Lockport residents who may not have proper yard space for a vegetable garden will have the opportunity this year to try out their green thumbs in a more public setting.

Bloom Lockport and the Lockport Township Park District have partnered to launch a community garden in Bonnie Brae Park starting this summer.

The new garden, which is located at the corner of Pendleton Street and Thornton Street behind the First Baptist Church will feature 16 4-foot-by-8-foot raised beds which residents can rent to plant vegetables from May until October.

The garden will also include gravel paths between beds, benches, and a water tank donated by the city, according to Alderwoman Christina Bergbower, who is a member of Bloom Lockport.

Bergbower also noted that the group is looking to install rain barrels in the garden to make it “more sustainable.”

The idea behind the program was to “provide a convenient and affordable opportunity for residents who would like to grow their own produce but might not have the space or ability to garden at home.”

Bed rental is only $20 for the season, and spaces have filled up quickly.

Bergbower noted that once all the beds are gone, the group will start a waitlist, and it is possible that a few more could be built this spring.

If the program is successful, Bergbower said there are already more ideas in place for expanding it including planting “community pumpkins” for use in the fall, building a tool shed, and creating beds to grow produce for people in need in the community and be maintained by Bloom Lockport.

Residents must agree to a list of “common sense rules” as part of the agreement to rent the bed, which includes promises to keep the bed in good condition and provide your own tools and plants.

Residents are also not allowed to grow creeping plants like pumpkins or cucumbers in order to keep the beds neat.

“The community asked us to do this,” Bergbower said. “Our main objective at Bloom Lockport is to increase awareness of planting native plants, but we had so much interest that we pivoted very quickly.”

Bergbower said that the plans came together very quickly thanks to members Heather Blackmore, a master gardener, and Karen Timm, a landscape designer.

Ground broke ground on the project two weeks late, according to Bergbower, however, she said the garden should still be ready for planting by early May.

Participating and interested residents are invited to attend a meeting at the White Oak Library Lockport branch on April 28 at 5 p.m. to learn more about the garden and the participation rules.

Other Will County community gardens

Lockport is the latest community to create a public garden space in Will County.

Plainfield Township and the Joliet Park District operate similar gardens which allow residents to plant in rented spaces for their own use.

The Plainfield Township garden is located just east of the township administrative building, 22525 W. Lockport St. in Plainfield.

The Joliet Community Organic Garden is located at 3000 McDonough St. in Joliet.

Joliet is also home to several gardens which are run by members of the community for charitable purposes.

The Cathedral of St. Raymond operates Promised Land Gardens at the corner of Raynor Avenue and Douglas Street. All produce grown in the garden is donated to local food banks, shelters, and soup kitchens to feed the hungry, and all members of the community are welcome to volunteer their time in the gardens.

Similarly, CrossRoads Christian Church manages Hope Community Garden behind the Forest Park Community Center in Joliet with the resulting produce going to support a food pantry.

Finally, the Green Sprout Urban Farm is a “youth-run urban farm initiative”at the Warren-Sharpe Community Center at the corner of Munroe Street and Joliet Street in Joliet.

The farm serves as both an educational opportunity for children, who manage the plants while learning about environmental science and culinary arts, but also provides fresh produce to neighborhood families.