“The Backyard Garden program was an incredible success in Brampton last year, and I am excited to announce that the program will begin again on February 1,” said Mayor Patrick Brown. “This program brings our community together, keeps participants active, and provides food supports for residents in need. We are proud to champion this initiative for a second year under Councillor Whillans’s leadership.”
The Backyard Garden Program encourages Brampton residents to grow produce and herbs from the comfort of their own homes and donate their homegrown crops to local food banks and community organizations.
“This eco-friendly initiative helps support food security in our city by providing participants with free soil, seeds and helpful tips to grow their own backyard garden,” City officials said in a media statement.
This year’s program is open to new participants only, including those who did not have the opportunity to participate in 2020.
Residents can register online to receive free seeds and soil starting Monday, February 1, at 10 am at www.brampton.ca/backyardgarden.
Photos of this year’s backyard gardens, gardening tips, tutorials and resources will also be available on the web page.
Residents are invited to use the hashtag #GardensofBrampton to share their gardens on social media.
This year, the program is sponsored by Scotts. Mattamy Homes, Paradise Developments, Fieldgate Developments, TACC Developments, and Great Gulf also support the program.
New this year, is the monthly Backyard Garden Club e-newsletter which is open to all gardening enthusiasts. Members will receive a monthly e-newsletter with gardening information, opportunities to send in questions, gardening advice and support from experts and community partners, such as the Brampton Horticultural Society, exclusive offers, and more. Visit www.brampton.ca/backyardgarden to register for the Club.
The City says that the Backyard Garden Program had a very successful inaugural year in 2020, with more than 10,000 pounds of produce donated to local food banks and community organizations for residents in need from April to October; including the Knights Table, Regeneration, Khalsa Aid, and United Sikhs. This first of its kind in Canada, it was initiated in response to COVID-19 and advances the goals of the Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan, which cited urban agriculture as an opportunity for the City.
“Thousands of residents received free seeds and soil as part of the Backyard Garden Program last year, providing more than 10,000 pounds of produce to residents in need,” said Doug Whillans, City Councillor Wards 2 & 6. “This year, the program is open to new participants – meaning even more residents will have the opportunity to participate in this excellent initiative. Get into gardening, enjoy the outdoors, and give back this year!”
In addition to supporting the Mayor’s COVID-19 Social Support Task Force’s focus on food security, the Backyard Garden Program reaffirms Bramptons’s priority of being a sustainable Green City, and promotes residents’ mental and physical wellbeing the City said.
