Guide to Community and Neighborhood Gardens in Galveston, Texas

Community gardens beautify communities, improve nutrition, reduce crime, model sustainable land use, provide income, decrease hunger and improve physical and mental health. For residents who lack gardening space at home, they provide a way for them to garden either as a volunteer for a community garden or for a small nominal fee for plot space depending on the terms of the garden.

Galveston and the greater Houston area are great places for community gardening because their is a lot of support and education available on urban gardening through the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department Urban Gardening Program and the Urban Harvest Community Gardens Program. With these two excellent resources available locally, it is easy to find a garden to get involved with or start a new community garden.

The City of Houston Urban Gardening Program provides " provides gardening opportunities for interested community groups to transform city-owned vacant lots and select gardening spots in parks into community gardens, with the assistance of The Urban Gardener. Lots are annually contracted for a nominal fee on a first-come, first-served basis. All community gardening lots must be used for gardens or farming only." The gardeners are responsible for securing the resources needed to create and maintain the garden daily.

According the the Urban Harvest Community Gardens Program website, their organization provides "assistance with starting community gardens as well as ongoing support for the more than 100 gardens in greater Houston. We provide any group interested in starting a community garden with a free class and information on how to get started. There are many types of community gardens we work with. Those include allotment garden for those who need space to grow their own food, gardens at school or youth centers for educational purposes; therapy gardens to support health and healing; and donation gardens for growing fresh vegetables and fruits to feed the hungry."

There are 3 established community gardens on Galveston and one that is just starting off right now.

Moody Enabling Gardens - This garden is housed at Moody Gardens and is maintained through a special program called Hope Therapy. Hope Therapy offers a Horticultural Therapy program where "individuals with disabilities can improve sensory awareness and motor abilities, regain confidence, and learn new skills to prepare for employment opportunities. The massive greenhouse and Rainforest Pyramid® at Moody Gardens® are tended in large part by these special clients." This community garden program is open to residents with disabilities. It provides an opportunity for vocational training and the potential for gainful employment in the future. Interested residents can request more information from Moody Gardens through the website. Visiting these gardens and the greenhouse is enjoyable outing in Galveston.

San Jacinto Neighborhood Garden - This garden is open to residents of the San Jacinto community who may not have the space to garden. The garden's purposes include building the community, educating children about gardening, and providing a place for community organizations to meet. Those who are interested in either participating in the garden or who would like to visit should contact Urban Harvest. This garden is located at 2005 Avenue N ½, Galveston, Tx. There are pictures of this garden online at the link provided in the resources.

56th St. Galveston Community Garden - This is a neighborhood allotment garden with individual or group vegetable plots. It is located at 1204 56th St., Galveston, Tx. More information on this garden is available through Urban Harvest.

Community Garden at 25th and Post Office streets - This garden is developing right now in downtown Galveston. The garden will be for residents who want to grow their own vegetables but lack space or would prefer to garden in close proximity to other gardeners in a community garden setting. The beds will be raised beds in small plots. Contact Urban Harvest for information on this new garden which is in it's beginning stages.

In the greater Houston area, there is over 100 total community or neighborhood gardens. Urban Harvest provides a map for many of these online. Some of the gardens have pages with photos on Urban Harvest in their directory of gardens. If you are interested in starting a backyard garden or participating in a community or neighborhood garden, Urban Harvest offers classes and events (some are free) as well as selling valuable resources and supplies including fruit trees. The City of Houston Urban Gardening is also making new plots available throughout the Houston area, so there is likely to be a community garden near you or one coming soon. For more information in the Greater Houston Area go to the City of Houston Urban Planning website.

City of Houston, The Urban Gardening Program Growing Green in Our City, City of Houston eGovernment Center
Urban Harvest, Why Community Gardens are Valuable, Urban Harvest Community Gardens Program
Moody Gardens,Hope Therapy, Moody Gardens
Urban Harvest, San Jacinto Neighborhood Garden, Urban Harvest Community Gardens Program
Urban Harvest, Directory of Gardens - Southeast [Houston] and Galveston, Urban Harvest Community Gardens Program
Bernice Torregrossa/Correspondent, Eating Locally March 18, 2009, Lifestyles Section, The Daily News Galveston County, Texas