, so he appreciates the effort put into the community garden.

“I personally didn’t know we had a garden [on campus],” he admitted, adding that he is interested in helping. “But I think it’s a great thing our school is so charitable to food banks.”

Weeding, planting seeds and watering plants are activities those interested in lending a hand can do for the garden.

For more information or to help with the garden, contact Saburn at 817-515-7199 or kathy.saburn@tccd.edu.