Community Gardens of Tucson

About Community Gardens of Tucson

Community Gardens of Tucson (CGT) was started as an educational program in 1989 by George Brookbank, a University of Arizona Cooperative Extension agent. With a dedicated group of Master Gardeners, George created an independent volunteer organization that was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2010.

Today, CGT is the only gardening organization, with a network of 20 gardens located throughout Tucson serving approximately 250 gardeners. With the help of several contractors and many dedicated volunteers, CGT has developed its programs and partnerships to reflect the unique character and potential of the region.

The organization has gone through several stages of reinvention as volunteer leaders emerged and retired, but the interest in desert gardening, the environmental and conservation issues of our time, and the need for accessible, healthy food for the most vulnerable, continue to drive the organization towards its Vision to create a stronger, healthier, more vibrant Tucson through our community gardens and partnerships.

CGT’s Mission, to build community gardens where Tucsonans grow food, work and learn together, and nurture well-being in our communities, has evolved from its early days to reach beyond its member gardens in order to impact the greater Tucson community.

CGT’s Values – everyone is welcome, gardening is better when done in community, food resiliency and sustaining the environment are fundamental to the future of Tucson, and creating a space for sharing knowledge, cultures, and traditions between generations of gardeners – provide the foundation for its programming.