Front Yard Transition
As of 2026, Lady Flower Gardens (LFG) is transitioning from a rural 1-acre lot to smaller gardens in several different communities across Edmonton. Through Front Yard Revolution Edmonton (FYRE), we want to generate a movement. The goal is to create front-yard garden plots for communities to grow food for each other and local food banks. The activities that took place at LFG will continue throughout the city at these front-yard gardens where people, including vulnerable community members, can learn valuable skills in growing vegetables and work with the land while building community to promote physical, mental, and social well-being. FYRE Gardens will rely on a hybrid of regenerative agriculture (a system of no-tilling, using little water, limited fertilizer and pesticide usage), and organic growing methods. These garden plots will be maintained by FYRE workers, the households will provide the water, and together they will donate most of the product grown towards local food banks, with a portion of the produce to be set aside for the landowners! The hope of project is to develop many small front yard gardens throughout the city to provide community-based support of local food banks, including on lands owned by agencies serving vulnerable communities who often rely on the food bank. We hope to extend this knowledge to a broader community through word of mouth and through educational videos posted to social media. These FYRE Gardens have the potential to address food security, build community, boost physical and mental well-being, and aid the planet through growing sustainable food. In essence, FYRE will be good people supporting vulnerable and marginalized neighbours by growing good food.
Setting up the gardens
Preference is to front yards that are south-, west-, or east-facing (north-facing is hardest due to limited sun), with a specific focus in Northeast Edmonton.
The general timeline for each garden plot would be as follows:
The general timeline for each garden plot would be as follows:
- In the first year, a front yard is transformed into garden space. The grass would need to be torn up and removed with a sod-cutter, the earth would be rototilled, and a cover crop would be seeded. Using a cover crop is necessary to protect the soil from erosion while also putting valuable nutrients back into the soil.
- The next year, the front yard garden would be ready for planting vegetable crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, kale, onions, leeks, hot peppers, carrots, green beans, and peas. FYRE staff would be helping weed, manage watering requirements, and organizing runs of product to food banks while educating landowners on these processes.
- By the third year, the hope is that the landowners would be able to take on the responsibility of caring for the garden onto themselves, using FYRE staff and neighbour contacts as a helpline for questions or concerns. Another way for FYRE gardeners to find help or inspiration is from the YouTube channel, which have detailed videos on ideal practices and problem-solving. Please feel free to use these videos as inspiration to run with the core ideas of FYRE in a different capacity outside the boundaries of this movement.
Long-term goals
We at FYRE dream that the baton would be passed on to the agencies and low-income housing locations, allowing clients and residents to garden in community while serving local food banks. This has been Lady Flower Gardens' mission for 15 years, and we are hoping that it will continue through these FYRE gardens, relying on hard working agencies and gardeners who have served the Edmonton Food Bank continually for many years.
We dream that FYRE will be a movement that ignites and spreads around the Edmonton area and beyond.
We dream that FYRE will be a movement that ignites and spreads around the Edmonton area and beyond.