There’s something magical about growing your own food. The smell of fresh herbs, the satisfaction of a tomato warmed by the sun, but what if you don’t have the space for a garden or if you don’t have the ability to look after consistently?
In Lane Cove and nearby suburbs, community gardens are thriving little hubs of connection to nature and people. They’re where seasoned gardeners share tips with first-timers, where friendships blossom alongside basil, and where sustainability is more than just a buzzword—it’s a way of life. Whether you’re a green-thumb guru or a total beginner, there’s a patch for you.
ITC has a few green thumbs on staff and we wanted to explore our local gardens and experience the benefits.
We have provided information below but be sure to double check open days online beforehand
Hughes Park Community Garden
Tucked away in the quiet green space of Hughes Park, this thriving garden brings together locals who love to grow, share and connect. Members cultivate a mix of herbs, veggies and flowers using sustainable gardening methods, and the space also serves as a mini outdoor classroom for anyone keen to learn more about composting, pollinators and organic growing.
Supported by Lane Cove Council, the fenced garden includes communal plots, shared tools and monthly working bees where members lend a hand and enjoy a cuppa together. There are plans to make the site even more accessible and to add a native stingless bee hive to boost pollination.
The annual membership fee helps fund new plants and tools, but the real value is in the friendships and the sense of belonging. The garden is accessible for prams and wheelchairs, making it easy for all ages to join in.
You’ll find the Hughes Park Community Garden at 314 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove. New members are always welcome.
🌿 Dates: Monthly – 1st Sunday of the month 9-11am (double check website before)
🪴 Membership: Try out at least one working bee & then ask organisers for details
🔗 Facebook: Hughes Park Community Garden – Lane Cove
🔗 Instagram: lanecovecommunitygarden
📧 Email: [email protected]
📍 Location: 314 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove West
Stringybark Community Garden
Over in Lane Cove North, the Stringybark Creek Reserve Community Garden hums with a more casual rhythm. There’s no membership fee here — just a warm welcome and a shared harvest for those who help at the fortnightly working bees. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to get involved without a big time commitment, or for beginners who want to learn from more experienced hands.
🌿 Dates: Fortnightly
🔗 Facebook: Stringybark Community Garden – Lane Cove
📧 Email: [email protected] to request membership info
📍 Location: Stringybark Creek Reserve
The Coal Loader Cottage Community Garden
A short drive away in Waverton, the Coal Loader Cottage Community Garden is part of a bigger story — the transformation of a historic industrial site into a centre for sustainability. Alongside vegetables and herbs, there are chickens to care for, an aquaponics system to tinker with and a backdrop of native gardens and bushland to explore.
The Coal Loader Cottage Community Garden
This is an organic communal garden where tasks are divided amongst the group and crops are harvested and shared among the participants each week. There are raised beds of various heights making gardening easy for many age groups and abilities. There is no charge to become a member and basic tools and supplies are provided.
There is an additional opportunity to work with the Coal Loader chickens at the Cottage Community Garden. Working on a roster basis, each morning and night volunteers care for the chickens and share the eggs they lay. There is no charge to become a member and comprehensive training is provided.
🌿 Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday mornings
📧 Email: [email protected]
The Coal Loader Aquaponics Project
The aquaponics project occupies two of the raised beds on the Coal Loader Platform. There is no charge to become a member and comprehensive training is provided.
📧 Email: [email protected]
The Coal Loader Platform Allotment Gardens
Members of this program rent a bed from Council for a small annual fee. Gardeners sow, grow and harvest their own organic produce. Plants must be edible (or companion planting) and grown organically. Gardeners are welcome to work in the garden at any time.
🪴 Membership: To join the waitlist for a plot, enter your details here.
Henley Green Community Garden
Tucked away in Henley on Crown Street is Henley Green Community Garden — just a five-minute drive from Lane Cove West — offering both space to grow and a strong sense of community.
This garden is is a project undertaken by The Happy Hens Social Enterprise and not only call themselves a community garden and urban farm, Henley Green is home to several chickens that provide natural pest control. The garden boasts a thriving mix of fruit and vegetables, and visitors can even purchase propagated plants from the small stall at the entrance, run on an honour system.
First-timers are warmly welcomed, with volunteers on hand to allocate tasks and provide clear guidance. What we love most is the social side — after each session, volunteers gather around the outdoor table to share a chat, a snack and a drink, making it as much about connection as cultivation.
🌿 Dates: Fri 9-11am, Tues 9.30-11.30am & Sun 3pm – 5pm. (Summer 4pm – 6pm)
🔗 Website: happyhens.org.au
🔗 Facebook: HenleyGreenCommunityGarden
🔗 Instagram: henleygreencommunitygarden
📧 Email: [email protected]
📍 Location: 2A Crown Street, Henley NSW 2111
Bedlam Bay Community Garden
🔗 Facebook: BedlamBayCommunityGarden
📧 Email: [email protected]
📍 Location: Old Gladesville Hospital, Campbell Parade, Gladesville
Lane Cove Community Nursery & Eco Gardens
Not all green thumbs work on vegetables. At the Lane Cove Community Nursery, volunteers focus on propagating native plants for public spaces, schools and community projects. It’s a quieter, more meditative kind of gardening — perfect for those who enjoy nurturing plants from the very beginning and contributing to the bushland that makes our area so special.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Community Nursery, please contact Council’s Bushcare Co-ordinator on 9911 3579 or email [email protected]
Weekdays: Volunteers meet each Friday between 10.30am and 3.30pm
📍 Location: Lane Cove West, NSW 2066
Bushcare — Nature’s Neighbourhood Guardians
For those who prefer the wild to the cultivated, Bushcare offers a way to restore and protect Lane Cove’s natural areas. Volunteers meet at sites across the municipality to remove invasive weeds, plant native species and create habitats for wildlife. It’s a satisfying mix of physical activity, environmental care and camaraderie.
Register your interest here: Lane Cove Council’s Website or email [email protected]
More Than Just Gardening
Whether you’re digging compost, caring for chickens or planting tube stock in the bush, these green spaces are places where the rewards go beyond the harvest. You’ll leave with dirt under your nails, a smile on your face and a deeper connection to both people and place.
So if you’ve been craving fresh air, a sense of purpose or simply a reason to get out from behind a screen, there’s a plot, patch or planting day waiting for you in and around Lane Cove. All you need to do is show up — the gardens will do the rest.
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