The Leland Street Garden is a community garden in the truest sense of the word.  Dedicated to creating a neighborhood gathering place, the garden is free from individually owned plots, fences, locks or key.  Everything in the garden is open for all to use.

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History

In the early 1980’s three vacant lots totaling 11,445 square feet had become a dumping ground, littered with broken glass, garbage and abandoned cars.  It was a venue for drinking, drug dealing and other illegal activity.  The neighbors decided to address this problem and organized clean-up days and picnics and discussed possible uses for the space. 

In 1983 The Boston Natural Areas Fund purchased the lots, ensuring that they would remain ‘green and open to the public forever’.

In 1989 the garden received a $25,000 grant from the Grassroots Program of the City of Boston.  A local landscape architect was hired to design the garden with input from neighbors.  It was decided to build an open community space rather than individual plots.

Many neighborhood volunteers worked for two years to re-grade, haul in quality soil and plant herbs, shrubs and trees.  In 1991 The Leland Street Community received the prestigious Community Garden of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.  From 1991 until the present the garden has been sustained by workdays and monthly meetings, bringing joy to neighbors and adding to our sense of community.*

*Taken directly from the Leland Street Community Garden brochure

A more detailed account of the history can be found here: K. Robinson_Leland History_1982 – 2008

Today

The Leland Street Community Garden is an oasis offering shade trees, a place to sit, walk and enjoy.  There is a cutting flower garden, vegetable beds, perennial borders and a lovely herb garden as the centerpiece.

We also have honeybees and a three-bin compost system.

Herbs:

Basil – July through September

Chives – June through November

Comfrey – June through September

Dill – July through September

Fennel- June through September

Lavender – June through September

Lemon-balm – April through September

Lovage – April through may

Mint – April through September

Oregano – June through September

Parsley – July through September

Rhubarb – May through June

Sage – June through October

Sorrel – April through November

Veggies: A variety of green leafy vegetables in season

Flowers:

A profusion of perennials such as roses, bee-balm and butterfly bush and a cutting garden with annuals such as zinnias and cosmos

Events and Gatherings:

Monthly workdays with potluck lunches

Winter soup nights

Beekeeping demonstrations

Solstice celebrations

Events for children

Concerts, films and musical celebrations

Honey Day