Community Garden
TL Mead Community Garden Membership Application 2026/2027 Growing Season
To apply for or to renew your TL Mead Community Garden membership for the August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 growing season, please complete the following application. This application includes a Liability Waiver and your acknowledgement of the Community Garden Rules, Requirements & Policies. Community Garden plots/membership are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis with priority given to current gardeners whose applications for renewal are received by July 18, 2026.
To qualify, applicants must be 18 years old, reside in Winter Park or a nearby neighborhood to Mead Botanical Garden. Please email questions to communitygardenboard@meadgarden.org and add us to your address book.
On-line Application
Please read the Membership Requirements document above and apply online here.
The TL Mead Community Garden
One of the first community gardens in Winter Park, this garden provides organic vegetables and fruit for members to keep and to share. Residents and their families rent a bed for a full year – 4 growing seasons. They plant and maintain their 4 ft by 16 ft garden bed to be free of weeds and pests using organic practices.
Gardeners have set aside a couple of the beds to grow produce for Second Harvest Food Bank and often donate excess from their own beds as well.
This community garden was originally established as a Demonstration Community Garden, funded by the Winter Park Health Foundation, and managed by the Orange County / UF IFAS Cooperative Extension Service and Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers. In February, 2011, management transitioned to the membership, who formed an organization with bylaws and officers—a President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. The organization reports to the Board of Trustees of Mead Botanical Garden, Inc.
If you have an interest in being a part of the community garden, please email the Community Garden Board before applying for additional details on bed availability.
Benefits of a Community Garden
Gardening by itself is therapy and provides exercise through the process of maintaining a garden. Maintaining a garden bed will be a learning experience through formal and informal demonstrations and presentations throughout the year. Intergenerational and cross-cultural interaction will be encouraged in all participation, education and development phases of the Community Garden.
Funding
The Winter Park Health Foundation funded the budget for the Demonstration Community Garden in 2009 at $25,000 over three years.
The TLM Community Garden Learning Center is registered as a member of the American Community Garden Association.