Why is this important?

Boston’s community gardens are an indicator of residents’ determination to maintain an active and productive relationship to open space even in the most crowded neighborhoods.  In some cases, residents grow food in the gardens.  For others, gardens provide opportunities to breathe fresher air and be free momentarily from everyday urban life.

How are we doing?

Boston has nearly 200 school and community gardens spread throughout its neighborhoods, with the heaviest concentrations in Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and the South End.  The Boston Natural Areas Network estimates thatmore than 10,000 individuals and families are involved in school and community gardening, many of them low-income. 

An indicator of the success of community gardens is the number of gardens with well-functioning organizations, according to the Boston Natural Areas Network, which oversees many of the city’s gardens. Well-functioning organizations have a leadership team or multiple people sharing tasks, periodic meetings, and written rules that are distributed to all participants.  There are 64 gardens in Boston that meet these criteria, including 14 in Roxbury and 13 in Jamaica Plain. Other neighborhoods such as Mission Hill have just a single such garden.