Where Community and Nature Thrive: The Woodbridge Community Gardens
Photo essay explores scenes from the FitzGerald Tract
On a recent weekend I visited the Woodbridge Community Gardens at the FitzGerald Tract to take photographs, which you can see in the galleries below. The images capture the fullness of the gardens — birds darting between rows, bees and butterflies resting on blossoms, and vegetables flourishing alongside bright flowers. Each plot has its own character, shaped by the hands of its gardener, yet together they form a living mosaic of community and nature.
What began in 1975 as a simple community project has become one of the town’s most enduring traditions. Some 50 years later, the gardens remain a place where food, friendship, and respect for the environment all take root.
The Woodbridge Community Gardens are open to town residents only, though a handful of out-of-town members were grandfathered in years ago. Each season, residents may apply to rent up to two plots, with returning gardeners given first choice. The annual fee is $25 per plot, and applications are available at Town Hall or on the town website. Renewals are due by March 15, while new gardeners are assigned spaces beginning in April.
Every plot is tended with the same guiding principle: organic gardening only. Chemical pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers are prohibited, leaving gardeners to rely on compost, mulch, and careful crop rotation. These practices produce not only healthy fruits and vegetables but also healthier ecosystems — protecting pollinators, improving soil, and keeping the surrounding land and water free from contamination.
Water, too, reflects a back-to-basics philosophy. A gravity-fed system pumps water from a nearby pond into holding tanks, and gardeners draw from spigots with watering cans. Hoses and sprinklers are not allowed, and potable water is unavailable in the Community Gardens area of FitzGerald, underscoring the gardens’ emphasis on conservation and sustainable methods. [Editor’s note: Potable water — safe for drinking — was recently made available in the nearby Dog Park area of the FitzGerald Tract.]
The Community Gardens site itself is part of a larger conservation and recreation area that includes walking trails, meadows, and birding. Gardeners often describe the space as more than farmland. It is a retreat, a learning space, and a haven for wildlife. Birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects thrive among the diversity of plants, while families and neighbors strengthen bonds as they work the land, season after season.
In an age when local food sources and open green spaces are increasingly valuable, the Woodbridge Community Gardens serve as both a living classroom and a green sanctuary. They remind us that growing food is about more than the harvest—it’s about nurturing a community.
For details on how to join, or to apply for a plot, contact Woodbridge Town Hall at 203-389-3400 or visit the town’s official website for more information.
