Lexington Manor community garden reports full plots, food donations and Baywise certification

At the Recreation and Parks Citizens Advisory Board meeting in September, Liz Ward, program assistant with the Saint Mary's County Master Gardener program, provided a detailed second-year update on the Lexington Manor Passapark community garden: infrastructure funded by the county, an on-site composting program, an accessible mix of plot types, volunteer days, partnerships with schools and nonprofits, and donated produce to local food pantries.

Why it matters: the garden is sited in a neighborhood the presenters described as a food desert and is intended to provide fresh produce, community engagement and education on sustainable gardening practices. The garden is managed by a nonprofit host (the Community Development Corporation) and supported by a county garden manager and master gardener volunteers.

Key details from the update Ward said construction began after a nonprofit host and funding were secured and that the garden opened in spring of the prior year. The fenced garden measures roughly 100 by 150 feet; about one quarter of that fenced area is designated as a public section managed and planted by volunteers and a planting committee, while the remaining three quarters are rental plots. Rental fees range from $15 to $50 annually depending on plot size; fees are waived for renters who document eligibility for SNAP, WIC or free-and-reduced-price school lunch programs.

The garden offers standing (raised) ADA-accessible beds, raised beds and in-ground plots; Ward said there are nine in-ground plots that are split for rentals, yielding roughly 14 rental halves. In its first seasons both years, all plots were rented and there were wait lists, Ward said. The garden set aside 44% of plots as free in 2024 to support access.

Volunteer programming and community partnerships Ward described weekly volunteer days (Wednesdays and Sundays) and monthly classes and demonstrations (composting workshops, irrigation demonstrations and cooking demos) and cited partnerships with groups including Scouts, Bay Montessori Middle School, Forest Tech Center (natural resources class), Saint Mary's Caring, Feeding Saint Mary's and several local churches and pantries. She said roughly 200 pounds of produce were donated to local food banks last season; named recipients included Church of the Ascension, 3 Oaks Center, Feeding Saint Mary's, Zion United Methodist Church, Saint Mary's Caring and Immaculate Heart of Mary food pantry.

Sustainability and expansion The garden hosts a multi-bin compost facility, a native-plant gateway garden installed with Southern Maryland Audubon Society volunteers and Forest Tech students, and the site qualified for Baywise certification through the Master Gardener program, Ward said. Presenters said some infrastructure — fence, water lines, sidewalk, gravel driveway and compost bins — was funded by Recreation and Parks (more than $80,000 in infrastructure as stated by Ward) and that the garden team has discussed potential replication or expansion at other county sites.

What wasn't decided No new county funding allocations or formal policy decisions were made at the meeting. Presenters said they continue to refine volunteer staffing, signage and social-media outreach and welcomed help from Recreation and Parks staff for communications.

Next steps Ward said public volunteer hours are Sundays 1–4 p.m. and Wednesdays 3–6 p.m., and that the garden team will continue monthly educational offerings, compost program development and community outreach.