Introduction The popularization of urban gardening has exploded in the last five years. A simple google search for “urban gardening” returns images of polished plastic container gardens, and beautifully arrayed vegetation whose smooth edges juxtapose the jagged cityscapes behind them. When these photos contain people, they typically convey white people teaching Black youth in the garden . These photos can be beautiful and inspirational, but they can also be deceitful. They are based on a new growing aesthetic of white urban gardening betrays the movements history. Black entrepreneurs like Will Allen of Growing Power have not only spread awareness of the unexpected fertility of cityscapes, but have also politely reminded white America that the urban gardening movement has undeniably black roots. Detroit, a city with an 84% African American population, is often referenced as a poster child for the urban farming movement, and with good reason. Take a walk through the Brightmoor