kirke park’s P-Patch

The raised-bed vegetable garden at the north end of Kirke Park is a P-Patch, part of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ P-Patch Program. This 38-plot P-Patch was established in 2012, as part of the park’s creation, and this corner of Kirke has been a cornucopia of veggies, flowers, birds, bees, gardeners, and neighbors throughout the seasons ever since!

Seattle’s P-Patch Program, an Overview

The name “P-Patch” commemorates the Picardo family who operated a truck farm — a farm dedicated to growing produce for market — in the Wedgwood area in the early twentieth century. In 1973, part of the former farm was acquired from the Picardo family and became the first community garden in Seattle: the Picardo Farm P-Patch.

There are now more than 90 P-Patches located throughout the city, and community gardeners grow food and provide stewardship for almost 34 acres of public land.

Any Seattle resident can apply for a garden plot. If you’re curious about P-Patch gardening, get your name on the interest list! There’s a waiting list, but hang in there. While you’re waiting, you can join the Giving Garden volunteer crew! (See details in the sidebar.)

A mosaic by p-patch gardeners adorns a window box on the garden shed.
Please Don’t Pick

We hope you enjoy the community garden here at Kirke Park, but please do not pick the produce, step on the soil in the beds, or otherwise disturb the planted areas of the garden.

Those who garden here pay for their individual garden space and work hard to grow their produce. They also:

  • donate to the food bank
  • let plants mature to collect seed
  • volunteer their time to maintain the entire garden
2023: 50th Anniversary

Officially started in 1973, the City of Seattle’s P-Patch Community Gardening Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary all year long!

Over the years, the P-Patch Program has grown to serve more than 3,500 households in 91 gardens located in neighborhoods throughout Seattle. True to its origins, the P-Patch program continues to grow food for those in need and focuses on supporting low-income and historically underserved community members.

GIVING GARDEN

The Kirke Park P-Patch Giving Garden raises food — mostly herbs, by request! — for our partners at the Ballard Food Bank. In 2025, Kirke gardeners donated over 130 lbs of herbs and vegetables!

The Giving Garden is volunteer powered. Want to join the community of Giving Garden volunteers? You’re invited! (You don’t need to have a P-Patch plot to volunteer at the Giving Garden.)

Summer Volunteer Opportunities, 2026

From 8:30-9:30am on harvest days*, Giving Garden volunteers pick, bag or bundle, and label greens and herbs, then deliver to the Ballard Food bank before 10 am. Newbies welcome! To join, just show up on harvest days and bring snippers or scissors and garden gloves if you have them.

High schoolers can earn community service hours by helping with harvest and/or delivering to the Food Bank. Bring your service hour sheet with you for the Giving Garden Lead to sign.

*Scheduled harvests (8:30-9:30am):
– Thursday June 4
– Thursday June 18
– Tuesday June 30
– Tuesday July 14
– Tuesday July 28
– Tuesday August 4
– Tuesday August 18
– Thursday August 27
– Thursday Sept 10

Many Thanks to leaders Abby and Linda for keeping the Giving Garden organized!

Curious about the P-Patch Program?