Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Pablo's Garden

Polly visiting with Jennifer and Sophie in Pablo's Garden

Jennifer, Sophie and John + Michele and Lucas

We woke up this morning to a few photos from our neighbor Joaquin. The photos made us laugh and smile and jump up and down. The photos are of Pablo's Garden, a special place across the road from our house that was dreamed up and spearheaded by our neighbors John and Jennifer and their little girl Sophie. It all started the day Pablo passed away. They spoke to our neighbor across the road, Richard, about utlizing the giant unused corner of his lot for this neighborhood meeting place dedicated to Pablo. He said yes, and things progressed very quickly.

First, Jennifer and Sophie crafted a sign out of wood planks (you can see it in the upper left corner of the pic). They painted PABLO'S GARDEN on them, and stuck the pole in the ground. That made things official. As word got around about the project, Grady's dad Jimmy and his Fred 62 business associate Fred Sutherland (a killer designer) got involved, offering design, financial and construction help—and a sizable donation to The Pablove Foundation.

Other neighbors and friends pitched in. I may not be including everyone on this list, so keep an eye out for additions: neighbors Joaquin, Michele and Lucas; Lydia; and another neighbor, who I know from the music biz world, Holly. We thank ALL OF THESE FRIENDS, and any others we don't know of who sweated in the soil to honor our little boy Pablo.

Pablo's Garden is open for the business of calmness and quietness and communing with other humans. We welcome you to stop by, sit down, hang out on the corner of Redesdale and Fall.

Send us pics when you do. We'd like to see them.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's beautiful! What a wonderful bunch of people! Pablo is smiling. I am sure of it! Lisa Hickey

Anonymous said...

I hope that those beautiful flowers attract many, many butterflies.

Debbie

beth said...

that is so awesome!

Nancy said...

I wish I could physically be there but I shall make the mental journey from New York to sit in Pablo's garden. Thank you for inviting me.

Anonymous said...

Thank you to Richard who lent us a hose on the first day, as well as a rake, and seemed to really like what was being done with his little plot of land. Your neighbor, Nicodemus, also brought us tools, potting soil and a cooler for our beers! So kind!
Your neighbor's gardeners, Ramon and Nelson, saved our butts by doing some quick clipping and raking that saved us about two hours. It took them, of course, about 5 minutes, and they were so lovely to help out two ladies clearly flopping around in distress with the bougainvillea clearance! All the neighbors who walked by over the two days that Holly and I were there seemed to really like the enchantment in the making....so much fun to help Jennifer and Sophie Del Barrio in this wonderful garden for Pablo!

With love,
Holly Adams and Lydia Sarno

Anonymous said...

very sweet. What a touching tribute!

-NC

Anonymous said...

How lucky you are to have such loving and caring neighbors and friends! But you already know that.
I look forward to visiting Pablo's garden!
Much Love, Danica

Unknown said...

so so lovely....

Haley said...

What a nice place to sit and think of Pablo.

Anonymous said...

Hello everyone!

The garden is just about finished! We'll just be putting some more stones to fill in the succulent circle, plant a few more plants, repaint the sign, figure out signage/dedication and that's it!. We ended up using 46 bags of bark chips! Chips, chips and more chips!

I've enjoyed this process so much!!! It was hard work but fun.

First thanks go to Fred of Fred 62 for donating the funds for the garden! Thanks Jimmy for making that happen. Thanks to Richard for the permission to use his property. Thanks to Carlos and his workers for the hard work they put in.

Thanks to everyone who worked on the garden!

Sofie, Jon, Richard,Holly, Lydia, Michele, Joaquin, Lucas,Maisie,Lulu,Sophie,Josie Layla,Nicholas,Narciso, Ramon and Nelson.

Thanks to those who donated plants and materials and advice.

Helen, Brent, Steve and Tom, Peter and Scott,(irrigation!)Mortarless,Tracy and Andrew, Gina, Faith, James and Vanessa, Nicodemus. Thanks also to the wonderful people who brought the potted plants to the sign in the beginning. Thanks to the people driving or walking by who showed their support and delight for the garden.
This is a community garden created for Pablo. A place to enjoy the beauty of nature. We hope Pablo's family finds it peaceful and restorative.

It's the neighborhood's garden so come and enjoy it and help maintain it. If you see something might need watering,(especially plants outside of the circles) leaves and twigs picking up, etc. feel free!It's your garden! Jennifer Del Barrio

Anonymous said...

Oh, just need to add a couple of things to the last blog I wrote! Thanks to Mrs. Pineda (my parents neighbor who's husband R.C. just passed) for donating two plants to the garden. To Holly and Lydia who not only planted most of the plants, donated some beautiful touches in the form of sea glass, marbles and butterflies!

Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Hello everyone! it's Sofie Del Barrio (Jennifer's daughter) and i would just like to say that it has been a wonderful experience helping to create Pablo's Garden.

I would also like to announce that me and my mom will be putting on a gardening party in Pablo's Garden. I know my mom will be sending out an email about the party but just in case you do not receive this email you are completely welcome to join us on July 8 (sunday) from 9am-12pm :)

lots of love, Sofie D.