Family Gardens

A Place to Swap Zucchini and Zinnias

For over thirty years, visitors to Valley Park (801 7th Avenue S) in Hopkins have been smelling more than freshly cut grass. The Family Gardens are abundant with a wide variety of plants, from dill to dahlias, that offer up an aroma better than your grandma's garden.

The Hopkins Family Gardens feature several 20 feet by 20 feet plots that residents line up to register for every March. The most sought-after plots are those closest to the water source, Nine Mile Creek.

The Family Gardens came into existence in the late 1970s and are offered by the City of Hopkins. The City plows, tills, drags, measures, and stakes the gardens, which are typically ready to plant by mid-May.

A Community Affair

The spirit of cooperation and helping out your neighbor is prevalent throughout the Family Gardens. When their friend went on vacation, Bart and James Jordano took over the duty of watering their friend's plot, as well as their own. According to Bart, produce swapping is also common. He grows broccoli, zucchini, and cabbage, which he trades for zinnias. He also brings much of the produce home to share with neighbors.

The Family Gardens is a place for people from a wide variety of backgrounds to come together, socialize, share gardening techniques, and admire each other's bounty. That's why the Hopkins Family Gardens is a Point of Interest.