April’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Sam Rohe and Carlos Murray to support the Frank St. Bee & Butterfly Garden.

“The Frank Street Garden exists to provide a beautiful space to build friendships and community,” explains Sam, “while learning how to support local pollinators and ecosystems.”

“Established in 2019,” Sam continues, “the garden has now grown into a collaboratively managed grassroots community group. In the past year we hosted several well-attended community events, including a herb walk, a Pride community BBQ, a seed collection event, and several smaller volunteer appreciation and education sessions. We aim to promote friendships between neighbours of all ages, ethnic and social backgrounds, and levels of physical ability over a mutual love of caring for the land. During the off-season we have roughly 10 core members who continue to work on garden projects on and off despite the snow cover. In the gardening season, our ranks grow to as many as 40 volunteers.”

“Last year,” says Sam, “we received a grant that we used to start a Microgrant for Racialized Gardeners, which allowed us to financially support Black, Indigenous and People of Colour in our community who have historically been denied access to land and nature due to racism. This year, we were the lucky recipients of a land donation from a nearby property manager. On this new plot, we plan to build raised beds so that folks don’t have to bend down to learn how to tend a pollinator garden.”

Want to learn more about the garden and local pollinators? You can join Sam and Carlos on a free tour on May 5, as part of Jane’s Walk. You can also visit linktr.ee/frankstbbg to become a volunteer, find out about events, donate to support the garden, and more.

Sam is one of nine organizers of the Frank St. Bee & Butterfly Garden, and organizes activity around the garden as a form of anti-capitalist environmental praxis focused on community and resource-sharing. Carlos is one of the founders of the garden and is himself a flower child growing wild.