Toronto community gardens

Itching to flex your green thumb but missing the space to scratch it? Think about getting involved in a community garden in your neighbourhood. Creating a garden can have positive environmental, economic, and social impacts, fostering cultural understanding and a connection to local ecosystems. Community gardens are safe, beautiful outdoor spaces. They may be sandwiched between two buildings, on the outskirts of the city, alongside railroad tracks or next to your local 7/11. They can be used to produce sustainable food resources or just dolled up to look pretty.

The City of Toronto’s Community Gardens homepage shows 44 gardens in city parks, but there are numerous other collaborative green spaces farmed by gardeners throughout the city, including school, rooftop, therapeutic and neighbourhood gardens. The Toronto Community Gardening Network was formed to encourage and advocate on behalf of gardeners by hosting events throughout the year, such as “Seedy Saturday” in March, a community garden bus tour in the summer and a harvest party each fall.

FoodShare, a local organization committed to improving access to affordable, nutritious food through innovative grassroots programs, has been helping individuals and community groups start and sustain community gardens for over 20 years. A community gardening manual and month-by-month garden start-up kit are available free from their website.

The Toronto Green Community has helped create three community gardens in Toronto, with a fourth in the works: Eglinton Park Heritage Community Garden and Naturalization Site, Champlain Place and a garden at the Canadian Film Centre.

Evergreen has also developed a number of community gardens, weaving together urban habitat restoration, food gardening, art and community development with a goal toward long-term, ongoing community involvement. Evergreen began its community gardens program in 1998 with the creation of three habitat gardens in inner-city Toronto neighbourhoods. Their original three Where Edges Meet projects, in St. James Town, Parkdale and the Annex, are still active community gardens where volunteers meet throughout the summer.

The list below is by no means comprehensive, but includes gardens in most areas of the city not mentioned above (and links to their websites, where possible).

The Stop Community Food Centre
H.O.P.E. Garden
Village Green Park
Heathercrest Park Community Garden
Earlscourt Park Community Garden
Dufferin Grove Park
Oakdale Community Centre Community Garden
Dundas/Manning Community Garden
John Gibson House (Trinity Bellwoods)
Alex Wilson Community Garden
Huron Street Community Garden
Bedford Road Parkette
Bernard Avenue Parkette
Vermont Park Community Garden
Ecology Park Community Garden
Rockcliffe Yard Greenhouse and Community Garden Demonstration Site
High Park Children’s Garden
Hillcrest Park Community Garden
Villaways Park Garden on the Ravine Community Garden
Don Mount Court
Flemington Park Community Garden
Thorncliffe Park Community Garden
Sackville Park
Riverdale Farm
Tamil Seniors Community Garden
Oakvale Park Community Garden
Avonlea Park Community Garden
Ashbridge ECO Garden

Got a corner in your neighbourhood that could use a little greening? Check out the City of Toronto’s application process. Once approved, your community group will be eligible for technical assistance from the City Community Gardening program and may receive plant material and the use of tools and equipment if available.