Contact(s)
Welcome to Orillia Community Gardens!
Garden Plots are available for booking at Orillia's Community Gardens for the 2026 season starting Nov. 1, 2025. Choose a personal plot at High Street, York Street, Hillcrest Park, or Lakehead Community Gardens.
High Street and Lakehead also offer shared garden spaces, where community members are welcome to join in caring for the communal beds.
About Us
Our community gardens are rooted in a shared vision: to create vibrant, welcoming spaces where people can connect with nature, fresh food, and with one another. We believe gardens are more than just places to grow food; they are places to grow community, culture and care.
Why Get Involved with Community Gardening?
Community gardens are about more than growing food. They are about building connections.
Enjoy fresh vegetables and herbs, spend time outdoors, meet neighbours, and relax in nature. Our gardens are welcoming spaces where people of all ages come together to learn, share, and make the community greener. Regular programs are offered for all ages.
Our Garden Plots
- Plots can be booked each season by individuals, families, or groups. Planting starts in late April for cool-season crops.
- Spaces are limited and first-come, first-serve, with returning gardeners given priority. Applications open Nov. 1 and close Feb. 15.
- Each 12’ x 4’ raised bed includes water, soil and compost access and shared storage. You don’t need a personal plot to join; communal garden spaces are open to all!
- Gardeners are responsible for planting, growing, and harvesting their crops, as well as keeping their plots tidy. To keep the space beautiful, all gardeners take part in bi-weekly clean-up days for weeding and tidying shared areas.
- Plots must be maintained throughout the season. If left unattended for more than 4 weeks without notice, they may be reassigned.
| High Street Park Community Garden |
| Established in 2011 by the City of Orillia and the Orillia Youth Centre, this community garden is a welcoming space where neighbours grow food, share skills, and build connections.
Gardeners work side by side to plant, weed, and water, keeping the space vibrant throughout the season. In addition to shared beds, individual allotment plots are available for those who wish to grow their own produce.
Located at 433 Gill St. |
| Hillcrest Community Garden |
|
Located in beautiful Hillcrest Park, this garden is a welcoming space where neighbours grow fresh food, connect, and enjoy the outdoors together. A shaded picnic area makes it the perfect spot to relax, while both seasoned gardeners and beginners can grow, learn, and be part of the community.
Located at 255 Matchedash St. N. |
| Lakehead Community Garden (Wiigwaasitig Gitigaan – Birch Tree Garden) |
| This community garden is a welcoming space where Indigenous knowledge, culture, and community grow together.
The garden features teaching beds with medicinal plants, traditional crops, personal plots, and a shared space open to gardeners of all skill levels. Visitors are asked to use the 15th Line entrance, park beside the gardens, and close the gate when leaving.
Located at 500 University Ave. |
| York Street Community Garden |
|
York Street Community Garden is a vibrant space where neighbours grow fresh food, share knowledge, and build connections. All season long, it’s a welcoming place to relax, learn, and take pride in a shared community effort.
Located at 120 York St. |
Recognized as a Bee City
The City of Orillia is proud to be recognized as an official Bee City by Bee City Canada. To support this, all four of our community gardens include pollinator-friendly plants that provide healthy habitats for bees and other vital pollinators.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support local pollinators, please contact the Parks and Recreation Division.
How the City Supports Community Gardens
The City supports community gardens by providing soil, mulch, water, and shared tools, along with seasonal events and group workdays. Staff maintain surrounding park areas, and a Community Garden Coordinator is available to assist gardeners throughout the season.
| Community Gardens Policy |
|
| A Beginner's Guide to Gardening |
| Helpful Links and Reference Materials |
|
Plan your garden using growveg.com or view the City of Orillia Backyard Composting Guide. |
