Established in 2021, the Dormont Community Garden was created to bring the Dormont community closer to nature and to raise awareness to the beauty and around us while also give back to the community.
The garden is active each year from mid-May to September. Each season, community volunteers care for the garden and grow over 200lbs of produce that are available to anyone in the community and shared with the local food pantry.
The project started as a few raised beds and bucket planters in two Dormont parks during the summer of 2021. In 2022, moved to its permanent location at Dormont Municipal Building and expanded to 13 raised beds, a native plant flower garden, a community compost bin.
The garden is used by the community for:
- local groups for meetings and educational activities
- for a quiet place to each lunch or read a book
- to connect with other local gardeners
- provide over 200lbs of produce a year to the Dormont Community
Project
Dormont Arts Community Garden
Years Active
5
Want To Get Involved?
Join our Facebook Group or contact us on Instagram!
What’s Planted In The Garden?
Every year we plant roughly 20 different kinds of vegetables.
From eggplant to multiple varieties of tomatoes — we aim to provide a well rounded assortment of veggies for our volunteers to harvest.
Our garden even sees several perennial herbs for those who love a nice garnish for their salad or mocktail.
How Much Food Does the Garden Produce?
Part of the goal of the garden to is to provide food for the Dormont community so we are happy to note that the garden over 200lbs of produce a year.
A large portion of our harvest is donated to the Dormont Food Pantry, thanks to the help of generous volunteers. By providing the pantry with a portion of our harvest we can lessen the impact of food insecurity that many of our residents face.
Our Community Loves Helping Out
Volunteers are a major part of how the community garden thrives.
Every week we host garden work days, held either Wednesday evening or Saturday morning. During these work days volunteers: water, turn compost, harvest vegetables and mow.
Each Sunday a watering schedule is posted so volunteers can sign up to water during the week.
We Host Events At The Garden Too!
The Dormont Community Garden is proud to host the occasional event such as Music in the Garden or the more recent Zoo-Ba-Do-Bop Children’s Jazz event.
We strive for our garden to become a place of community gathering and relaxation.
Want to host an event? You absolutely can!
Those wanting to host an event just need to pop into the borough office during open hours and obtain a permit for $25.
How Has The Garden Changed and Grown?
Over the years the garden has grown exponentially thanks to a mix of community support and grants sought out and applied for by our board members.
Community Support
- 2023: A pergola was added as part of a local Eagle Scout project.
- 2025: A shed was constructed to house the tools and equipment used to maintain the garden.
- 2026: Tree Pittsburgh planted trees in and around the garden. Dormont Borough also constructed a fence around the garden.
Grants
- 2026: Bird-Friendly Additions To The Garden – The garden receive a $445 microgrant from Wild Green future (funded by Angry Birds) to add bird feeders, bird baths and bird feeders as well as more native plants.
The Garden Supports Itself and Dormont Arts!
The garden is one of our smaller, but a key source of fundraising for Dormont Arts. Members of the community are able to sponsor one of the 13 raised beds in the garden.
If of our raised beds are sponsored, the Garden brings in $1300 worth of fundraising to the organization. A portion of it goes back into the garden while another portion is put towards other programs run the organization.
Sponsors receive a laminated sign on a stake that with a thank you and their name.
Want to sponsor a garden bed? Get in touch.
Garden bed sponsorships are $100/growing season (May-September).