Community Gardens
Welcome to Our Gardens!
The Chelmsford Community Gardens are a growing and thriving organic garden and outdoor space for all. Full plots and half-plots are available for rent each growing season. In addition, there are twelve smaller raised-bed plots for gardeners with limited mobility. Please contact us at sunnymeadow01824@gmail.com with any questions. We look forward to meeting you!
The Walter F. Lewis Community Garden is located at 168 Robin Hill Rd, on the site of Sunny Meadow Farm. There are three separate garden areas, named A, B and C.
- Garden A is located nearest the greenhouses. Garden A has 41 plots, approximately 450 sq ft (15’ x 30’). Fee: $50/year ($25/year for half-plot). Garden A Map
- Garden B is adjacent to Garden A and across from the garden shed. Garden B has 30 plots, approximately 450 sq ft (13' x 34.5'). Fee: $50/year ($25/year for half-plot). Garden B Map
- Garden C, also known as the St. Onge Garden, has 12 raised-bed plots for gardeners with limited mobility, approximately 40 sq ft (5' x 8'). Fee: $10/year. Seniors and those with a disability have priority for Garden C plots until June 1. Garden C Map
The Wotton St. Community Garden is located in North Chelmsford, off of Vinal Square. It is on the left side of Wotton St. as you travel towards the river. This area is named Garden D.
- Garden D has 35 plots, approximately 500 sq ft (various dimensions). Fee: $50/year ($25/year for half-plot). Garden D Map
The community gardens have available for gardeners:
- Well water pumped to a holding tank (at Wotton St.)
- Irrigation pond water pumped through PVC pipes (at Sunny Meadow)
- Hoses
- Fenced garden areas (gardens A, B, & D)
- Hand tools (shovels, rakes, garden forks, hoes, trowels), wheelbarrows and watering cans
- Battery-powered lawn mower and string trimmer
- Garden shed for storing tools (shed at Wotton St has electricity)
- Designated area for plant material/weeds that have been removed from garden
- A porta-potty
- Picnic tables
- Designated parking area
Community Garden plots are available to anyone over age 18. Chelmsford residents have priority. Garden renters in good standing from the previous year may renew one plot up until the annual opening meeting (tentatively planned for the last Sunday of January). After that time, plots may be assigned to those on the waiting list. When the waiting list is exhausted, any remaining plots will be available by lottery to gardeners wishing more space, to be used for one year only.
All returning and new gardeners, please register for a plot using this On-Line Registration Form or send us an email at sunnymeadow01824@gmail.com. Prior to registering, please review the Letter of Agreement.
There are a limited number of free plots allocated for non-profit organizations such as churches and food pantries. Email us for availability.
Last Sunday of January: Annual opening meeting. Returning gardeners must renew and pay for their plot.
March 31: Final deadline for payment of all plot fees.
April 1: Garden opening.
June 1: Planting deadline. If plots are not planted by this date, they may be reassigned with no refund.
June 1: Unassigned plots in all gardens, including Garden C, will be available to anyone by lottery.
October 31: Garden clean-up deadline. Gardeners are responsible for cleaning up their plots to remain in good standing with the option to renew next season.
November 1: Garden closing.
Please find the rules for the gardens included in this Letter of Agreement.
Sunny Meadow Farm was originally owned and farmed by Walter F. Lewis. After his death, the land on Robin Hill Rd was used for a horse farm, greenhouses and fields rented by Jones Farm.
In 2008, the Town of Chelmsford purchased the land from the family of Walter Lewis. Jones Farm, along with the Chelmsford Open Space Stewardship Program (COSS) worked closely with the Town to keep this land as open space and to develop it as a community resource. The Community Garden and meadows were cleared, constructed, and maintained by volunteers from COSS.
In the spring of 2009, the first section of garden, occupying the former fenced-in horse paddock, was opened. This gated area contains 41 plots averaging 15' x 30'.
The Community Garden was dedicated to Walter and Betty Lewis in the summer of 2009.
In the spring of 2010, a concrete trough on the site that was used by cows when it was a dairy farm and horses when it was a stable, was converted into twelve 8' x 5' plots accessed on one side by a ramp for wheelchairs. These plots are intended for those with a disability or seniors with mobility issues.
This area is known as The St. Onge Accessible Garden after being dedicated to Richard St. Onge, a Westford firefighter who died while battling a barn fire at Sunny Meadow Farm on Dec 5, 1970. The dedication ceremony was held on Saturday, June 19, 2010.
In 2011 due to popular demand, a new gated garden containing 29 plots was created at the site. These plots are sized roughly 13' x 34'. This enclosed area also has an arbor and miniature house which is used for storage.
In addition, a tarmac parking area and entrance was created.
In 2012, a new garden area was opened in North Chelmsford on Wotton St, near the Merrimack River. This garden is divided into 35 plots, each very roughly 500 sq. ft.
In 2024, a Community Garden Advisory Committee was formed to manage the community gardens.
Outside the fenced-in gardens, Sunny Meadows is a multi-use site for community activities. COSS and the Town of Chelmsford maintain these areas and coordinate numerous updates and improvements to the site.