Community Garden

**Community Garden** is the fifth episode in Season 1 of *I ♥ Arlo*.

## Synopsis

Bertie finds a quiet place to be by herself... until Arlo spreads the word and it becomes a community garden.

## Plot

Bertie is relaxing quietly in an open lot with various flowers she planted one morning. At the same time, Arlo and the others are messing around at Tony's when he realizes Bertie did not come. He searches for her all over town until he finally comes upon her at the lot, accidentally stepping on one of her flowers in the process. She reveals she's been coming to the lot a few weeks to do some gardening as a form of meditation and her likeness of silence, but isn't as quiet most of the time thanks to the constant passing traffic.

Arlo happily approves of Bertie's gardening and offers to put up a fence so no one steps on her flowers. Bertie tries to politely turn it down, but he already goes ahead of her, and helps him put it up. Just before Arlo could leave Bertie alone, Tony comes upon the lot and sees how small the fence is, as someone would jump right over it. He demonstrates and destroys another flower, to Bertie's disappointment. Tony then offers a bigger fence which Bertie also tries to turn down, but he doesn't listen and leaves for a moment before coming back with Alia with the boards to get building.

Soon after the fence is constructed, Tony realizes he forgot to build a gate but at least tests jumping over it. When he fails at that and gets his face covered in dirt, he realizes the dirt is good enough to plant his own homegrown tomatoes to make tomato sauce, so he wouldn't have to feel the wrath of his rival Big Jersey Tomato. Arlo sniffs the dirt and realizes Tony was right, giving him the idea to turn the lot into a community garden, which can also be the spot for Alia to add catnip and Furlecia to grow coconuts to make homegrown conditioner. Soon Arlo rallies up all of Seaside with an uplifting song, and the community garden is constructed in no time, destroying all but one of Bertie's flowers in the process. Bertie, upset to lose her quiet time, sadly leaves the garden.

Arlo enjoys the garden, checking out everyone's plantations, but notices Bertie's flowers are gone. Furlecia suggests Bertie's spot should be where Marcellus is hosting a barbecue, while Alia teasingly suggests it got up and walked away. Arlo goes and finds Bertie in her bedroom at home, moping under the bed. She tells Arlo that the garden is not the same anymore and even though it's great that everyone there is having fun, she can't go there and be alone like she used to anymore. Arlo tries to fix it with Bertie-only hours, but that wasn't what she was talking about. In song, Bertie shows Arlo that it's best to be alone time to time and things need room to grow; this gives Arlo an idea and rallies the rest of his friends to gather a few things from the garden and put together a surprise up on the roof.

Once the group is done, Arlo summons Bertie to the roof where he reveals her song inspired him to realize everyone is different and he doesn't understand alone time that much, but is fine with that. So he got the others to pitch in and build a rooftop garden where she can spend private time all to herself when she needs it. Bertie is fascinated and happily enjoys herself as the others decide to leave her be and return to the community garden to check up on their plantations. Bertie plants her remaining flower and finally enjoys all the quiet time she deserves as the episode ends.

## Cast

* Michael J. Woodard as Arlo Beauregard
* Mary Lambert as Bertie
* Jonathan Van Ness as Furlecia
* Haley Tju as Alia/Driver
* Brett Gelman as Marcellus
* Tony Hale as Teeny Tiny Tony
* Maria Bamford as Cop
* Cathy Vu as Clown
* Mark Whitten as Sam

## Songs

* Community Garden (song)
* Even In A Garden

## Trivia

* Whenever Arlo is looking for Bertie, he repeatedly sings her name like he did in the movie.
* This is the first episode to have more than one song.