Leicester Library Giving Garden
A giving garden with an educational focus, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.
The Leicester Library Giving Garden aims to connect and strengthen our community through growing and sharing food.
Upcoming Events
All are welcome to come by during a garden workday or educational workshop! Just bring your gardening gloves, water bottle, and dress for the weather.
Weekly Garden Workdays are every Tuesday & Thursday from 9am to noonish
Soil Health & Composting Workshop, Saturday 8/15 from 10am to 12noon
Season Extension Workshop, Saturday 9/12 from 10am to 12noon
Seed Saving & Cleaning Workshop, Thursday, 10/01
OUR VISION
A permaculture design team created a vision to transform the Leicester Library grounds into a productive and beautiful edible landscape. A multi-phase installation established perennial tree and nut crops, pollinator habitat, annual gardens, greenhouse, and a community orchard integrated into the landscape. The gardens are accessible to the community with gathering areas, peaceful seating, and in-garden educational areas.
OUR WORK
We are a small volunteer-run group with a passion for growing and giving to our local Leicester community.
2021: Building garden rows, installing wheelchair-accessible cedar raised beds, planting fruit & nut trees along the fence lines.
2022: Expanding the garden with the construction of a greenhouse.
2023: Sharing the garden’s bounty of fresh produce & herbs by installing a new community fridge.
2024: Breaking new ground to establish an orchard of fruit and nut trees, on land generously shared with us by the Leicester Volunteer Fire Department.
2025: Fostering community resilience through education, comradery, and the sharing of fresh, nutritious food.
2026: Equipping patrons with knowledge & techniques to utilize in their home gardens & kitchens through classes & hands-on workshops.
Latest from the Garden Journal
Follow our giving garden journey to see what we grow, how we grow, and why it’s so impactful to our local community!
Full Steam Ahead Into Growing Season!
Harvests, workshops, seeding, transplanting, spring flings, and much needed SHADE & RAIN!
Expanding Opportunities for Learning & Giving
Backyard Gardeners Program funded by Grow Appalachia/Berea College opens up opportunities to expand our reach across Buncombe County through organic gardening education.
Impact Report 2025
645+ Hours Invested! 1,041+ Pounds of Produce & Counting!
A silver lining post-natural disaster is the resurgence of neighbors coming out of the woodwork to support each other with a rekindled drive to educate, connect, and strengthen our community through growing and sharing food.
A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
