OUR STORY
An annual event celebrating the hard-working gardeners of Lakewood, OH
GardenWalk Lakewood (GWL) was founded in 2022 by Claire Campbell - with the backing of a small group of resident volunteers passionate about gardening, community, and the environment. These volunteers organized and promoted Lakewood’s first community-wide garden walk on July 16, 2022, where residents, businesses, and other organizations opened their gardens to the public for free self-guided tours. The first walk included 31 gardens that spanned all neighborhoods in Lakewood. The original garden walk concept was started in 1995 by GardenWalk Buffalo, which is now America’s largest garden tour - and attracts tens of thousands of visitors with more than 300 participating gardens every year!
Today, GardenWalk Lakewood is still entirely run by generous volunteers who are passionate about the community and our green spaces!
Mission
The mission of GardenWalk Lakewood is to build community within and beyond the city by bringing people together through gardens and green spaces.
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Gardening and spending time in green spaces has been demonstrated to positively affect mental health. GWL hosts the annual GardenWalk as well as a spring and fall plant swap. Sharing your garden, your knowledge of gardening, or visiting one of the many Lakewood gardens open during the event promotes connection with others.
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All GWL events are free to attend, creating equity in access for residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds. All items shared at GWL swaps are available at no cost, making plants and tools accessible to those who may not have the means to buy them.
GWL relies solely on the generosity of donors and is run entirely by volunteers passionate about supporting our community.
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