How Green Was My Soulard?

Soulard is mostly monochromatic; a sprawling red sea of bricks that bakes like an oven in the summer. But while the brewery-bound neighborhood is full of watering holes that help ease the heat, the true urban oasis is the Soulard Community Garden. Located at South Ninth and Lami streets, the garden strikes a vibrant, verdant contrast to its rust-hued surroundings. It teems with yellow sunflowers, heirloom tomatoes, raspberries, vine-dangling trellises and a rainbow of zinnias. To call it a pea patch would be an injustice. The best way to see the garden's colorful sights and taste its organic produce is the annual Soulard Community Garden Fall Harvest Fundraiser today from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The adjacent streets are blocked off for revelers, and the $20 admission price ($25 day of) includes beer, wine, a "garden-inspired feast" prepared by the hosts and live music from local jazz trio Dizzy Atmosphere. The best part about the block party, though, is that it keeps the colorful co-op garden growing for another year. Call 314-865-1980 for additional information.
Sat., Sept. 19, 2009