A new garden at the University of the District of Columbia's Lamond-Riggs Campus in Ward 4 is already drawing yoga practitioners and pollinators to a corner of the city that rarely makes green-space headlines.
The Firebird Mariposa Wellness Garden opened with a celebration Wednesday, July 22, at the campus on South Dakota Avenue NE. The space is a joint project of UDC Community College's Accessibility Resource Center and the Center for Urban Resilience, Innovation and Infrastructure, known as CURII, which operates within the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences.
Robert Vela, a rehabilitation counselor with the Accessibility Resource Center who helped develop the project, said the garden grew from a desire to blend wellness, sustainability and inclusive design in one outdoor space.
"We wanted to create an environment where all members of the UDC community could enjoy the restorative benefits of nature in an inclusive setting and simply take a moment to breathe and reconnect with nature amid the demands of daily life," Vela said in a UDC article published Aug. 9.
Accessibility shaped the layout. Pathways accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and seating areas are spaced throughout so visitors can rest or socialize. The open design encourages people with a range of physical abilities to use the space.
The garden is planted with zinnias, cosmos and marigolds grown from seed, alongside native perennials including echinacea and wild bergamot that attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. It sits next to UDC greenhouses currently growing lettuce, herbs and edible flowers.
The name is deliberate. Mariposa is Spanish for butterfly, chosen as a symbol of transformation and resilience for students pursuing their education.
Kyra Moore, research and logistics coordinator for CURII, said the garden complements the urban agriculture and environmental work already underway through CAUSES and creates another destination for students and neighbors to engage with the campus landscape.
A community yoga group has started visiting during the Lamond-Riggs Farmers Market, which runs Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. at 5171 South Dakota Ave. NE. Future programming will include guided wellness walks, gardening workshops, pollinator education and stress-reduction activities timed to midterms and finals.
The garden is free. Specific dates for upcoming workshops have not yet been announced.
Coming up at UDC Lamond-Riggs:
- CAUSES Farmers Market: Fridays, 4–8 p.m., 5171 South Dakota Ave. NE
