Chimborazo Playground Community Garden was established in Summer 2009 thanks to the efforts of Lisa Taranto, founder of Tricycle Gardens, and Church Hill neighbors. Together they helped develop an underutilized half-acre on the fringes of Chimborazo Playground, located between 29th and 31st Street at E Grace Street in Church Hill (and adjacent to Chimborazo Park) into an active community green space.
When Friends of Chimborazo Playground [Park] began work on a new children’s playground area in 2009, excess material was gifted to the garden to create the initial 18 raised beds, repurposing old railroad ties with new soil to form the initial plots. Local resident David Cooley donated materials and labor to build the iconic, whimsical shed situated in the back corner of the garden.
Since 2009, a succession of stewards and gardeners have cultivated the space over many work days, with support from countless volunteers, Verdant Richmond, and companies including UPS, Home Depot, and Altria. In 2026, thanks to the work of so many, Chimborazo Playground Community Garden has 47 plots available for nearby families to grow food and flowers for their households and the community; surplus produce is donated to local neighbors through RVA Free Fridges.
Visitors to the garden can enjoy wandering through the maze of plots and observing what’s growing in each season. The garden is also a drop-off site for the City of Richmond’s community composting program, where residents can compost a range of household food scraps.
The space is also home to many insects, reptiles, and small mammals. Thanks to generous support from Richmond Grows Gardens, Xerces Society, Bee City RVA and Morningside Farm & Nursery (in Boston, VA), an expanded pollinator habitat at the front of the garden helps sustain local populations of beneficial insects. Several community fruit trees, a kiwi arbor, berry and flower beds round out the garden’s plantings. This garden is one of 16 gardens in Richmond City participating in the USDA’s People’s Garden Initiative.
Donate to Chimborazo Playground Community Garden