Garden History

In January 2013, Ecologistics co-founder Celia Zaentz, an avid gardener, decided to create a community garden on a vacant piece of her land.

She envisioned a place where people could grow their own vegetables and that would be a hub for organic gardening and permaculture education.

Los-Osos-Garden-5

Garden Founder Celia Zaentz

Creating the garden was a true community effort. Initial efforts involved clearing the property of weeds and debris, removing two large non-native eucalyptus trees, grading the site, installing an irrigation system, and building a fence. Next, volunteers and Ecologistics Board members prepared the garden for gardeners by building a tool shed, buying tools, obtaining a mountain of soil, creating and putting up a sign, and building a demonstration garden.

In the fall of 2013, Debra George and Lucy Norwood became our first two gardeners and built their own planters. We were delighted when Lucy volunteered to act as the garden manager. The garden’s education component got off the ground in 2014 when we introduced our free Saturdays in the Garden program, which runs from spring through summer.

How the Garden Got Its Name

At one point in her life, Celia was married to jazz bassist, Charles Mingus, and went by the name “Cee. Charles wrote a song for Celia entitled Blue Cee.

When it came time to name the garden, Stacey Hunt, Ecologistics co-founder and Celia’s niece suggested Blue C as a play on words with “sea” (since the garden is near the ocean) and shortening “Cee” to “C.” Celia loved the idea and the new garden became the Blue C Community and Demonstration Garden.

Blue C Community and Demonstration Garden

Garden Supporters

Ecologistics wishes to thank the following people and organizations for their assistance in creating the garden.

  • The Pollination Project – providing the “seed” money to get started
  • California Conservation Corps – clearing the lot and installing the irrigation system and continuing to help keep the garden clean and weed-free
  • Rotary Club of Los Osos – donating fencing supplies and labor to build the fence
  • O’Donnell Landscape Co. – designing and installing the irrigation system
  • Bruce Gibson, District 2 Supervisor, San Luis Obispo County – donating funds to buy soil
  • Sage Ecological Landscapes & Nursery – putting on a fundraiser for the irrigation system
  • Miner’s Ace Hardware – offering a discounted price for the garden shed
  • Amanda Smith, Raine Frost, and Nadia Brenner – designing and installing the demonstration garden
  • Pacific Coast Lumber – donating reclaimed cypress boards for building planters