Welcome to the North Carolina Community Gardens site!

Dig in and find a community garden near you; learn how to start a new garden; or find resources to support an existing one.

What is a community garden?

A community garden is any piece of land gardened by a group of people. Community gardens are as varied as the neighborhoods in which they are located. They can be found at schools, parks, housing projects, places of worship, vacant lots, private properties or anywhere there is open land and lots of sunlight. Each is developed to meet the needs of the people who come together to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs and other plants on common ground. A community garden can be any size or shape, ranging from just a few raised beds to two or three acres.

Community gardens bring people together.

They provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the gardeners or the produce may be donated to the hungry. Some focus on education, or on nutrition and exercise, while others may sell what they grow for income. Some simply provide a place to share the love of being out-of-doors and gardening.

excerpt from “Eat Smart, Move More: Growing Communities through Gardens“

Gibsonville Community Garden, Gibsonville, NC. Image by Lucy Bradley.

More about Community Gardening

• Collard Greens and Common Ground:  A North Carolina Community Food Gardening Handbook

• Get involved with the North Carolina Community Garden Partners (NCCGP), and connect with the organization on Facebook

• 2009 Gardening Manifesto: Gardening – A National Call to Action – from IATP Food & Community Fellows
• From Farm to Fork: A Guide to Building a Sustainable, Local Food Economy in North Carolina

Support Community Garden Programs