Announcements

Applications Plot applications for 2012 are available on this website. At this point, we are keeping a waiting list but do have a fair amount of turnover during the season. To get on the waiting list, you will need to submit an application and check. Send questions to ehgardens@rso.wisc.edu. Garden meetings are the second Wednesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. See sidebar at right for dates of upcoming meetings. All gardeners are encouraged to attend meetings and help run the gardens. Hope to see you there!

Last Updated May 7, 2012

About the Garden

The University of Wisconsin’s Eagle Heights Community Gardens (EHCG) was established in 1962 to offer Eagle Heights residents and the UW and Madison communities the opportunity to have an organic garden and participate in garden activities. EHCG is one of the oldest and largest community gardens in the United States.

The EHCG are located in a peaceful natural setting adjacent to the University of Wisconsin’s Eagle Heights Housing and within the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. At last count - the pool of gardners speak approximately 60 languages. The gardens feature gardening practices from around the world. The setting provides also a wonderful place for meeting fellow gardeners, family picnics and walks, and bird watching.

Important Dates

Upcoming Garden Committee Meetings:
Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 pm. Potluck, bring your own utensils and plate. Meeting to follow (and done by 8 pm). We will meet at the Eagle Heights Community Center, Rm 139. Maps are on this website under Plot Information.
Calender items:
Plant sale: Locally grown organic transplants by GARDENS TO BE farm at Eagle Heights garden shed. Reasonable Prices.
May 13, 2012 from 10 am to 2 pm for Tomatoes, Peppers, Basil and other warm weather crops. We will have compost and row cover available as well.
Workday Obligations:
Dec. 1, last day to fulfill workday obligation or pay the no-workday fee. Failure to pay the fee (or meet the obligation) by this date will result in gardeners losing their returning gardener ability to request the same plot and the need to pay this fee prior to 2011 application being accepted. There is also a late-fee penalty of $10 for a large plot and $5 for a small plot that will be assessed in addition if the obligation is not met by December 1.

Our Purpose

The University Apartments Community Gardens are an opportunity for the UW Madison community and area residents to enjoy nature, build community, learn about gardening, and feed their families. Specifically our purposes are:

Nutritional – The gardens are an important source of fresh produce for many students and their families
Recreational – The gardens are an opportunity for many people to enjoy nature and interact with the earth.
Educational – We help our gardeners learn about the natural world, new gardening techniques, and ways to garden in an organic or environmentally friendly manner.
Community building – The gardens are a place where students, university and community members from diverse age groups and cultural backgrounds can interact, learn from each other, and share in the creation of an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly space.

These purposes are an outgrowth of the broader goals of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, of which the gardens are a part, and its mission to "shelter biologically significant plant and animal communities for teaching, research, outreach, and environmentally sensitive use, and safeguard beloved cultural landscapes."