Community Gardens

BY KITTY WALLACE Co-founder of the Coalition of Community Gardens

A Community Garden is a piece of land that is gardened by a group of people for the benefit of their group and surrounding community. Gardens are a great place to learn how to grow your own food or create your own gardening spot while meeting your neighbors.

Community gardens may differ from area to area. Some may solely grow flowers while others grow vegetables, or a combination of the two. The common thread, however, is that community gardens are actively maintained by the gardeners themselves.

Benefits of Community Gardening

• Improves the health, well-being and quality of life • Beautifies neighborhoods

• Connects people to their community • Preserves green space

• Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development

• Stimulates social interaction, intergenerational, cross cultural

• Produces nutritious foods • Reduces family food budgets

• Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy and health

• Independent food production

Community Gardens of West Central Florida

Hernando County

• Om Grown Community Garden, 4242 Lake in the Woods Drive, Spring Hill

Hillsborough County

• 813 Hood Garden, 10004 N. 11th St., Tampa

• Apollo Beach Community Garden, 664 Golf and Sea Blvd., Apollo Beach

• Forest Hills Presbyterian Church Community Garden, 709 W. Linebaugh, Tampa

• Healthy 22nd Street Garden Steps, 22nd Street & Chelsea Street, Tampa

• HOPE Community Garden, 4902 N. 22nd St., Tampa

• Mustard Seed Garden at Lutz Community Church, 601 Sunset Lane, Lutz

• Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St., Plant City

• Robles Park Village Community Garden, 3518 N. Avon Ave., Tampa

• Seeds of Faith Community Garden at Bay Life Church, 1017 N. Kingsway Road, Brandon

• Seffner CommUNITY Garden, 406 N. Kingsway Road, Seffner

• Seminole Heights Community Garden, 6114 River Terrace, Tampa

• St. Vincent DePaul Community Garden, Temple Terrace

• SOGarden, 4207 W. Oklahoma Ave., Tampa

• Sulphur Springs Community Garden, 1506 Eskimo Ave., Tampa

• Sustainable Living Project, 918 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa

• Tampa Family Health Centers Community Garden, 4620 N. 22nd St., Tampa

• Tampa Heights Community Garden, 605 East Frances Ave., Tampa

• Temple Terrace Community Gardens, 329 S. Riverhills Drive, Temple Terrace

• Wellswood Community Garden, 4818 Mendenhall Drive, Tampa

• Ybor Street Community Garden, 2924 Ybor St., Tampa

Pasco County

• Friendship Farms & Fare, 6119 Illinois Ave., New Port Richey

• Grand Gardens, 5721 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey

• Watson Park Community Garden, Dade City

Pinellas County

• 15th Street Garden, 302 15th St. N, St. Petersburg

• Bartlett Park Community Garden, 1443 Highland St. S, St. Petersburg

• Chester Ochs USDA People’s Garden, 14644 113 Ave. N, Largo

• Clearwater Community Garden, 1277 Grove St., Clearwater

• Cops ‘N Kids Community Garden, 555 E. Harrison St., Tarpon Springs

• Euclid Heights Community Garden, 5000 10th St. N, St Petersburg

• Daystar Community Garden, 1055 28th St. S, St. Petersburg

• Dunedin Community Garden, 1040 Virginia St., Dunedin

• Faith Garden Dunedin, 455 Scotland St., Dunedin

• Gulfport Community Garden, 5125 Preston Ave. S, Gulfport

• Indian Rocks Community Garden, Gulf Blvd., between 9th and 10th Ave., IRB

• Oldsmar Organic Community Garden, 423 Lafayette Blvd., Oldsmar

• St. Pete Youth Farm, 1664 12th St. S, St. Petersburg

Times staff also contributed to this story.