Adopt-A-Garden Program

The City of Richmond's Adopt-A-Garden Program is an opportunity for community members and groups to become involved in the maintenance of existing and creation of new garden areas in Richmond's open spaces and community parks. Richmond is known as the "Garden City" and the Adopt-A-Garden Program is one way to enhance and preserve this legacy.

Possible locations for Adopt-A-Garden locations include:

• Outlying areas
• Parks
• Roads and streets
• Boulevards
• Vacant City-owned lots and civic properties

The Adopt-A-Garden Program supports schools, strata councils, individuals, businesses and groups who are interested in adopting a garden in the city. A partial list of possible work includes:

• Maintenance, general clean-up and beautification of existing gardens on public lands
• Weed control
• Wildflower planting
• Annual and perennial planting and donation
• Species specific planting
• Enhancement and landscaping of existing garden areas
• Development of a central community garden
• Enhancement of bus stop areas
• Development of culturally significant gardens

Participants are rewarded with signage recognizing the volunteer commitment to maintain and/or create a garden area. All participants receive certificates of recognition from the City of Richmond along with volunteer training and varying levels of direction and assistance from City Parks Department staff. For example, the City would prepare the areas for the participants by rototilling before planting begins.

All participants are encouraged and assisted with the development of a regular maintenance and annual planting plan to ensure the success and appropriateness of the adopted garden area. Litter removal is also a requirement of the Adopt-A-Garden Program.

For more information, contact the Parks Program Coordinator at 604-247-4453.