New gardens

Where do I start?

If you are interested in starting a community garden on a city-owned lot, we recommend that you first read through our checklist below:

1. Explore our Community Gardens Map to find existing community gardens across the city and FEMA lots that may be available to serve as your community garden space.
2. Review our Policy & User Agreement to understand how the program works, guidelines for use, and what your responsibilities are when using a city lot. This will be signed after your application has been approved.
3. If you are seeking to establish a garden on a FEMA lot, review the FEMA Guidelines & Restrictions Form.
4. Review the New Garden Application Form and supporting documents that you must submit with your application. We have created a sample packet that provide templates of these documents:
   • A Letter of Intent
   • A drawing of the proposed layout
   • A budget and list of proposed building materials 
   • Schedule of proposed fees (if applicable)

Additional details on what to include in the supporting documents, along with other helpful information, can be found in our Community Garden Manual.

If you are ready to move forward after reviewing the documentation above and selecting a potential garden site using our map, you must complete the New Garden Application Form. City Staff will review your application and reach out for next steps. Please contact us using the form below if you have questions or require assistance.

 The City of Savannah provides financial support for gardens in the form of reimbursements. If you are interested in requesting funding assistance to establish your garden, please review the Garden Support page. For informational resources, check out our Resources page!