Learning Garden at McAuliffe Park

Kirkland Parks Foundation Partnered with Seattle Tilth to build a learning garden at McAuliffe Park.

The learning garden at McAuliffe Park will be located near an existing P-Patch and will be ideally suited to teach new and existing gardeners/urban farmers sustainable methods of producing food. Seattle Tilth will work in collaboration with the Kirkland Parks Department to offer compost education, organic gardening classes, cooking and nutrition programming and urban farming opportunities. Partnerships include Edible Kirkland and Kirkland Nourishing Networks programs and the site will provide opportunities for schools, community organizations and businesses.

The total cost to construct the learning garden is $15,980 and includes items such as a drip irrigation system, machinery, trellis materials, wheelbarrows, gardening tools, wood for raised beds and labor. With some funds and volunteer labor already secured, Kirkland Parks Foundation is committed to raising the remaining $7,800 needed in order to complete the project.

Building the learning garden will continue the historic legacy of McAuliffe Park which was established as a farm in 1887. This garden is one small step toward fulfilling the McAuliffe Master Plan.

Please consider donating to make this significant addition to our community a reality.

Let’s build a garden!

Project Details

The design for the learning garden is based on permaculture principles. We are proud to partner with Seattle Tilth on this project.

Founded in 1978, Seattle Tilth is a nationally recognized nonprofit educational organization that inspires and educates people to safeguard our natural resources while building an equitable and sustainable local food system. They offer classes and hands-on training in sustainable urban agriculture and environmental stewardship for all ages.

The learning garden is the first phase of developing McAuliffe Park into an education center and urban farm for the community. It’s part of a broader agreement between the City of Kirkland and Seattle Tilth; the original agreement was approved in November 2014.