Above: The Scott Park Garden of downtown Decatur, pictured in former seasonal bloom. features 32 community garden member plots, including six new raised plots. SPECIAL
Ready, set, plant!
Here are some more of the hundreds of community gardens in the metro area.
Blue Heron Nature Preserve
More than 30 plots are managed by groups, individuals and Blue Heron. The largest plot grows vegetables for St. Luke’s Crossroads Kitchen, which feeds the homeless.
- Located in Buckhead at 4055 Roswell Road, Atlanta 30342.
- 404-946-6394
- bhnp.org/community-garden
Grove Park Community Garden
- The northwest Atlanta garden has 11 member plots, several common area garden beds and a public garden.
- Located across from 730 Hortense Place N.W., Atlanta 30318.
- groveparkgardens.club
Little Nancy Creek Park Community Garden
- Features 20 garden plots with a 21st plot dedicated to charities such as Buckhead Christian Ministries’ food pantry or the Atlanta Food Bank
- Located in north Buckhead at 4012 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road, Atlanta 30342.
- littlenancycreekpark.org
Stone Mountain Community Garden
- Operated in partnership with the city of Stone Mountain, this garden has 50 individual garden plots, a composting site, herb garden and a food pantry garden
- Located in VFW Park, 888 Gordon St., Stone Mountain 30083
- stonemountaincity.org/residents/community_garden.php
Get help finding a community garden
Websites for the following organizations can help you find your garden home away from home.
American Community Garden Association
- The national nonprofit, whose national headquarters office is located in College Park, works to increase and enhance gardening and “greening” across the U.S. and Canada. Charlie Monroe, natural resource manager for Cobb County, is president of the association.
- communitygarden.org/find-a-garden
Park Pride
- The Atlanta-based nonprofit supports more than 20 gardens in its community garden program.
- parkpride.org/we-can-help/community-gardens
Help wanted
Maybe you don’t want a community garden plot of your own, but you do enjoy gardening and helping others. Community gardens love volunteers, and sites like the Unity Garden at the Chattahoochee Nature Center depend heavily on them.
Most of the produce grown at the nature center is donated weekly to the food pantry at North Fulton Community Charities. To date, more than 27,000 pounds of fresh produce have been delivered.
The Chattahoochee Nature Center is located at 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell 30075. Call 770-992-2055 or visit chattnaturecenter.org to find out more.