ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — What do an 80s hair band and a large metal man riding a pig-dog in West Asheville have in common?
They share the name Guns and Roses.
Located in the Burton Street community, the Peace Gardens & Market is an eclectic space featuring gardens, art installations and cultural history. Visitors can explore plants, fresh produce, Black history exhibits and find inspiration and a deeper connection to the community.
At the garden entrance, a metal sculpture depicts a man riding a wheeled pig or dog while carrying a six-shooter and a bouquet of flowers. According to a post on Roadside America, the piece was designed by artist DeWayne Barton and built by metal artist Stefan “Steebo” Bonitz. The statue stands about one-and-a-half times life-size.
Burton Street community
Just off Interstate 240 on Haywood Road sits a piece of Asheville’s history: the Burton Street community.
Originally called Buffalo Street, the historically Black neighborhood was renamed in 1922 after John Burton, one of Asheville’s founders. Though Burton Street may seem unremarkable at first glance, longtime residents and visitors know it as a place rich with stories of resilience and pride.
Its strength and spirit are rooted largely in the vision of Edward Walton (E.W.) Pearson Sr., the neighborhood’s pioneering leader.
That spirit continues in its community garden.
The Peace Gardens & Market, formerly known as Burton Street Peace Gardens, was founded in 2003 by Safi Mahaba and DeWayne Barton in response to the war in Iraq and the war on drugs, according to the Hood Huggers website. It began as a few raised beds on an overgrown lot and evolved into a dynamic community space.
The garden’s website describes the space as an urban micro-farm and art garden. It hosts weekly workdays every Saturday, where volunteers help with chores such as weeding, composting, harvesting and mulching. During the growing season, produce is harvested and distributed to neighborhood elders and through the weekly farm stand.
The Hood Huggers website said the gardens have delivered more than 1,500 pounds of produce to neighborhood elders since 2019.
The gardens are open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. Visitors are encouraged to follow the guidelines posted onsite.