28 | SUMMER 2026 EDIBLE CENTRAL OREGON donated to Bend Park and Recreation District in 1984 by Dean and Lily Hollinshead. Adjoining the garden is the WaterWise demonstration garden, established in 2017. Its walkway is lined by area vegetation that grows well in the High Desert with limited water, making it a great place to find landscape design inspiration or gain plant knowledge. Discovery Park Established in 2017, Discovery Park is on the western edge of Bend at the base of the foothills. Alongside the garden is a three-acre lake and access to the Outback and Manzanita trails. To combat the elements, the beds here feature corrugated plastic to provide a windbreak and extra warmth. They also have hoops, making it easy to cover plants when needed. As I was walking out, I spotted a sign for the Grow & Give collection box, a program of High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA), which recovers surplus produce from local farms, farmers markets, community gardens, and local growers and distributes it to food access sites throughout Central Oregon, ensuring more people have access to healthy food. Franklin’s Corner Franklin’s Corner serves a dual purpose. Originally designed as a storm water infiltration system, it captures and naturally treats neighborhood runoff. The storm water is filtered before eventually joining the groundwater supply. Though the lot sat as grass for years, it lacked a meaningful community use until the garden was formed in 2014. The garden is owned by the City of Bend and managed by Worthy Environmental, the nonprofit arm of Worthy Brewing. Additionally, Pollinator Pathway Bend maintains the native pollinator habitat outside the garden fence, complete with informative signs about local habitats. Lisa Sanco, executive director of Worthy Environmental, shared her favorite part of being involved at Franklin’s Corner: “I love getting to know gardeners and making connections during our work parties. It’s a totally different environment than working in our gardens over at Worthy Brewing.” She adds, “It’s been very gratifying to see the improvements we’ve made over the last three years on infrastructure projects and garden maintenance. I feel it’s been a huge success. And every year, we get a chance to improve.” Even if you aren’t tending a plot of your own, these spaces offer a chance to see what is possible in our challenging climate. Take a walk through one of these gardens this season to see firsthand how patience and preparation can turn a small patch of soil into a blooming oasis. e Work day at Franklin’s Corner
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