Campbell Co-op Garden, 1357 N. Campbell - Mike Bancroft
A garden located in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. A youth program is run out of the garden each summer and a harvest of vegetables and flowers are sold through HomeGrown Chicago Farmers Market at 2626 W. Division Street featuring produce from community gardens.
Juan Diego Community Garden, 8851 S. Exchange - Olivia Hernandez
Drake Gardens, 4643-45 N. Drake
Frankie Machine, 1800 W. Haddon - Marjorie Issacson
Named after a character in a Nelsen Algren novel, this garden has allotment plots that may be rented for growing as well as an ornamental border and resting area. Located in the heart of Wicker Park, this garden is a place of calm in a rapidly changing landscape.
Gingko Organic Garden, 4055 N. Kenmore - Tim Iteen
Ginkgo Organic Gardens was founded in 1994 by Uptown community gardeners as a response to local hunger. They saw, on the one hand, surplus produce in urban gardens end up on the compost pile, and on the other, not-for-profit organizations unable to afford fresh produce for the homeless and hungry persons they serve. Ginkgo Organic Gardens—a community garden that operates as a food bank—solves this problem. Volunteers grow organic vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers, and then donate them to Uptown-area not-for-profit organizations.
Paradise Garden, 652 N. Latrobe - Austin Green Team
Slumbusters - Since 1962, Gerald and Lorean Earles have been residents of the North Lawndale community, an economically depressed neighborhood three miles from downtown Chicago. Awarded a ‘Point of Light’ by President Bush in 1993, this garden and the various beautification projects of the Earles are addressing the issues of the neighborhood head on.
Turtle Park, 4900 N. Troy St. – Elmer Lorenz
A NeighborSpace site in Chicago’s diverse Albany Park neighborhood featuring a peaceful gazebo and trellis. Exotic vegetables can be seen in the allotment beds in the rear of the garden including bokchoy and colorful chards.
East Village Block and Garden Club, Parkways between Damen, Ashland, Chicago and Division – Jeanne Felknor
Jeanne and her group of neighbors have been adding to the identity of this part of the East Village Neighborhood since 2001. With over 150 parkways beautified, Jeanne has been recognized as Chicago’s Gardener of the Year
Featured School Gardens
Chicago High School for the Agricultural Sciences – 3857 W. 111th St. – Dave Gilligan
The last remaining farm in the city limits, this school not only teaches students in the classroom, greenhouse and corn field, it also has ornamental gardens designed and maintained by teachers and students.
Roberto Clemente High School – 1147 N. Western Ave – Theresa Dzoga-Borg
Surrounding this modern-looking high school are gardens and art work that reflect the strong Puerto Rican identity of the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Gary Elementary – 3740 W. 31st Street – Lori Stenger
Centered in the heart of the Gary School campus, this garden has ornamental plantings, relaxing seats and a set of vegetable beds for produce. Don’t worry the fence is just to keep the soccer balls out of the beds. You’re welcome to stop by and visit.
Northside College Prep High School – 5501 N. Kedzie – Barry Rodgers
Situated on the Chicago River and Bryn Mawr Ave. Northside College Prep features a landscaped river walk and recreated prairie ‘bowl’ installed and maintained by the students.
Jones College Prep – 606 S. State St. – Kara Boyle
Located just on the Southwest corner of the Loop, this downtown school uses planters, wall boxes and a small courtyard to their maximum to create and beautify.
Gage Park High School – 5640 S. Rockwell – Saswati Koya
This courtyard garden features young trees and perennial beds as well as a gazebo, trellis’ a patio and decorated planters.
Garvey Elementary – 5225 N. Oak Park Ave. -- This school’s butterfly garden is unique in the city because this one is actually shaped like a butterfly. Featuring nectar producing and habitat plantings as well as plots for vegetables, this garden is a gem on Chicago’s northwest side.
Irma Ruiz Elementary School – 2410 S. Leavitt -- This school garden in the heart of Little Village not only has a beautiful garden and outdoor classroom/ geodesic dome, it also has a solar/ wind powered fountain and stream. Before and after school kids race, splash and explore the gardens and playground.
Waters Elementary School – 4540 N. Campbell – Pete Leki
This Lincoln Square neighborhood school features a beautiful native plant border among giant oaks. Allotment garden plots are tended by classes and neighbors.
Featured Urban Agriculture Sites
Howard Area Community Gardens - Jonquil Terrace – Sr. Cecilia Fandel
One of Chicago’s only large-scale allotment gardens, over 40 plots are tended by area residents with much of the produce supplying the Howard Area soup kitchen. Overlooked by the Red and Purple lines, this garden is also the furthest north Chicago community garden
Resource Center’s City Farm – 1200 N. Clybourn – Christine
In the shadows of Chicago Housing Authority’s Cabrini Green, this ½ acre farm grows produce sold to many of the city’s upscale restaurants and chefs. www.resourcecenterchicago.org/
Marshall High School – 3250 W. Adams – Carol Williams
Located across the street from the high school, ¾’s of an acre of plots grown vegetables and flowers for sale at farmer’s markets and a local food bank.
Bush Homeowner’s Association Community Garden – Located on the city’s Southeast side, just blocks from Lake Michigan, this garden has united a community around food and environmental concerns. Now expanded into multiple gardens the neighborhood residents are active in addressing nutrition concerns as well as the environmental issues of the City.
North Lawndale Green Youth Farm – 3539 W. Ogden – Angela Mason, Chicago Botanic Gardens
This program located on the city’s west side works with area youth to design the garden, plant crops and bring produce to market. The youth work with Chicago Botanic Gardens staff as well as chefs, local schools and community leaders to grow the garden and this community. www.chicagobotanic.org/pr/press05/GreenYouthFarm.html
Community-Managed Natural Areas
North Park Village Nature Center – 5801 N. Pulaski – Chicago Park District
Featuring an oak savanna, wetland, prairie and woodland, volunteers and staff have been pulling garlic mustard, cutting buckthorn and providing educational programming at this gem on the grounds of the former Municipal Sanitarium. This site narrowly averted being developed into a shopping center and has been touted as how one can successfully involve community in urban greening and ecological restoration.
LaBagh Woods –Urban forest preserves are a great place for city dwellers to get in touch with nature. Located along the North Branch of the Chicago River, LaBagh Woods is well-known as a birding hot spot and a place to see wild-flowers. A number of groups assist in organizing workdays for this area, located at Foster and Cicero Ave, including the Sierra Club.
Origin’s Park Riverfront - -Chicago Park District
Standing at the starting point for the historic I & M Canal which linked Lake Michigan to the Mississippi river, the restoration and celebration of the Chicago River are notable features.
Humboldt Park Lagoons – 1400 N. Humboldt Blvd. – Chicago Park District
While a completely man-made water feature, the 2004 redevelopment of Jens Jensen’s west-side prairie
river and rebuilt boathouse and stables show how community volunteers can be involved in the city’s parks and gardens.
Calumet -- The southeast side of Chicago is home to a unique mix of industry and incredible diversity. Through a range of partnerships this area of Chicago is being carefully planned to maintain and refresh the unique ecosystems that exist, while accommodating the industry that has been inherent in the community. To learn more visit www.fieldmuseum.org/calumet
