The Friendship Garden in the back of our Peace Center took many volunteers and lots of hard work to clean out the debris, junk and tires. Finally we arrived at this clean space pictured in "before". With the help of many people, we created the "after" picture with plants donated from gardens all around Atlanta.
	The Friendship Garden evolved into a mindful meditational labyrinth walk in the shape of a figure-8. Anyone who visits can enjoy its simple quiet beauty.
	Visiting children walk in the Curb Garden @ 521 which is across the street from our Peace Center. This garden only recently received a walking trail. It began as a mailbox garden with Johnnie Mae's grandchildren playing in the dirt and has slowly evolved into a winning example of community beauty.
	This is an example of how we clear out a corner of a curb and prepare the soil to welcome recycled plants.
	This is the completed example of a curb garden we call "Joanna's Garden"
	Here is a volunteer working in "Joanna's Garden" so you can see the full view and how it brought beauty to the neighborhood.
	Farmer Ryan of Gaia Garden with baskets full of harvest, which is picked up by members every Wednesday from April to October at ELC Co-Housing Intentional Community."
	Two women begin a tour of Gaia Gardens at the gate of East Lake Commons (ELC).
	Children run through the fields of Gaia Gardens with ELC housing in the background.
	When you see the lush green growth in our gardens you know we depend upon Nature, trenches and rainbarrels for water. This rainbarrel is in the backyard of the Peace Center. It is an original creation of recycled parts created by Shepherd Joy standing next to this 60 gallon blue former flavor container (from a factory in S.C., two donated by Brad Young). There is a spout to attach a hose to at the bottom; an overflow tube at the top and closure on the top so mosquitoes and debris cannot enter. There is also a filter made of hardware cloth where the drainspout goes into the rainbarrel and must be clean regularly because we have lots of tree debris. We use cut out white plastic former beverage containers to dip water out to water directly to the roots of plants when they need it. Photo by AKS 1998.