Across Dublin, community gardens are quietly bringing people together, turning shared spaces into something rooted in connection, generosity and care. Some are places to grow your own food, while others are built around giving back. All of them offer a chance to slow down, get your hands in the soil and be part of something bigger than yourself.
Here’s a closer look at three community gardens helping Dublin grow.
Dublin Community Garden at Darree Fields Park
Tucked into Darree Fields Park, the Dublin Community Garden has been a steady, thriving presence since 2014. What began as a volunteer-supported program has evolved into a self-sustaining community of gardeners who manage their own plots while sharing knowledge, resources and harvests along the way.
With just 25 plots, the garden is intentionally small, creating a close-knit environment where both new and experienced gardeners can learn from one another. Residents register each spring through the Dublin Community Recreation Center, and demand is high. (There’s often a waitlist of eager participants ready to dig in.)
Thoughtful details make the space especially welcoming, from spring soil preparation and accessible water spigots to composting resources and shared tools. Two raised beds, built by an Eagle Scout, ensure the garden is accessible to those with mobility challenges, reinforcing the idea that this is a space for everyone.
One of the easiest ways to get involved is by helping care for the garden’s native plant borders. Community groups, including corporate teams, scout troops and schools, can volunteer to maintain these plots, which create a natural “fence” around the garden while supporting pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds.
For gardeners like Lydia Grubb, it’s also a place of discovery. Each year, she takes on something new—from kohlrabi to jicama—proving that even the most seasoned growers are always learning.
For more information on Dublin Community Garden at Darree Fields Park, please Nature Education Coordinator Barbara Ray at bray@dublin.oh.us
The Giving Garden at Coffman Homestead
Rooted in history and driven by purpose, the Giving Garden at the Coffman Homestead offers a different kind of growing experience: one centered on giving back.
Launched in 2013 as a City of Dublin employee-led initiative on unused public land, the garden sits on the original footprint of the Coffman family’s 19th-century kitchen garden. Today, it honors that legacy while serving the community in a very tangible way: by growing fresh produce for families in need.
The garden features six raised beds, including two accessible beds built by a Dublin Eagle Scout, and is supported by the City’s Horticulture Team alongside a dedicated group of about 40 volunteers. Throughout the season, those volunteers plant, tend and harvest with a shared purpose of contributing roughly 300 pounds of fresh produce to the Dublin Food Pantry.
The space is also designed to be inclusive and hands-on. Volunteers of all backgrounds work side by side, including participants from Ability Matters, creating an environment that is as welcoming as it is impactful.
As City of Dublin Outreach & Engagement Coordinator Shannon Maurer puts it:
“The Giving Garden is more than a place where vegetables and herbs take root—it is where past and present grow together. The Coffman Homestead stands as a reminder of 19th-century farm life, a testament to resilience, hard work and community. Today, that same spirit lives on in the garden beds, where Dublin volunteers tend fresh produce not for themselves, but for neighbors in need at the Dublin Food Pantry. The Giving Garden reminds us that when a community comes together with purpose, even the smallest seeds can grow into something truly meaningful.”
For more information about the Giving Garden at Coffman Homestead, please visit www.dublinvolunteers.org/need/detail/?need_id=1211644
Washington Township Community Garden
At the corner of Cosgray and Rings Road, the Washington Township Community Garden is a space built around both cultivation and connection.
Established in 2010, the garden includes 40 plots, each offering individuals and families the opportunity to grow their own food while spending time outdoors. Priority is given to Washington Township and City of Dublin residents, but the garden remains open to non-residents as well – reflecting its welcoming, community-first spirit.
It’s also a space in high demand. Each growing season fills quickly, a testament to the strong interest and support from the community and the value people place on having a shared place to gather and grow.
While the harvest is certainly part of the appeal, the real impact is found in the relationships formed along the way. Gardeners swap tips, share surplus produce and build connections that extend well beyond their individual plots. Many also contribute fresh food to the Dublin Food Pantry, further strengthening the garden’s role in the community.
As one gardener shared:
“The community garden isn’t just about growing food. It’s about growing friendships, sharing knowledge and building a stronger sense of community together.”
For more information about Washington Township Community Garden, please contact Kori Hurley at khurley@wtwpdublinoh.gov