promoting environmentally responsible practices to strengthen Arkansas communities and secure a healthy, sustainable future.

Our urban gardening programs are meant to educate individuals, families, and groups about the many benefits that small gardens provide to individuals, families, and communities.  Our emphasis is not only on community vegetable gardens, but also ornamental landscapes and green spaces.  We have partnerships with a number of community gardens throughout the city, where we help to create learning environments for young people and adults alike.

 Looking Forward to Spring

in the Community Gardens  

We are excited to announce our involvement in two wonderful community gardens this spring - the Hoover Garden at 12th and Oak, and the Crump Garden at Crump Park in Little Rock.  Thanks in part to a mini-grant from the Outreach Ministry of Second Presbyterian Church; to our new garden specialist, Ellen Engler; and to our fantastic volunteers, we had groups engaged in Spring cleanup at both community gardens on January 19th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  What a wonderful opportunity to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. King through this service to our community.

Want to get involved in the gardens this spring as a volunteer? 

Or, is your community garden interested in partnering with Village Commons to spread interest and education about community gardening in Little Rock? 

Contact us by email at villagecommonslr@gmail.com

  Community Garden Wishlist 

Neem Oil

     (to control insect pests)

Organic fertilizers

Gardening Hand Tools

     garden forks

     hand pruners

     trowels

Loopers (cut branches down)

Shovels

Gardening gloves

Crop Covers

Hard Mesh Wire

Sunscreen 

 If you have gardening supplies that you would like to donate, drop it off at our office or email us.

The Urban Gardening program is meant to educate families and potential entrepreneurs in ways of returning to nature for basic needs, such as physical and spiritual health and increased employability. Gardening increases the pride for owners and tenants have in their homes while beautifying neighborhoods.  Research has shown that urban gardens provide outlets for stress and connect to the natural world as no other activity can. People have gradually moved away from nature. And there's growing concern that urban children may soon lose all connection to it.  Our origins demand that we find ways to make that natural connection, and urban gardens, regardless of size, provide exactly that.

Long Distance Food

During World War II, an estimated 20 million Americans built backyard Victory Gardens and produced close to 40% of the fresh vegetables consumed in the United States. Over the last half-century, industrialized nations have increasingly come to depend on huge corporate farms that are often thousands of miles away from those who will eventually eat the food they produce. Trucking food over these long distances adds to our air pollution problems and contributes to climate change. And who can argue that long-distance strawberries or tomatoes taste better than those grown right here?

Local Food

Early in the Obama Administration, First Lady Michelle Obama did a perfectly normal thing. She planted a vegetable garden outside her home. Her home of course is the White House. The garden highlighted the essential connection between people and food -- and the importance of local food. 

Local food grown in our own gardens brings many benefits:

• We eliminate the mystery ot what goes into food.

• We get exercise while being productive.

• We enjoy more flavorful produce.

• We create a beautiful space.

• And we make a spiritual link to nature.

Gardening doesn't stop with growing produce. Village Commons' Sustainable Urban Gardening program also encourages families to build small-scale, sustainable and creative landscapes, such as flower gardens, rock gardens, meditation gardens and water gardens. Local, inexpensive resources are widely available for these projects.

The Program 

Village Commons' urban gardening program focuses primarily on young people, but it is available to people of all ages who are interested in learning about gardening. The garden at 12th and Oak Streets in Little Rock serves as a model for potential gardeners.

Six-week classes will be held on Saturday mornings in the spring and fall. There will be a total of 12 classes each year.  Mentors will help with equipment operation, soil prep, crop selection and ongoing support.  To bring the gardening full circle, cooking classes will be offered. these classes will focus on preserving the natural flavors of the food, avoiding the use of additives and sugars where possible.