The seeds, plants, topsoil, mulch and compost that make up a garden do more than just feed the hungry.

Hope Centre executive director Pat Kemp said the Hope Centre Community Garden has produced a sense of accomplishment among volunteers who tended it through the summer.

"It just really shows you that a seed planted in the early spring and harvested in the fall is much more than just a tomato on a plant," she said.

She was at the organization's community garden planted on Niagara College grounds with Welland Mayor Damian Goulbourne and representatives of the Niagara Prospertity Initiative that funded the project, to thank three local businesses that made the garden possible -- Stokes Seeds, Universal Resource Recovery (URR) and Martin Farms.

"These initiatives bring communities together," Goulbourne said.

As a result of Niagara Prospertity Initiative funding, as well as the contributions from businesses such as the three honored Wednesday, Goulbourne said there is now a network of nine community gardens across the region.

"We have partners of all stripes working together -- community and government working together," he said.

"But to keep these initiatives moving forward, we need business people to step forward and participate."

Goulbourne said he hopes recognizing Stokes Seeds, URR and Martin Farms will inspire other business owners to follow their lead.

Niagara Prosperity Initiative administrator Rick Merritt called it "amazing" to see the growth of nine community gardens across the region, established with $160,000 invested by the initiative to launch the programs.

Since the individual gardens have joined to create the Niagara Garden Network, he said the "sharing of ideas and best practices has been just wonderful."

Stokes Seeds president Wayne Gale said his company will continue to be involved in the projects.

Gardens, he added, "provide a sense of well-being, a sense of contributing, a sense of pride."

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