Bowmanville Community Garden

Contact Information: gardening@bcochicago.org
Address: 5386-5410 N Bowmanville Avenue
Neighborhood/Community Area: Lincoln Square
Garden Established: 1993
Protected by NeighborSpace: Leased 2003
Social Media/Website:
Website: Bowmanville Community Organization
Facebook: Bowmanville Community Organization
Community Partners: Bowmanville Community Organization

About the garden: Set against the imposing, gray stone wall of the vast Rosehill Cemetery directly to the north, the Bowmanville Community Garden is a splash of colorful greenery, tempting drivers on busy Bowmanville Avenue to slow down and – literally – smell the flowers. Mirroring the Lincoln Square community’s own changes since the mid-1990s, the Bowmanville Community Garden has undergone several transformations during its history, each time relying on the efforts and financial support of community residents and outside organizations to keep it intact. Even a significant water main replacement that left the garden in a shambles could not deter committed residents from rolling up their sleeves and continuing to nurture the garden’s trees, flowers and shrubs.

Bowmanville Community Garden is home to a wide variety of native perennials such as Black-Eyed Susans, Liatris and Switch Grass, as well as dogwood, redbud and pear trees. It also includes benches, a winding footpath, and a trellis. In addition to offering a beautiful green space for the community, this 2007 and 2009 1st place winner in Mayor Daley’s Community Landscape Award, provides a place for community activities, educational opportunities, and artistic expression.

Community leader Tom Kennedy, one of the many dedicated Bowmanville Gardeners, would like to see the “garden remain as an enduring fixture in our neighborhood for many years to come.”