Community Garden Sanctuaries
Cultivating Spaces of Connection and Regeneration
At Gardyn-Doulah, the Community Garden Sanctuaries initiative transforms underused green spaces into living classrooms, edible ecosystems, and community gathering places.
Each sanctuary is designed to restore soil, nurture biodiversity, and strengthen local connection—offering a model for how communities can grow food, habitat, and hope side by side.
Our goal is to create a network of regenerative micro-landscapes across neighborhoods—small sanctuaries that demonstrate how urban and suburban spaces can heal the land while bringing people together.
.png)
The Beech Forest Grove is the first Community Garden Sanctuary in development. Nestled within Columbia’s Swansfield Park, this project reimagines a small, shaded woodland edge as a space for regeneration, reflection, and relationship with the land.
The grove centers around a mature “Grandma Tree,” whose deep roots anchor both soil and story. Around her, the landscape will be restored using native understory plantings, pollinator habitat zones, and living mulch systems that support soil health and water retention.
Paths and gathering spots will invite neighbors, families, and students to explore, learn, and care for the space together.
This sanctuary will also serve as a community design lab, demonstrating how permaculture and mindful stewardship can turn even a patch of neglected ground into a thriving ecosystem.
.png)
Learning Opportunities
Join us for Volunteer Days through the Weed Warrior program, where we’ll work together to mulch, and remove invasive species, as it evolves into a thriving ecosystem. Each visit offers something new to discover—from native woodland plants to pollinator species and edible understory herbs.
We’ll also be hosting a series of donation-based workshops on topics like native plant identification, soil health, and regenerative design. These sessions invite participants to learn by doing—helping care for the land while gaining skills to bring back to their own gardens and communities.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just beginning your journey, the Beech Forest Grove will offer plenty of opportunities to learn, connect, and grow alongside the landscape.
Interested in joining a Volunteer Day or workshop?
Community Sanctuary Garden Volunteer Workdays
Join us for upcoming volunteer workdays as we care for and restore the Community Sanctuary Garden. These sessions will focus on invasive plant removal, an important step in supporting the health and resilience of this shared space.
Upcoming Dates:
-
January 22 | 10:00–12:00 PM — Invasive removal
-
February 26 | 10:00–12:00 PM — Invasive removal
All experience levels are welcome. Come ready to work, learn, and contribute to the care of this garden sanctuary.