MEMPHIS, Tenn. - There is something good growing in Orange Mound. Tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumbers are just a few.

The new Park Avenue Garden needs volunteers to keep it going.

"Nothing has ever been done. So I just want to be an agent of change so instead of talking about it I waned to about it," said Dwayne Jones.

In the heart of Orange Mound, this once vacant lot now has new life. Jones got permission to turn what was an over grown eye-sore into what will soon grow into a plentiful garden.

"Being a long term resident of the Orange Mound community I wanted something positive to be done in the community," said Jones.

The project began four weeks ago with Jones and his brother Maurice plowing each row by hand, removing rocks, inserting steaks and using three 32 gallon garbage cans to get water to the site.

It has been a trying process, but all their hard work has been shared by those in the community.

"It's a lot of work. Some days I may have one or two people. Some days I may have eight to ten people volunteering," said Jones.

Some of Jones' volunteers may be cast aside by many, but he doesn't shun those eager to show their green thumbs.

As long as they follow his garden rules: no profanity and no drinking.

"We still have prostitutes and drunkards and people that walk the neighborhood so they are able to walk over and participate. People who wouldn't typically find working in a garden are actually working in this garden," said Maurice Jones. "A lot of people even the prostitutes and drug dealers we have a lot of feedback trying to see something positive in the neighborhood."

The Park Avenue Garden is for the Orange Mound community to enjoy, some of the food will be donated, and the rest sold.

People have asked the group about putting up a fence to protect the harvest, but he isn't worried about thieves.

"I am very adamant about not securing the garden. For one, everything now has to be caged in and I refuse to have that mindset on this garden," said Jones.

Jones' garden has gotten a lot of positive feedback from the community. Many were glad to see something being done with the lot.

Others are also happy because it giving the community a project to work on together and be proud of.

"I would recommend that every vacant lot do something like that every vacant lot where they are not doing anything. People get together have a garden. It will be good for the community and give the children something to do," said Melvin Proctor

"Everything I know and love from my church to my family to most of my friends is here. So I want my neighborhood to be a better place."