A new vegetable garden is uniting a local community.

Bronx resident Debbie Roff fantasized about growing a vegetable garden in an empty space of Edgewater Park for many years. That realization was never possible due to her proximity to the water and threats of flooding, until now.

Roff received a grant from the Citizens Committee of New York and a unique idea from her son. He suggested that she use straw bales instead of soil in the garden and the seeds began to take root.

Roff says using the straw bales has solved all previous problems, including water issues and weeding. She also says that the remaining bales can be used as compost for future gardens.

Gardeners have grown pumpkins, eggplants and many other fruits and vegetables.

The garden opened on Mother's Day and has since blossomed from a vegetable field to a community center. It has become a prime location to meet friends, according to Roff.