Growing Gardens originated at the Hawthorn Community Gardens at Boulder Farm. The organization began expanding in 1998 and now includes seven community gardens spread across Boulder County, with six located throughout Boulder and one in Louisville.
Together, these community gardens offer individuals from all walks of life an opportunity to connect with Mother Earth, nurture their roots, and cultivate their food. While there are currently no openings, anyone interested in the community garden program is encouraged to join the waitlist.
Although Growing Gardens is widely recognized for empowering the green thumbs of locals, that’s not all these gardens provide. Other perks of these plant-friendly people include the following:
Classes and Educational Opportunities
A staple of Growing Gardens is learning about the land. Some current offerings include classes on drip irrigation for home gardens, growing vegetables along the Front Range, and planning a garden that focuses on produce, the planet, and pollinators.
Programs for Kids and Teens
Growing Gardens inspires a love of gardening in children by providing programs for kids aged 3 to 11 that cultivate an appreciation for the earth. These programs emphasize activities that teach children about food sources, organic gardening, respecting nature, and biodiversity.
Teen programs for individuals aged 14 to 18 emphasize leadership while offering participants opportunities to manage organic farms, cultivate produce for the local community, and acquire job skills.
Food Projects, Horticulture Therapy, and Goats
Growing Gardens sponsors a food project that promotes food security in Boulder County by providing access to fresh food, plant starters, seeds, and gardening resources. The underlying goal is to reduce health disparities among residents and make nutritious eating within everyone’s reach.
Horticultural therapy, another aspect of Growing Gardens, promotes socialization, interaction among different generations, and collaboration to reach a shared gardening goal.
Goats also play a prominent role in the garden, acting as four-legged land managers. They positively enhance farm ecology by tending to the land holistically, reducing the need for outside composting services, grazing on weeds, and decreasing labor needs.
Whatever your gardening prowess, Growing Gardens is a perfect place to tap into (and improve) your agricultural skills. If this isn’t a hobby you want to hone, consider making a donation and planting the proverbial seeds that help communities thrive.
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