The EcoHouse Community Garden was first established in 2005 as a prototype for community gardens in Hamilton. Today our garden is home to approximately 20 garden plots with a combination of raised beds, wheelchair-accessible beds, and in-ground beds available for rent each year. New gardeners are welcome to join the waitlist throughout the year. If a plot becomes available, we will contact you in April or May with information on joining and the annual rental fee. Several plots at the EcoHouse Community Garden are maintained by staff and volunteers, to support our gardening education programs, with excess produce going to the community. For more information or to be added to our waitlist, please email [email protected] or call 905-540-8787.
A community garden supports local residents without access to suitable gardening spaces to grow their own fresh food locally. Participating in a community garden is an amazing way to engage with your neighbourhood, create a more sustainable food system, and reduce environmental impacts.
Community Gardens in Hamilton
There are approximately 100 community gardens in Hamilton working to improve food security and increase community involvement!
For more information on starting a garden or joining a garden near you check out the Hamilton Community Garden Network.
Hamilton Seed Library
About the Seed Library
The Hamilton Seed Library is an initiative started by the Hamilton community and maintained by Green Venture that serves as a hub for sharing, borrowing, and donating seeds at no cost. We encourage those interested in gardening to visit a Hamilton Seed Library location to browse a free selection of seeds for planting! The Hamilton Seed Library depends on seed donations from you! Please save your seeds and share some back to the seed library at harvest time, so we can keep the cycle going next season.
Ways to Get Involved
Borrow Seeds: We encourage those interested in gardening to visit a Hamilton Seed Library location (locations below) to browse a free selection of seeds for planting. Seed types and varieties may vary by location and season.
Seed Saving: Saving seeds from locally grown vegetables and flowering plants helps to preserve heirloom varieties, promotes genetic diversity, contributes to climate-adapted varieties, and supports pollinator-friendly gardens. Seed saving is also an economical choice, vs buying new seed packages every year, since most plants produce hundreds of seeds yearly.
Like borrowing a book from the public library, seed libraries depend on gardeners to return seeds at the end of the season to restock supplies. These donated seeds can then be repackaged and made available for multiple gardeners the following season. Find out more about how to save seeds on Green Venture’s previous blog posts and see below for how to donate seeds.
Hamilton Seed Library Locations
Hamilton Public Library – Westdale Branch (955 King St W)
Hamilton Public Library – Barton Branch (571 Barton St E)
Green Venture – EcoHouse (22 Veevers Dr)
Donating Seeds
What types of seeds can be donated?
Most seeds are great! You can donate locally saved or commercially grown seeds you are ready to part with. We ask that no invasive plant seeds or hybrid seeds are included. Please clean your seeds – remove any chaff, flower bits, and stems – if possible.
How seeds should be labeled and packaged
All seeds should be labeled clearly and with as much information as possible, including common name, variety, the year the seeds were collected, where the seeds were collected and who grew them, and any extra information you wish to include about what makes the variety unique and tips for growing. Your private information will not be shared with the repackaged seeds.
Don’t have seeds to share? No worries!
You can still participate. Donating seeds is not required. Consider making a monetary donation to support Hamilton Seed Libraries.
Hamilton Seedy Saturday
Since 2011, Green Venture has been the primary organizer of Hamilton’s Seedy Saturday – a well-established and beloved gardening event. It is the go-to spring gardening event and launches the spring growing season. Seedy Saturday aims to promote local ecologically grown seeds and plants and support local seed producers and growers.