SUSTAINABILITY

Community Gardens

MacEwan community gardens are more than green spaces—they’re places to connect. Students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to volunteer, meet new people and enjoy fresh herbs, vegetables and flowers.

Located on campus, our indoor and outdoor community gardens offer special spaces to grow local food, enjoy vibrant flowers and learn about sustainability—no green thumb required. If you’re interested in gardening or you simply enjoy nature, we invite you to roll up your sleeves, dig in and meet like-minded volunteers.

From parking lot to community garden

Located on the sunny south side of campus between Buildings 7 and 8, the MacEwan Community Garden is an example of reclamation in action. The garden, formerly a driveway and parking lot, has been transformed into a welcoming green space. This project shows how we can reclaim land that had been previously used only for cars to create sites that nurture nature and community.

Founded in spring 2024, the garden is led by the garden leadership team and MacEwan Sustainability with support from MacEwan Facilities.

Pollinators and people
The Native Plant Garden is home to a variety of flowers native to amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton). These hardy plants thrive in our northern climate. They bloom year after year without replanting, which means less work, lower costs and reduced water use compared to non-indigenous bedding plants. This garden is a haven for local pollinators. Throughout the summer, you can spot a mix of bees, butterflies and other species enjoying the garden’s blooms.
close up of plants

Sow, grow, share

Located at the base of the spiral staircase between Buildings 6 and 7 and in the basement of MacEwan’s residence building, the Tower Gardens project is thriving. These indoor gardens feature several hydroponic growing units with LED lighting and a controlled environment, which make it possible to grow 448 plants year-round across 16 towers.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to get involved. Volunteers can pick which plants to grow and enjoy the fresh produce they harvest—or donate it to help support local food security.

Lend a hand

Ready to get your hands dirty?

Sign up to volunteer or share your thoughts on our community gardens.

Volunteer at the community garden Volunteer at the tower garden project