Gardening in community

Community gardens provide space to grow food, knowledge, and relationships

The Alberta Avenue Community gardeners harvested over 1400 pound of potatoes in 2024. | Karen Mykietka

We live in an amazing district! Six of our seven community leagues run some form of community garden program. Whether it is a small box, an individual inground plot, or communal space, you can find a place to get your hands in soil and grow seeds into plants.

The City of Edmonton describes community gardens as places where neighbours share basic resources of land, water, and sunlight. They work together and alongside one another to nurture, develop, and sustain a growing space in their community.

Gardening has many benefits both for the volunteers who join (healthy food, active living, recreation) and for the community (beautification, community building, knowledge and resource sharing). It’s important to remember, however, that gardening with others in a communal space will be different from gardening in our own private space.

Community gardens have rules and guidelines to follow and may have volunteer requirements. Respecting others' garden spaces, not entering them or picking their produce are common rules.

Violations can happen in communal gardening, whether intentional or not. If the garden is not fenced off from the public, there’s even greater risk. You need to approach community gardening with a different level of attachment and expectation than you would a private garden: approach it with an attitude of kindness, cooperation, appreciation, and sharing. Be grateful for any harvest you get, along with the learning and community building opportunities.

Alberta Avenue Community Garden

Alberta Avenue started its garden in 2011 and it has grown and expanded significantly. It now has 45 individual plots (two of which are accessible), a gazebo, and a greenhouse. It also has a large communal space, which has mostly produced potatoes the last couple of years. In 2024 gardeners paid a $80 deposit, refundable if they completed 16 hours of volunteer work (four hours per month).

Delton

Delton will have garden boxes again this year and they are planning a plant sale. Email greendeltoncommunity@gmail.com for more information.

Elmwood Park Community Garden

Elmwood Park’s garden in their large fenced yard includes a beautifully landscaped green space, gazebo, and picnic tables. They have 20 raised beds they rent for $40 plus a deposit. Go to their website to book a spot or email ElmwoodparkCL.info@gmail.com.

Eastwood Community Garden

Eastwood has raised garden beds on the concrete pad outside the rink fence, as well as in ground beds between the fence and the rink. Its members are hosting a gardening planning session on March 22 from 2-4 pm. Email info@eastwoodhub.org or call 780-477-2354 for more information.

Growers’ Dozen Community Garden (Parkdale-Cromdale)

Parkdale-Cromdale has 22 four-by-four garden boxes on pallets that they move into their paved rink area for the summer. In 2024, they charged a $10 fee and required two hours volunteering per month. Register for a spot on their website or email info@parkdalecromdale.org.

Spruce Avenue Community Garden

Spruce Avenue’s garden was launched a few years ago, after careful work from the community on its design and build. If you’re interested in a plot, email garden@spruceavenuecommunity.com.