Community Garden in Austin, TX
Sunshine Gardens celebrates over 50 years of community gardening in Austin!
Sunshine Community Gardens (SCG) has been in existence since 1974 with over 200 plots on about 3 acres of land in north central Austin, Texas. Full, half, and quarter sized plots are offered, as well as wheelchair accessible gardens, plots for the visually impaired, and micro plots for children. The land is leased from Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) and they are our generous partners in providing the Sunshine and greater community with an urban oasis for growing and enjoying organic food and flowers.
Sunshine, through its 501(c)(3) nonprofit parent organization, Community Garden Initiative of Central Texas (CGICT), offers charitable and educational opportunities with garden tours, school donations of seeds and plants, funding, and meeting space for other nonrofits. SCG is a Certified Natural Wildlife Habitat, provides space for a Chicken Cooperative, and has a variety of specialty gardens, such as a contemplative garden, tomato testing garden, and MICAH 6 garden that grows fresh produce for the Micah 6 of Austin Food Pantry.
SCG is an all-volunteer organization. With the assistance of Gabriel Valley and Squeaky Frog Farms, both local growers, each spring on the 1st Saturday of March, our Annual Plant Sale and Benefit provides the Austin area spring transplants for their gardens. Heirloom tomatoes, sweet & hot peppers, eggplant, herbs and more are sold to benefit SCG. Funds help pay for maintenance of our facilities, tools, tractor, and support SCG’s charitable and educational activities in our greater Austin community.
Coming Events
View CalendarGarden Workday
Saturday, May 10, 2025, 9:30am - 12:00pmThere will be a Sunshine Community Garden Workday with Frank Genco on Saturday, May 10 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
May All Gardeners Meeting & Elections
Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:00amJoin us for the May All Gardeners Meeting & Elections!
We’ll be meeting in the usual spot in front of the trailer.
Bring a dish to share, your favorite chair and come early to help set up.
We will also need help to clean up after the meeting ends.
Agenda:
- Arrive and sign in
- Open / Call to Order: 10 AM – Iris Slevin
- Introductions: Board members
- Presentation – Annual donation to ABCTX
- Financial Update: Carol Limaye
- VP Report – Zone Coordinator meetings update – Marsha Ritti
- Website and Communications/Data Committee:
- Maria Beach – Weekly Weeder
- Update on Website: Melanie
- Request for everyone to update their addresses on file as well as their phone numbers/email address
- Plant Sale Coordinator – Update on 2025 and what’s ahead 2026? David Forrest
- Plants for Schools – Jim Willman
- Micah 6 – Walter Khul
- Children’s Garden – What’s growing over there?
- Accessibility Garden – Ila Falvey
- Plot Coordinator Committee – Kay McMurry – Chair
- Community Engagement Coordinator – Jennifer and Gonzalo – talks/events
- President’s update:
- Ongoing Projects
- Opportunities for more volunteer participation (counts as your Service Hours)
- General update summarizing the past two years
- Bylaws Committee and Site Rules Committees – Stephen Fenoglioand and JP Maestro summarize the process for these Committees
- Nominations Committee:
- Presentation of Candidates
- Selection of the Nominations Committee for next year by Membership
- Voting for roles of: President, Vice President and Treasurer – paper ballots casting for attendees.
- Floor is opened for Q&A from the Membership
Your attendance and participation matter! This is where your will learn about how our 501(c)(3) operates and new ways to get involved.
We look seeing your there!
Sunshine Community Gardens Speaker Series - Pollinator Gardening & Monarch Basics
Saturday, May 24, 2025, 10:00am - 11:30amJoin us for the May Sunshine Community Gardens Speaker Series Talk – Pollinator Gardening & Monarch Basics!
This event is free and available to the public. We’ll be meeting in the usual spot in front of the trailer.
Join us to learn about:
- must-have native Texas pollinator plants
- which plants attract which pollinators
- monarch butterfly & native bee basics
- Certified Monarch Waystation requirements
For additional information and to register, click here.
Micah 6 Food Bank Delivery
Saturdays, 8:30amDelivery to the Micah 6 Food Bank is once a week at this time of year.
Please consider donating excess harvest, purchased produce, and non-perishable food items to the Micah 6 Food Pantry.
Click here for additional information on our Micah 6 activities, including how to donate fresh produce or non-perishable food items.
Beautification Committee Work Day
Sundays, 9:00am - 12:00pmWant to volunteer beautifying your community or need Sunshine service hours? There is always a workday every Sunday (9:00-12:00pm) in the flower beds around the trailer. Hosted by Matthew Johnston.
2026 Annual Plant Sale & Benefit - Mark Your Calendars!
Saturday March 7, 2026, 9:00am - 2:00pmMark your calendars for the next Annual Plant Sale and Benefit, Saturday March 7, 2026, from 9:00-2:00 at 4814 Sunshine Drive!
Learn from knowledgeable gardeners while you shop for tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, herbs, native flowers, and pass along plants.
In addition to the vegetable, herb, pass along and native flower plants for sale, there will be organic compost and mulch, silent auction items, and a children’s carrot patch. You can also explore booths of local vendors, walk through our gardens, and listen to some local music.
A few weeks before the sale we will post lists and descriptions of the plants for sale, plant tent navigation guides, vendor information, and more on our Plant Sale page.
If you’d like to volunteer for the 2026 Plant Sale & Benefit, please sign-up here.