Medley Park Community Garden

• Jan 6, 8 am | Registration begins for residents (in-person and online).
• Jan 20, 11:59 pm | Registration closes for residents.  
• Jan 23 | Random draw for containers. Those drawn will be notified by email and will have seven days to pay the fee and sign the use guidelines. 
• Feb 2, 8 am | Registration begins for non-residents.
• Feb 9, 11:59 pm | Registration closes for non-residents (if it opens). 
• April 13 | No refunds given after this date.
• Early May | Gardens open for registered gardeners (weather permitting).
• June 5 | Gardens must be planted; any unplanted gardens will be offered to gardeners on the waitlist.
• Mid-October | End of 2026 season (weather-dependent). Garden containers must be cleared of all plants, weeds, and structures.

Lottery 

From Jan 6–20, 2026 Golden Valley residents will be able to submit their names to the lottery. This can be done online (using code Y3600A), by phone, by email, or in-person at Brookview Guest Services. A name, address, email, and telephone number are required to enter the lottery. During this time the lottery is only open for Golden Valley residents. A non-resident lottery will open Feb 6 if containers are available.

Selection

A random draw will be conducted January 23, 2026. Those selected will be notified by email and will have seven days to review and commit to the Medley Park Community Garden Use Guidelines and submit payment. 

Registered Gardeners

Once payment and Medley Park Community Garden Use Guidelines are committed to, a person becomes a Registered Gardener. Emails will be used to communicate out details leading up to and during the season.

The City first floated ideas for a community garden in 2019 as part of a park improvement project. Rather than removing Medley Park's failing tennis courts, the City developed a concept to build 40 raised garden beds on the court surface. Existing fencing would provide a secure site, and water bibs, a compost bin, a tool shed, and planting tables would round out the project.

Construction began in fall 2021 and will continue through December 2022. 

Work on the tool shed was completed in summer 2022, thanks to the efforts of community volunteers and partners.

The Medley Park Community Garden opened in May 2023 for the first round of gardeners in the garden’s history. A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on May 2.

Golden Valley Garden Club

University of Minnesota Master Gardner

For questions, please contact Recreation Coordinator Kevin Martinez Del Arca at 763-512-2341 or kmartinezdelarca@goldenvalleymn.gov.