There’s a surprise waiting for you on the rooftop of the Mercer St. Garage at Seattle Center. You’ll find yourself in a green oasis amidst the bustling Uptown neighborhood. A vintage Airstream trailer serves as a tool shed, and an iridescent purple 1963 Ford Galaxie is filled with plants in place of the seats.
Animals are being raised in the garden too. What are they?
Vacant land in this dense urban neighborhood is scarce. Fortunately, in 2012, Seattle Center partnered with the Department of Neighborhoods to designate half of the top level of the Mercer St. Garage as a P-Patch Community Garden site. The rooftop UpGarden is visible from both the top of Queen Anne Hill and the Space Needle.
The garden includes a dedicated Giving Garden plot, contributing hundreds of pounds of produce annually to local food banks.
The P-Patch Community Gardening Program consists of community-managed open spaces throughout Seattle. Gardeners cultivate small plots of land to grow organic food, flowers, and herbs. All P-Patch gardens are open to the public for enjoyment and serve as communal spaces, places of restoration, learning hubs, and venues for community gatherings.