Sonoma Garden Park is an ‘oasis’ of family fun close to downtown

Rachel and Jason Bowers were barely half an hour into their first visit to Sonoma Garden Park but they already knew they’d return to the serene 6.1-acre public agricultural park just east of the historic Sonoma Plaza.

“We love it. It’s so immediately beautiful,” said Rachel, cradling the couple’s 7-week-old baby, Desi.

“It’s incredible,” said her husband, trailing after their 2-year-old son, Elliott, as he explored the park’s newest feature, the children’s play area. “I’ve been in awe the whole time I’ve been here.”

The Napa couple enjoys gardening and Elliott “loves to help,” Rachel said, so a Saturday morning visit was an ideal outing.

The city-owned working farm is celebrating its 30th anniversary under the management of the Sonoma Ecology Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ecological health in Sonoma Valley. Steve Carara manages the park, which is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Deeded to the city in 1977 by local schoolteacher Pauline Bond, the property has been transformed from a bare lot to a destination for home gardeners, people seeking an easy walk through lush surroundings or families like the Bowers looking for a fun way to enjoy the outdoors while picking up tips about sustainable gardening.

Moving along the park’s ADA accessible winding pathways, there’s something to discover at every turn: a butterfly, birds, flowers and native bee gardens; a Fig Forest, oak woodland and orchards. And at the children’s garden, there’s a handcrafted sign welcomes young visitors to “Taste what we grow — 2 tastes per kid.”

In the expansive crop circle, park staff and volunteers grow produce for the weekly Harvest Market, while the nearby community garden features rental plots for personal gardening. The raised beds, wine barrels and assorted planters in the community garden sport a wide variety of produce, artichokes to zucchini, with twirling pinwheels, statuary and metal garden art lending a festive feeling.

There’s also a wellness tent where yoga classes are planned and a rock-lined labyrinth dotted with plants like lavender and California poppies, where visitors can go for quiet moments of reflection.

Numerous picnic tables are positioned throughout the park, welcoming visitors to dine al fresco among the birds, butterflies and small critters — like squirrels or lizards — that might show up at any given time. Visitors often can spot pollinators throughout the picturesque park.

Gardening produce for Harvest Market

Tucked away in a rural, tree-lined residential neighborhood, the park is a natural gem in a community that draws tourists to nearby wineries, tasting rooms, shops, restaurants and historic sites.

“There’s a lot happening in nature there,” said Ivana Nedelchev, the park’s bilingual volunteer coordinator.

She oversees a team of some 100 volunteers who help with everything from weeding and starting seeds to harvesting. “Volunteers get to be involved in different phases of the growing process and also get to see the results at the Harvest Market,” she said.

Held Saturday mornings from spring through fall in the park’s Straw Bale Barn, the market offers fresh-picked vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs, as well as local honey, olive oil, jam and more. Although not certified organic, the park doesn’t use chemicals, Nedelchev said.

The barn is located near a massive valley oak called the Grandmother Tree, reportedly several centuries old. It’s among the park’s numerous trees.

Eggs from the park’s free-range hens are especially popular at the market. “The eggs are wonderful and colorful and the freshest,” Nedelchev said. “Come early (before they sell out).”

Sonoma residents Laura and Mark Lucas live nearby and have been visiting the park for years. “It’s part of our dog walk (with their friendly Goldendoodle),” Laura said. “It’s a pleasant experience and everyone is so nice. We’re very fortunate to have this here.”

The couple recently purchased Swiss chard, Bibb lettuce and a bouquet of colorful flowers. “Having this fresh produce basically in our backyard is just fabulous,” Laura said.

Weekly plant sales

The Harvest Market is one of the park’s many highlights. A weekly California native plant sale offers selections like narrow leaf milkweed, California cone flowers and hummingbird sage — all grown on-site in the native plant nursery.

The UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County has been a park partner for more than 15 years, helping out in numerous ways. Volunteers staff an information table during the Harvest Market to provide tips and answer questions, and also showcase the program’s Water Wise Demonstration Garden, featuring an abundance of plants with low water needs.

They also collaborate on various educational programs and workshops offered throughout the year.

Walt Hickey and Helen Kensinger were staffing the information table on a recent morning, sharing their knowledge and love of gardening.

“It’s an oasis out here,” Hickey said, “almost a hidden one.” A retired social worker and longtime Master Gardener volunteer at the park, he enjoys assisting visitors and sharing tips for plants “that will thrive in Sonoma County.”

Kensinger joined the program last year after visiting the park and wanting to make a difference, too. A landscape designer, Kensinger said that along with questions about gardening, “a lot of people ask about gophers and what to do about them.”

Master Gardeners also oversees the children’s garden, where aspiring gardeners can play, explore and learn about gardening. A sign there shares wisdom from young Swedish climate activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg, noting “No one is too small to make a difference.”

Activities for everyone

The park is an educational center for visitors of all ages. There’s information on low impact design, using water sustainably in home landscapes — with tips about mulching, drought resistance in the garden, conservation and ecology.

Community-building events are held, and special social gatherings celebrate the park’s volunteers. By May, volunteers had contributed more than 650 hours of service so far this year.

Spring and summer science camps are held for grade-school children; registration is underway for two weeklong sessions of the Garden Wizards Academy in July for kids ages 7 to 11.

Additionally, an Enviroleaders program for teens provides paid environmental vocational training. School groups participate in the free Watershed Education Program that includes classroom lessons and a field experience. The program is open to second-graders as well as those in fourth through sixth grades.

All the park’s offerings are free or low-cost and include scholarship opportunities. Efforts are made to reach Spanish-speakers, with translation provided on the park’s webpage and social media accounts.

“We super encourage as much diversity as possible,” Nedelchev said.

Park’s lasting legacy

One of the park’s newest draws is the children’s play area that opened in April. Designed and implemented by Mark Gonzalves, a park volunteer with a background in landscape design, it’s an interactive playground that encourages imagination and exploration.

His design features a nature-based play area including a climbing net resembling a spider web, a culvert crawl-through tunnel, an antique water pump and child-sized seats made from tree stumps. (It’s doubtful kids will miss metal swing sets and slides.)

Gonzalves was awarded a Sonoma Valley Catalyst Fund Star Volunteer Award last year, a recognition honoring outstanding volunteers in the nonprofit sector. Support for the project came from a donation from the Wedekind family through Community Foundation Sonoma County.

The late Frank and Lorraine Wedekind ran Wedekind’s Garden Center on Broadway in Sonoma for more than 35 years and were known for giving back to the community. The couple’s three daughters — Janet, Joanne and the late Francine — honored their parents’ legacy through support of Sonoma Garden Park and its latest feature.

“The park operates and survives thanks to donors from our community and our volunteers,” Nedelchev said. “They’re a vital part of the park.”