Description
Chicago has become a leading city for community gardening and local food production, and the Chicago Park District gardening programs have a long history of supporting and advancing the valuable practice of organic vegetable gardening. Chicago Park District’s Community Gardens are as diverse as the city itself. Creating a space where park patrons and gardeners of all ages and skill levels can learn together and share their experiences both strengthen and support our gardeners in a lifetime of learning.
The Community Roots Demonstration Garden provides Chicagoans of all ages greater access to gardening education - to learn more about growing their own food as well as teaching about native species, pollinating plants, composting, and a variety of other topics that help inform and excite both seasoned and novice gardeners. The garden and outdoor classroom serves as a hub for gardener education.
Overall, the Community Roots Demonstration & Community Garden was designed to highlight the incredible diversity of experiences that gardening has to offer – in both growing methods and in community & youth engagement techniques. While focusing in large part on growing fresh produce, the garden also features fruit trees and berries, native plantings and digging beds. Different areas of the garden inspire learning about healing and sensory plants, beneficial insects, composting and more. With free workshops all summer long, there's always something to learn in the garden!
The Community Roots Garden also hosts youth programming. Harvest Garden is a three-season organic gardening program that teaches kids how to plant, maintain, and harvest from edible gardens in their neighborhood parks. The program covers the fundamentals of organic vegetable gardening, as well as nutrition, cooking, stewardship, and craft projects. Registration in the program is free and open to children ages 6-12. Please contact park staff for program dates and times and to register your child.
For more information about our free family workshops or how to obtain a community garden plot, please contact communitygardens@chicagoparkdistrict.com