Now that spring has sprung, we’re here to herb your enthusiasm with a roundup of community gardens to cultivate your green thumb.
Whether you’re looking to work with a group and share the fruit or solo grow your harvest, these local spots are tilled and ready to turnip this growing season.
Many community gardens offer seed share programs and community shared tool sheds, but check with each garden for specifics.
Shelby Park Community Garden, 545 E. St. Catherine St.
Founded in 2012 by the Goss Family with help from the Sojourn Church, this garden grows thanks to Louisvillian Ray Brown, who has allowed the community to practice their green thumbs on his private property. Several bed sizes are available. This year, the garden added a new planting strip around the garden and 10 new raised beds, nearly tripling its growing space.
- Season: March-November
- Cost: Community beds + the perimeter are free; Private beds $20+
- Getting started: Sign up here
Blackacre Nature Preserve & Historic Homestead, 3200 Tucker Station Rd.
With 300+ plots ranging from a single row to a full 900-sqft plot, gardening pros and novices can get their hands dirty all year long or during a single season. This garden offers organic options, equipment rental + access to the Blackacre Conservancy YouTube channel with gardening tips. All plots have been rented for this year, so stay tuned for next season.
- Season: Year-round
- Cost: $15+
- Getting started: Sign up here
The Garden Commons, northeast of the University of Louisville’s Baptist Center
Created in 2010 in partnership with Louisville Grows, this collaborative garden on campus is open to anyone interested in learning more about sustainability + growing food. Anyone who participates can share in the harvest.
The final Spring workshop is Monday, May 19, where you can learn to forage for serviceberries. Summer garden gatherings take place Thursdays at 12 p.m.
- Season: Year-round
- Cost: Free
- Getting started: Learn more here
Don’t live near a community garden? Try turning all of Louisville into a community garden exchange with Pineal, a local organization focused on health + sustainability.
In addition to a YouTube channel with gardening tutorials, Pineal helps organize trade stations around the city where locals can swap starters, seeds, and plants to help bolster each other’s gardens.
- Season: Year-round
- Cost: Free
- Getting started: Join the Facebook group to find local plant swaps.
Bonus blooms: Use this interactive map to find more community gardens in your neighborhood.
