Partners in Parks is a parkland stewardship program for Edmontonians to help enhance and preserve their local green spaces.
With Partners in Parks, Edmontonians can adopt a City-owned horticultural bed near them and help keep it beautiful through the growing season. Whether it’s weeding, watering or planting, a partner's efforts make a real difference in our community and support the local environment.
If you see someone hard at work, make sure to let them know how much their effort is contributing to your neighbourhood!
Become a Partner in our Parks
Want to make a direct impact on your local green spaces? Perhaps you’d like to tidy up the beds in your local park, or have always wanted to see more flowers in the central island of your cul-de-sac. The Partners in Parks program invites you to help care for horticultural beds across the city, including parks, boulevards and open spaces.
When you register and select your preferred bed, you’ll garden it independently, working at your own pace throughout the spring and summer.
Typical activities include:
- Removing litter and debris
- Weeding shrub and flower beds
- Planting non-invasive annuals or perennials
- Watering plants, where feasible
- Mulching and amending soil, such as adding compost
- Monitoring your site and reporting concerns
Gardening in Groups
Do you want to garden with friends, family or your community? Partners in Parks welcomes self-organized groups!
Are you a community organization seeking a unique site for your programming? Partners in Parks is open to collaborations! We can provide horticulture beds to support your initiatives.
Connect with our Program Coordinator to discuss these options.
Partners in Parks efforts boost pride in our city and bring beauty to neighbourhoods. You can help improve habitat for native plants, birds and pollinators and remove invasive weeds.
Benefits of participating:
- Gain personal satisfaction and enjoyment
- Opportunity to stay physically and mentally healthy
- Develop horticulture and gardening skills
- Recognition for contribution of over 10 hours of service
Registration is open year-round, with the program season and bed selection starting each spring.
How to get started:
- Register at MyImpact
- Complete onboarding tasks
- Choose your bed: Select your preferred horticulture bed(s) when the season opens. Bed selection is closed from October to March each year. If selection is not yet open, the program coordinator will notify you when it’s available.
Partners will receive program supplies, including gardening gloves, a participant badge, garbage bags and site signage.
Complimentary items may also be provided if available.
Partners are responsible for their own sturdy, closed-toe footwear such as runners and weather-appropriate clothing. Tools such as hand trowels and rakes are not provided.
Partners are encouraged to report the number of hours they contribute through MyImpact.
All partners who complete 10 or more hours of service in a season receive recognition for their contribution.
Native Plants - Looking to plant some flowers in your Partners in Parks bed, but want to learn more about native plants? For information on native plant species and a list of suppliers visit Native Plants in Edmonton.
Want to know your weeds? Visit Weed Identification and Removal to identify common weeds in our city.
Every year Partners in Parks participants are asked to complete a short survey about their experience. Some people provide testimonials, such as the ones below, that highlight the benefits of participating.
"I enjoy working in my garden which is located beside a well-used trail and enjoy talking to walkers as they go by. It's a nice way to connect with my neighbours and others passing through the community, both verbally and aesthetically."
“The Partners in Parks program is an inclusive, welcoming and supportive program that allows people to grow not only gardens, but also their green thumbs.
In caring for my shrub bed, I’ve noticed how the garden has evolved over the years; finding the right plants for the right place and watching them grow and thrive; noting the subsequent change and improvement in soil texture (and appreciating the reduced time spent weeding); to the arrival of pollinators and seeing them feast on those plants.
This experience has been especially rewarding and helped me appreciate that not only are we growing flowers, but that we are creating ecosystems. As hubs of diversity, gardens are critical city infrastructure. These ecosystems not only support the physical environment but also the emotional and social well-being of the people who interact with these spaces.”
“This is my fifth season with the Partners in Parks program. I’ve learned so much and had a wonderful time–I love being able to work with others in my community to give our neighbourhood park some extra TLC. The program staff are totally engaged and supportive, and always willing to go the extra mile. Five stars!”
“Getting involved with Partners in Parks started with my love of gardening and an invitation to join a small group of like-minded neighbours."
“This program has been a wonderful opportunity to nurture my passion for gardening while also giving back to the community. This is such a meaningful initiative. It has deepened my care for nature and it gave me a sense of belonging and being seen in this city."
Explore our Horticulture Beds
The City maintains thousands of horticultural beds. Many are actively cared for by partners, but many more are available. View our interactive map to find your perfect bed.
Registered Partners in Parks Sites Map
This map showcases the beds currently adopted and maintained by our Partners, organized by district and highlights the ongoing efforts of our dedicated community members.
Edmonton Horticultural Society (EHS)
As a longtime supporter of the Partners in Parks program, the Edmonton Horticultural Society has donated memberships for many years. These are offered to partners who contribute 10 or more hours each season, providing access to workshops, training, retail discounts and a welcoming community of local horticulturalists.
Visit the Edmonton Horticultural Society to learn more about memberships, workshops, and events.
Apache Seeds Limited
Apache Seeds has generously supported the Partners in Parks program by donating hundreds of seed packets. These have been shared with participants and community members to help grow beautiful, vibrant spaces across Edmonton’s parks.
Learn more at Apache Seeds.
Edmonton Native Plant Society
The Edmonton Native Plant Society has partnered with Partners in Parks to supply native plant seed packets to program participants. They also offer great resources on local plant species and sustainable gardening practices suitable for all experience levels.
Visit Edmonton Native Plant Society to explore their database.
Become a Sponsor or Donor
Is your organization committed to a greener Edmonton? Support a thriving, climate-resilient city with Partners in Parks. We offer a range of sponsorship opportunities—from in-kind donations to program funding—that align your brand with horticultural education, skill-building and community greening.
Your support will help enhance public parks, build community connections and create a more resilient Edmonton for everyone.
Get in touch and see how your contribution can make a lasting impact.
