Community Gardening Resources

Our Garden is in tended April through October by D5 Resident, Alex Gassel. If you’d like to volunteer your time to work on the garden, please call the office at 651-774-5234.

All photographs on this page are from this garden!

 

Community gardens provide opportunities to meet your local neighbors, build block clubs, create projects for local youth and increase eyes on the street.

What are the benefits of community gardening?

• Community gardens increase a sense of community ownership and stewardship.

• Community gardens foster the development of a community identity and spirit.

• Community gardens bring people together from a wide variety of backgrounds (age, race, culture, social class).

• Community gardens build community leaders.

• Community gardens offer a focal point for community organizing, and can lead to community-based efforts to deal with other social concerns.

GardenWorks

GardenWorks, a program of the Green Institute, supports community gardens by assisting garden groups organize and strengthen relationships within the garden and the local community.

The program is an association of garden groups who pool their resources to establish a common voice to promote and preserve community gardening. They are doing this by:

• Working with community garden groups to grow leadership within the garden group and strengthen relationships with the local community.

• Identifying community partners to assist gardens.

• Building partnerships with the public and private sector to support community gardening through public policies, program sponsorship.

Contact Information:  (612) 278-7123, info@gardenworksMN.org or www.gardenworksMN.org

City of St. Paul Community Garden Information

The Gardening in St. Paul website has a lot of great resources for how to start a community garden, locations of other community gardens, and general gardening information.  More information and links to additional resources may be found online here.

Northern Gardener

The Minnesota State Horticultural Society (MSHS) is one of the largest member-supported horticultural societies in the U.S. Since 1866, they have served the gardening community through programs for individuals of all ages. Check out their:

• Award winning Northern Gardener magazine

• Expert educational classes

• Outreach at gardening shows

• Statewide events

They maintain a garden lending library, online resources and a retail bookstore that features excellent material for both novice and professional gardeners. Their program, Minnesota Green, promotes community gardening as a way to strengthen neighborhoods by connecting people and plants. Visit them at www.northerngardener.org

Farm in the City

Interested in growing healthy children and communities through urban gardening and environmental arts? Visit www.farminthecity.org.

The Garden Club of Ramsey County

Their more than 200 members include master gardeners, professional landscape designers, self-taught experts, dabblers and complete beginners. Whether you have a large garden or a small city plot, a balcony or a sunny window, deep shade or full sun, clay or sandy soil, you'll find encouragement and helpful gardening tips. Their website also provides information about upcoming workshops and events: www.ramseygardeners.org

University of MN Extension’s Yard and Garden Line

Here is a link to information about plants and insects in the home landscape. Resources include: Yard and Garden Line News, plant disease diagnostics, wildlife clinic, Ask a Master Gardener, garden tours, workshops, soil testing lab and more. You may access information online at: www.extension.umn.edu/gardeninfo.