Mecklenburg County’s community gardens program is thriving at 20 different sites
Mecklenburg County’s community garden program didn’t start during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it’s safe to say that what was already a very popular program has become even more in demand since 2020.
Tim Turton, who leads the county’s community garden efforts, says their 20 gardens were about 80% full two years ago.
Now? Closer to 99%.
“I think during the pandemic, people wanted to get out, they wanted to have some serenity, they wanted to have the wonderful ability to grow something,” Turton said. “So yes, I think it’s taken off since the pandemic.”
Turton understands why. He’s been gardening for about 40 years, and has “always had an attraction to that, the ability to eat fresh and grow things and watch them grow and produce. That’s always been an exciting thing for me.”
About 600 gardeners use Mecklenburg County community gardens, renting plots for about $15-20 per year, and each is led by a garden captain. Interested gardeners must fill out an application, which can be obtained by emailing Park-Admin@mecklenburgcountync.gov. Although most gardens are filled, there’s a waiting list for openings.
Turton loves to see the variety of people who garden and the crops that they grow at each of the sites.
“We have gardeners from Cameroon who grow ornamental perennials that I didn’t know were edible,” he said, “and they’re eating them and they have a particular way of gardening where they mound things up real high. We have people who love to grow the hottest peppers in the world. People grow all kinds of things.”
Mecklenburg County’s Community Garden Sites:
2901 Dunlavin Way, Charlotte, NC 28205
5800 Executive Center Drive, Charlotte, NC 28212
Clarks Creek Community Garden, 5435 Hucks Road, Charlotte, NC 28269
Druid Hills Park, 2801 Lucena Street, Charlotte, NC 28206
Ezell Farm, 4101 Mintwood Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227
Frazier Park, 1201 W. 4th Street, Charlotte, NC 28208
Fred Alexander Park (The Males Place), 1832 Griers Grove Road, Charlotte, NC 28217
Hoskins Park, 3801 Gossett Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28208
Hucks Road Park, 4911 Hucks Road, Charlotte, NC 28269
Huntingtowne Farms Park, 2201 Ramblewood Lane, Charlotte, NC 28210
Irwin Creek/Clanton Park, 2858 Barringer Drive, Charlotte, NC 28217
Lincoln Heights Park, 1819 Catherine Simmons Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28216
Little Sugar Creek Greenway, 1319 N. Alexander Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
McAlpine Creek Park, 399 Holly Lane, Charlotte, NC 28270
Merry Oaks, 3000 Harbinger Court, Charlotte, NC 28205
Reedy Creek Park, 8801 Grier Road, Charlotte, NC 28215
Reid Park, 3207 Amay James Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28208
Smallwood/Biddlewood, 2625 Roslyn Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28216
Villa Heights/Cordelia Park, 600 E. 24th Street, Charlotte, NC 28205
Winterfield, 3105 Winterfield Place, Charlotte, NC 28205
This story was originally published May 20, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
