Interest rates are not the only thing growing at one local bank, vegetables are too.

Maggie McKelvy, the branch manager at HomeStreet Bank, came up with the idea of turning landscaping into a garden when she found a link to a New York Time's article on the Sustainable Ballard website.

The article discussed "eating local" and what people can do to reduce the carbon footprint.

"The idea popped into my head to grow vegetables at work. I asked everyone because I needed a team effort. It was unanimous, people got excited," said McKelvy.

An organic vegetable garden could provide a source of "local" produce for the staff. Many of them don't have gardens at home, said McKelvy.

The staff of eight at the bank formed a work party one weekend. They worked into late in the evening and shared dinner in the lobby. Customers stopped by to lend a hand.

"It was a blast," said McKelvy.

They will soon install a pathway through the bed. Each employee will have their own stepping stone.

"It's a real team effort to grow this," said McKelvy.

Customers have taken notice. They stop to look inspect the garden before entering the bank.

The HomeStreet Bank gardening team decided to only grow high producing plants.

Now two varieties of squash, zuccini, green beans, several lettuces, parsley, basil, cherry tomatoes, red peppers and oakra have been planted.

Customers have donated top soil and plant starts.

Other customers who were landscapers offered advice. One volunteered to move shrubs to another spot to make room for the garden.

Now the staff is thinking about a composting area and rain catchment options.

"It feels like a community project. It's so therapeutic for use. It's like being at home," said McKelvy, who lives in a townhouse without access to a garden.

The employees hope to have enough vegetables to donate some to the Ballard Food Bank.

The bank already has a custom made box to collect non-perishable foods to feed the needy.

"The box was built by a customer who used to be a client of the food bank. He wanted to give back," said McKelvy.

Dean Wong may be reached at deanw@robinsonnews.com or 783.1244.