London is home to 17 community gardens. Over 450 gardeners are active within the gardens, which are located on municipal green space in neighbourhoods across the city.
Community gardens provide residents with many opportunities including access to healthy and low-cost food, healthy physical activity, skills enhancement, the development of meaningful relationships, and building cross-cultural partnerships.
To see a map of London’s community gardens, click here.
For the full community garden Guidelines document, email us at communitygardens@london.ca.
Registration
New gardener registration opens on January 4, 2021 for next year’s gardening season. More information will be posted soon.
Cost and accessibility
Plots are rented on a geared-to-income basis. The rental fee ranges from $15 to $40 for a plot of approximately 200-400 square feet for the season (May 1 - November 30). Plots may vary slightly in size. Gardeners are responsible for opening their garden plots up in the spring and putting their plot “to bed” in the fall. Gardeners will receive specific Guidelines for gardener responsibilities to follow. To review these before Please read before you request a garden plot.
Standing height raised beds are available upon request. Wheelchair accessible plots are listed by garden and are available through our registration. Please contact us for more information.
Community garden rules
DO
- Plant a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, flowers, grains, berries and fruit. Perennials are allowed. If you are unsure ask community garden staff.
- Keep your garden clear of weeds. You can compost within your garden plot.
- Act with respect and consideration of your fellow gardeners and the public.
- Appreciate the wide diversity of gardening styles in your community garden.
- Let other gardeners or community garden staff know when you will be away for more than two weeks so someone can water your garden.
- Share extra produce with your fellow gardeners and your neighbours, while maintaining physical distancing.
DO NOT
- Plant woody plants, trees, illegal plants, cannabis, or known invasive plants.
- Use pesticides in your garden including insecticides and herbicides or artificial fertilizers.
- Smoke in or within 9 metres of any community garden.
- Sell your produce at the garden.
- Install permanent or temporary structures without permission from community garden staff.
- Start a pile of garden waste outside your garden plot; compost in your plot or take garden waste to the curb for pick-up.
- Make other gardeners feel unwelcome or uncomfortable.
If you feel uncomfortable or unwelcome at your community garden you are able to submit an R-zone report
COVID-19 Community Garden Guidelines
The 2020 Community Garden season opened with appropriate measures in place to slow the spread of the COVID virus.
Gardeners are asked to do their part and abide by the following new COVID-specific rules to keep our gardens and our gardeners safe. These are in addition to the traditional rules for every gardening season.
Gardens are open to registered gardeners only and remain closed to the public.
Covid-specific rules
Gardeners not able to follow these rules will be asked to leave and will risk losing the privilege to garden.
- Follow current public health guidelines at all times.
- Always maintain physical distance of at least 2 metres (6 feet) both in and around the garden (except for people who live in the same household).
- Be mindful of busy gardening times to allow for proper physical distancing.
- Please limit gardening time to a maximum of 2 hours to give others a chance to garden.
- Access will be prohibited to anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, has been asked to self-isolate, or has had close contact with a confirmed case.
- Gardeners must provide their own sanitization supplies and MUST have them available each time they are in the garden. Gardeners must clean any shared surfaces they touch both before and after use.
- Gardeners must bring their own tools and garden gloves. Avoid sharing toolls.
- Your health and safety are your own responsibility.
- Practice proper sanitization and hand hygiene, including:
- Wash/sanitize your hands upon entering and exiting the garden;
- Clean any surfaces outside of your plot that you touch both before and after use;
- Cover your cough into your sleeve; and,
- Use gardening gloves and launder them after each use.
- Events, programming, or group activities in the gardens are not allowed.
- The London Community Gardens Guidelines signed off in your Plot Licence Agreement are still in effect and must also be followed.
| Park | Location | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Ann Street (accessible) | 65 Ann Street | Full |
| Berkshire | 418 Berkshire Drive | Full |
| Blackfriars | 2 St. Patrick Street | Full |
|
Carling Heights (Accessible) |
656 Elizabeth Street | Full |
| Dillabough | Full | |
| Ed Blake (Accessible) | 449 Barker Street | Full |
| Glen Cairn (Accessible) | 150 Helena Avenue | Full |
| Kiwanis (Accessible) | 312 Kiwanis Park Drive | Full |
| Meadowlily | 1610 Commissioners Road East | Full |
| Meredith | At Maitland & Nelson Streets | Full |
| Nicholas Wilson (Accessible) | 16 Fitzroy Place | Full |
| Proudfoot (Accessible) | 695 Proudfoot Lane | Full |
| Reservoir | 59 Woods Egde Close | Full |
| Riverforks | 17 Becher Street | Full |
| Thames Park (Accessible) | 15 Ridout Street South | Full |
| University Heights | 290 Trott Drive | Full |