Garden Marketplace
The Garden Marketplace
519 Bangs Avenue
Asbury Park, N.J. 07712
732-502-9760
Asbury Park's not-for -profit Garden of Joy opened its Garden Marketplace in a warm and eclectic co-operative of vendors featuring unique gifts of distinction for the home and garden...vintage vases & planters, garden statues, exotic plants and fruit trees, original & creative jewelry, art and pottery works, antique treasures, candles and soaps, etc. Portions of sale proceeds directly benefit the Garden of Joy projects for inner city children of Asbury Park. Please stop by and say hello!
Our Gardens of Joy are aimed to counter the perceived negative stereotypes directed at inner city schools and their educational problems. Problems such as lack of discipline, motivation, lack of respect towards teachers, the educational system, and the "gangsta" mentality. These problems leave some children unfocused, uninspired and unwilling/unable to learn. Asbury Park schools in particular, have a horrific drop-out rate! We believe our Garden could add an inspiring and creative educational tool, reaching out to some children, and allowing shy flowers to blossom and flourish!
Our Garden program is unique in that it is a "cottage" or "kitchen" Garden with nutritious plants including plants used in the cuisines of Native and Tropical ethnic cultures. Including the wisdom of grandmothers and shaman/medicine woman into our learning tools can help bring the Project alive for the children. We also employ unusual organic techniques, such as cat and dog fur, human hair clippings, herbal tea leaves and coffee grinds, soapy water with essential oils, much to the amazement and delight of the children!
