Urban Gardens
What is it?
Urban gardens are areas where people grow plants, vegetables, and fruits within a city or urban environment. These gardens can be found in various spaces like vacant lots, community spaces, churches, and within residential areas.
Urban gardens are important for environmental sustainability as they reduce the urban heat island effect, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and offer local food sources. They also provide community benefits, such as promoting local food security, reducing food transportation costs, and fostering community engagement.
In the Tri-Cities, urban gardens contribute to a more sustainable, resilient urban environment by creating green spaces that support local food production and environmental health.
Who’s working on it in the Tri-Cities?
- Richland Parks and Recreation – Manages multiple community gardens where plots may be rented.
- Washington State University (WSU)
- WSU Demonstration Garden – The Demonstration Garden is an ongoing project of the WSU Extension Master Gardeners of Benton and Franklin Counties.
- WSU Benton & Franklin County Extension Community Gardens – Master Gardener volunteers advise people on creating and renting city community gardens.
- WSU Master Gardener Program – The best source for gardening information in the Mid-Columbia region. Learn what plants grow well in our region’s challenging climate and soils, find help solving plant and pest problems, and discover new gardening techniques.
- City of West Richland Yellowstone Trail Community Garden – A community project to enhance the Van Giesen Corridor through beautification, enhancement, volunteerism, and community involvement.
- Benton Conservation District Heritage Gardens – The Heritage Garden Program is a garden certification program dedicated to creating water-wise gardens that incorporate native plants of Washington State. Heritage Gardens also honor the unique natural and cultural features of the Columbia River Basin.
- Tri-City Gardeners Facebook Group – A group based in Tri-Cities, Washington and surrounding areas for people from all walks of gardening to share pictures, experiences, tips, tricks, and bartering.
- West Highlands United Methodist Church – Plant your own garden! Grow your own food!
- Hansen Park Garden – The City of Kennewick, with grant funding from Washington State’s Recreation and Conservation Office, implemented a Heritage Garden at Hansen Park in the spring of 2018.
Map
Provided by WSU Benton & Franklin County Extension