By Greg Russell

The University of Memphis TIGUrS garden initiative has several projects scheduled for this spring including a seminar series. Faculty and staff can play a part in the overall success of the three-year endeavor that has seen steady growth.

“We are looking at building an outdoor classroom, so any kind of building materials that you may have that you want to donate to us would be a major asset,” garden co-founder Karyl Buddington said. “We are trying not to completely rely on funding from the U of M’s green fee so we are asking anyone who has any kind of spare building materials such as wood, bricks, flat stone and shingles to donate them to the project.”

She said the outdoor classroom may involve something as simple as laying flat stone that would support chairs or something more formal like a covered pavilion.

Buddington said the garden project also accepts donations through the Urban Garden Initiative Fund (details below).

TIGUrS is planning to host a spring seminar series in 2012.

“Right now we are looking at four or five speakers who would discuss things that are relevant to the garden,” Buddington said.

She also said that the summer garden has ended, but a number of winter beds have begun.

The garden project was started as a sustainability initiative to get students more involved with growing their own food. Several harvest days are held each year, and faculty, staff and students can visit the garden at any time to pick vegetables that are in season. There are several types of fruits, herbs and vegetables that are available in the main garden on the east side of the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

“We are looking to the future,” Buddington said, “exploring new ways to get students outside and in the garden.”

For more information on how to donate building materials, contact Buddington at kbudding@memphis.edu.

To donate to the Urban Garden Initiative Fund:

Once you log into Banner and click on the Employee tab at the top, you will see a box labeled “Faculty and Staff Giving Program.” You can select the option to make a gift through payroll deduction, or you can make a one-time or recurring gift using your credit card. Select “College/School/Department/Other” under “Designating Your Gift.” Then, scroll down to the bottom and enter “Urban Garden Initiative” in the “Other” box along with the desired gift amount.