All posts by Community Gardener

Community Gardens in Centre Wellington

NEWS: Elora Public School Community Garden

This is the newest community garden in Centre Wellington. With the collaboration of the Upper Grand District School Board and the principal at Elora Public, the new garden space is just east of the creek running through the school property, just south of the ball diamond. See the map below.

All the plots have been assigned to gardeners, and the finishing touches are being made gradually.

Currently, the fence around the community garden is being installed. Here are some pictures of the first fence work party:

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT PARKING FOR THOSE NOT ARRIVING ON FOOT OR BY BIKE: During school hours, there is no parking in the school lot, and there is no parking allowed on County Road 18, nor on the grass by the new garden site. There is parking on Wilson Crescent and it’s just a short walk on paths to the garden site on the school grounds. (Remember Colborne Street is closed from John St to the west exit of Wilson Crescent to Colborne; you’ll need to enter Wilson Crescent from Colborne via Gerrie Road).

Community Gardening

Community Gardening

A community garden is a place where people come to garden on land that is not their own. The shared land is provided by public or private institutions as well as by private citizens. Rules are established relating to the layout of the garden, the standard of care and the shared duties in the common areas. The vegetables, fruit and flowers harvested from the gardens are doled out in different ways.  In most cases community gardens are divided into plots, often referred to as allotments, with a different gardener in charge of each plot. A fee or an exchange of some kind is often associated with the plot.  In other cases gardeners work together and share the harvest with each other or collectively donate it to others.

Community gardens provide a place of respite for multiple species of flora and fauna to help combat loneliness, listlessness and isolation. Community gardens contribute to the teaching of plants and the engagement of the community in the access to and appreciation for fresh food. Community gardens enhance green spaces and promote ecological awareness. 

Community Gardens in Centre Wellington

Community Gardens in Centre Wellington

There are six known community gardens in Centre Wellington.  Three are built on church properties, one is by the Elora Public School, one is a yard-share on private property and one is on township land adjacent to the Centre Wellington Sportsplex in Fergus.  

These gardens emerged independently of one another and continue to operate independently.  The making of each garden was initiated by a person or people who saw the value of community gardens and sought permission from the landowner to convert a sodded surface into a garden to grow food. The resulting activities have built social connections, enhanced and animated green spaces and continue to foster environmental and nutritional education.  Community gardens provide access to a garden to grow your own food.

The Community Garden Network provides support to the gardeners and facilitates the expansion or development of new community gardens.

Here is a map showing the six community gardens. Click the map to enlarge it in a new tab in your browser. Links to garden coordinators as well as addresses of the community gardens are below the map.

CW Sportsplex Community Garden

550 Belsyde Ave. East, Fergus

cwcommunitygarden@gmail.com

Garden coordinator: Michelle Goff 

St. James Community Garden

100 Queen St. East, Fergus

Trutherford111574@hotmail.com

Garden coordinator:  Tammy Rutherford

Faith Lutheran Community Garden

290 Belsyde Ave. East, Fergus

 Irk.beer@gmail.com

 Garden coordinator:  Ingrid Kibbel-Beer

Gryphon Gardens

 Elora Public School

 288 Mill St. East, Elora

daisy@daisymoore.com

 Garden coordinator: Daisy Moore

Thyme with God Community Garden

(no plots available)

Melville United Church

300 St. Andrew St. West, Fergus

 info@trilliumart.ca

Garden coordinator: Linda Mae Ogilvie

Bleak House Community Garden

(no plots available)

61 Victoria St. Elora

daisy@daisymoore.com

Garden coordinator:  Daisy Moore

Community Gardens in Centre Wellington

Elora Public School Community Garden

Elora Public School

288 Mill St. East, Elora – see map below

This community garden will be relocating on Earth Day, 2026!

The community garden at Elora Public School is relocating to be bigger and more accessible. With the collaboration of the Upper Grand District School Board and the principal at Elora Public, the new garden space is just east of the creek running through the school property, just south of the ball diamond. While the location has been chosen, there is some fun work for keen volunteers to help get the soil and plots ready. The land has been laying fallow as a sort of prairie meadow for some years, and to prepare for cultivation, we’re looking to add manure, turn the sod, plough and till the soil, and organize plots. The fun work starts on Earth Day, April 22. For more information, contact Daisy Moore – daisy@daisymoore.com.

The pictures below represent the old Gryphon Garden at Elora Public School…..