How does gardening actually build community?
I recently attended a Deschutes Women in Business event and left not only feeling like I had just experienced a giant hug from 200 supportive and energized women, but reflecting on how important it is for all of us to play a role in creating, sustaining, and being supported by community to combat loneliness and fear. It seems obvious that community gardens have the capacity to bring neighbors together, right? In Bend, Franklin’s Corner and Miller’s Landing are two excellent communities of gardeners. The OSU Master Gardener’s facilitate vegetable gardens at Hollinshead and Discovery parks, too.
Turns out that gardening in public facing spaces in residential areas can also build community. Almost every time we are out tending to our front yard demonstration garden, we end up chatting with neighbors. They’ve watched our front yard evolve from unwatered and uninviting turf to a food forest with fruit trees and native plants. We have “pick me” beds at the curb and invite neighbors to stop by at their convenience to harvest. Gardening in our yard is about more than growing food and flowers, though. It’s about growing relationships and inspiring our neighbors to steward their own yards. Truly, each seed or plant we plant has the potential to spark conversation, generosity, collaboration, and belonging.
Gardens Invite Conversation
Gardens naturally draw attention. Neighbors pause to admire bright flowers, insects and birds, and ask what we’re growing that the deer aren’t eating, or swap tips on how to keep smaller pests at bay. These simple, friendly interactions have become the foundation for deeper connections. That casual “What’s that plant?” has turned into new friendships, weekly chats, and shared seeds and plant divisions.
Over time, your garden can become a welcoming space that sparks curiosity and conversation. A well-tended yard garden doesn’t just benefit the gardener. It can enhance the entire neighborhood. Hey, maybe your front yard garden could help shift strict HOA rules by modeling how edible and native plants can create inviting streetscapes that encourage people to walk, linger, and connect.
Sharing the Harvest Spreads Kindness
This is pretty obvious. But, here’s a reminder that one of the greatest joys of gardening is sharing abundance. An armful of extra zucchini, a bundle of herbs, or a bouquet of fresh flowers can be a wonderful way to reach out to neighbors. Sharing your harvest builds trust and goodwill. It creates moments of gratitude and connection, reminding us that abundance is meant to be shared. A small gesture of sharing the harvest can have a big impact, strengthening bonds and encouraging others to pass generosity along.
Gardening Encourages Collaboration & Strengthens Resilience
Gardening teaches patience, problem-solving, and adaptability, which are all skills that are just as important in building strong communities. When neighbors support each other through gardening challenges, whether that’s commiserating over late frosts, hail damage, or the heat of summer, it’s not such a stretch to then show up for one another in everyday life. In times of uncertainty, these connections matter. They can become a powerful support system, fostering resilience and mutual care.
People choose to garden for many reasons. It might be for food security, for mental health, for offering habitat to wildlife, for beauty, awe, wonder, or for all of those reasons. Gardening can definitely be a nourishing solitary activity, gifting peaceful moments away from screens and schedules, especially in the sanctuary of a backyard. It can also be one of the most powerful and human ways to positively connect with the people around us. Whether you’re growing veggies in covered raised beds, landscaping with “deer resistant” fruiting shrubs, or growing native flowers along the street, your yard can become a catalyst for community. Share a harvest, offer a cutting, or simply say hello to a passerby.
Need some more inspiration to create a front yard edible garden? Check out our blog post on Bend gardeners Veronica and Kevin and our feature on Diana!
