Volunteer crew gets hands-on to maintain Harvey’s Garden

Locals and tourists alike visiting Blackie’s Pasture can view Harvey’s Garden, a public, pesticide-free swath of nature that features a couple thousand drought-tolerant plants from destinations both near and far, including California natives and those from the Mediterranean areas of South Africa, Mexico and Australia.

The 200-foot-long garden is designed to be low-maintenance environmentally — but it takes the dedication of dozens of volunteers, many of whom are certified master gardeners, to keep the 2,500 plants healthy. In addition to regular maintenance, the volunteer crew a couple years ago took on the task of replanting the entire garden, a process that took several months, ensuring the decades-old space will continue to be accessible to the public for years to come.

James Campbell, a former Belvedere mayor who helps oversee the garden, called the garden a “living legacy” that memorializes the efforts of its namesake, longtime Belvedere resident Harvey Rogers, in establishing the space.

“We hope to educate people about sustainable landscaping and inspire our community to discover what thrives in their gardens,” Campbell says. “We plan to continue carrying on Harvey’s vision.”

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