Willistown Community Garden

A Community Effort

Located in Sugartown Preserve, the Willistown Community Garden is a volunteer community garden where Willistown and area residents share fellowship over gardening, and gather to grow organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The gardeners donate a portion of their harvest to local Chester County Food Bank food cupboards.

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Community Give-Back

As a part of the Chester County Food Bank Raised Bed Program that provides fresh food to over 70,000 hungry Chester County residents, the Garden houses two raised beds that are managed by local Daisy or Girl Scout Troops who grow, harvest, and deliver to local food cupboards.

Pledge & Volunteer Waiver

Willistown gardeners sign a pledge and waiver(s) regarding garden practices and agreements. Please Email the Parks Department to inquire about membership prior to executing any paperwork. 

Location

Willistown Township's Sugartown Preserve, 705 Providence Road, Malvern, gravel access drive located at 257 Spring Road, Malvern. Get directions to the Preserve.

How the Garden Grew

The Garden was established as a community educational opportunity through a partnership between Greener Partners and Willistown Township Parks & Recreation. The shared start up costs included the drilling of a well and the construction of a deer fence based on one at The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. The fence is installed on an angle facing out, which confuses the deer as they have weak depth perception. The theory is that because a deer can't "read" the fence, it won't jump in. It has worked here!

The Sugartown Exploration Garden hosted the very popular Growing Greener Summer Camps through a collaboration of Greener Partners, Willistown Parks & Recreation, and an area resident volunteer committee.

As Greener Parnters grew in new directions, Willistown Parks & Recreation and the stellar volunteer committee created the Wonderful World Summer Camps, curriculum and all. 

The Garden thrived with engaged and enthusiastic campers. The Greener Partner's farmhouse headquarters, located across the street from the Garden, was no longer available to the camps, and St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church generously shared their indoor recreation space with the camp. Although the campers had a ball, the hike from there to the garden and the logistics of getting program equipment and campers back and forth between the site and the church proved overly challenging for the talented programmers. 

Ending on a high note, the camps were retired and the Willistown Community Garden began to grow. 

Events

Willistown Community Gardeners and Willistown Parks & Recreation host a booth annually at the Willistown Country Fair at Greentree Park.

Photos and Map

View images of the Garden.

View images of the summer camps.

View the Sugartown Exploration Garden Grand Opening Map (PDF).

Willistown Parks & Recreation ~ Celebrating community and enriching life through people, parks, and programs.