Community Gardens

Gardens cultivate thriving communities.

Community gardens create spaces for inter-generational interactions, connecting growers of all ages to the land, the neighborhood, and the people of the area.

These communal places improve mental well-being by providing a place to de-stress, meditate, and be productive in nature.

In low-income neighborhoods with limited access to fresh foods, community gardens introduce growers to new fruits and vegetables and make produce more accessible.

In the United States, food now travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to table; community gardens offer a local source of fresh fruits and vegetables, and reduce the local food system’s carbon footprint.

Locally-grown food from community gardens are harvested at peak ripeness and reduce “food miles” that are required to transport nutritious food. This makes for foods that are fresher, more nutritious, and tastier when they reach the plate.

How does Urban Harvest make an impact?

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Affiliate Gardens

We support over 125 affiliate gardens, spanning more than 100 miles across the greater Houston area.

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Donation Gardens
56 gardens are in food deserts, and 22 donation gardens provide nutritious produce to shelters, food pantries, corner stores, and soup kitchens.
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Transplants

Since March 2017, we have provided over 10,340 transplants to affiliate gardens, creating the potential for over 148,000 pounds of organic, locally-grown produce through our seasonal hub distributions.

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Distributed Seeds

We give away free & seasonal seeds to affiliate gardens, along with planting guides on growing fresh fruits and vegetables in Houston’s unique climate.

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Acres Greenspace

We educate affiliate gardens on how to grow fresh fruits and vegetables through free organic gardening classes & hands-on demonstrations.

Our Community Gardens program accounts for over 5 acres of diversified, 
productive greenspace across Houston.

Our Affiliate Gardens

Click and zoom on the interactive map below to find out more about our affiliate gardens!

How does your community garden grow?

Tips to make your garden sustainable, well-established and long-lasting:

  1. Meet monthly as a group with garden leaders and volunteers
  2. Develop a clear leadership team that makes decisions for the garden
  3. Inform gardeners of what goes on in the garden, day-to-day
  4. Build a large base of active gardeners
  5. Offer consistent events and programming