DENVER — Hidden in the bustling neighborhood of Washington Park, SummerHome Garden serves as a serene escape for residents seeking solace from a chaotic world.
Lisa Negri, the creator and caretaker of SummerHome Garden, embarked on this journey five years ago, motivated by a desire to combat immense development pressure in her community.
“I bought it for one reason, and it was so self-serving,” Negri said. “I didn’t want a three-story McMansion next to me.”
Negri purchased the lot next to her house, and the home that sat upon it, in 2019 with the hopes of renting it out. She bought it unseen, and the house was in a worse state than she had thought.
“I can still remember the smell, and how you could put your hands through the wall,” Negri said. “So, we knew it had to come down. Then that's when the adventure started.”
Partnering with Kevin Williams, a horticulturist at the Denver Botanic Gardens, the two cultivated a landscape of drought-tolerant plants endemic to Colorado. Williams’ gardening expertise and his knowledge of public pocket gardens on the east coast were instrumental in creating a space that the community could share.
“It became really important to me that this garden was open and free to the public because it's educational and it's gorgeous,” Negri shared. “It gives all of us in this neighborhood just a smidgen of open space and calm and serenity.”
Despite its potential as a lucrative real estate asset, Negri chose to create a vibrant community garden instead. Today, it is a haven not just for flora, but for visitors as well.
“I’ve found people out here sobbing, praying,” Negri said. “There's been funerals, there's been weddings, there's been graduation pictures. There are groups of men that come and just sit for hours and talk. There are meditation groups.”
SummerHome Garden recently secured its status as a 501(c)(3). Negri’s next step is to establish an endowment for the garden through private funds and donations.
“I will die someday, but if I can get it endowed, it should stay here in perpetuity, which is really important to me,” Negri explained. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined it. The comments that I get of what it does for people’s hearts and souls and minds.”
The garden now requires very little attention, especially compared to when it started. The plants are well-established and finding room for new plants is nearly impossible. All of the plants here are drought-tolerant and thrive in Colorado’s environment, and Negri loves to share her gardening insights and tips with those who come for a visit.
