Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Georgia Decatur Sugar Creek Garden and Herb Farm
AO Edited

Sugar Creek Garden and Herb Farm

On land once deemed “valueless,” a multipurpose community garden proves the potential of urban farming.

Decatur, Georgia

Added By
Bobbin Eastwood
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Bobbin Eastwood
  Bobbin Eastwood
  Bobbin Eastwood
  Bobbin Eastwood
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Bee hives at the garden.   Hetaira Thais / Atlas Obscura User
  ski queen / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

According to a City of Decatur stormwater ordinance, no residential or commercial properties can be developed within 75 feet of a stream. Since the grounds behind Decatur’s Oakhurst Presbyterian Church sit on a floodplain, the property is therefore considered “valueless.” However, the Wylde Center—an organization that manages greenspaces throughout Atlanta—didn’t see it that way. In 2010, the space was transformed into Sugar Creek Garden: a vibrant community garden comprising herbs, medicinal plants, fruit trees, and more.

A local landscape design firm developed the land using principles of biodynamic farming meant to rejuvenate depleted city soil. In the weeks and months leading up to opening, the firm even held workshops on growing vegetables and fruit trees as well as tending bees. 

Today, Sugar Creek Garden contains 16 community garden plots available for rent, a pollinator garden, and a row of active beehives. While some plots are dedicated to cultivating herbs for local restaurants, the majority are community-oriented, giving green-thumbed locals free reign to grow as they please. Volunteers run a multi-bin composting system (the volunteers and Wylde Center plot holders get dibs on finished compost, but the general public can partake in limited quantities). The garden also features a gathering space for community events, meetings, and yoga retreats. Pretty impressive for “valueless,” no?

Related Tags

Farms Garden Community Gardens Gardens

Know Before You Go

Sugar Creek Garden and Herb Farm is open seven days a week from dawn until dusk. Parking is available in a driveway beside the Phoenix School playground. If you’re traveling north away from the Oakhurst village on East Lake Drive and reach Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, you’ve gone too far. 

Community Contributors

Added By

bobbelangelo

Edited By

Hetaira Thais, Collector of Experiences, ski queen, colleencourtney c93b920e

  • Hetaira Thais
  • Collector of Experiences
  • ski queen
  • colleencourtney c93b920e

Published

September 6, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sugar Creek Garden and Herb Farm
415 East Lake Drive
Decatur, Georgia, 30030
United States
33.758679, -84.309217
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Eastern Sub-Continental Divide Mural

Atlanta, Georgia

miles away

Lake Claire Community Land Trust

Atlanta, Georgia

miles away

Cator Woolford Gardens

Atlanta, Georgia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Decatur

Decatur

Georgia

Places 6

Nearby Places

Eastern Sub-Continental Divide Mural

Atlanta, Georgia

miles away

Lake Claire Community Land Trust

Atlanta, Georgia

miles away

Cator Woolford Gardens

Atlanta, Georgia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Decatur

Decatur

Georgia

Places 6

Related Places

  • Nola’s Iris Garden

    San Jose, California

    Nola's Iris Garden

    Exquisite irises bloom every spring in this hillside garden.

  • Charlottesville, Virginia

    Monticello's Vegetable Garden and Fruitery

    Thomas Jefferson's estate is home to hundreds of varieties of historic fruits and vegetables.

  • Berlin, Germany

    Prinzessinnengarten

    Berliners converted a bombed-out, disused lot into a community-run urban farm with its own cafe and bar.

  • The giardino Pantesco at Donnafugata vineyards.

    Pantelleria, Italy

    Giardino Pantesco

    This ancient walled garden turns fog into food.

  • Lakkatura Tea Garden

    Sylhet, Bangladesh

    Lakkatura Tea Garden

    One of the largest and most scenic of Bangladesh's tea gardens.

  • Various plants grow within the underwater farm.

    Noli, Italy

    Nemo's Garden

    The world's first underwater farm is home to more than 700 plants.

  • Lilacia Park

    Lombard, Illinois

    Lilacia Park

    This botanical garden outside Chicago boasts an array of more than 300 varieties of lilacs.

  • La Plaza Cultural

    New York, New York

    La Plaza Cultural

    This former crime corner has been turned into an eclectic community center.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.