Hartford Public Library

The Garden Club of Hartford, in partnership with Hartford Public Library (HPL), is transforming underused outdoor areas into vibrant green learning spaces while providing hands-in-the-dirt youth programming that teaches sustainability, biodiversity, and healthy food systems.

Hartford is a city of more than 120,000 residents with a rich and diverse cultural identity. More than one in four residents lives below the poverty line, with access to green spaces and nature-based learning being limited.

Building on a successful pilot at HPL's Park Street branch in a predominantly Latino neighborhood (where club members installed raised beds, planted herbs used in Latino cooking, and created bilingual herb identification cards) the club is now expanding to HPL's Downtown branch, a landmark in Connecticut's capital city. Grant funds will support hiring a landscape architect to redesign empty sidewalk beds surrounding the building and replicate the indoor rolling raised bed program in the spacious children's area. Planting is planned for May 2026.

Club members will work side-by-side with neighborhood families, children, and library staff during planting days, create fun gardening activities, and collaborate on a curriculum that connects gardening with cultural food traditions. The downtown branch serves many underserved Black, Latino, and Indian families. By placing gardens at this trusted community anchor, the club ensures every child, regardless of income, can experience the joy of nature right in their own city.