About the Gardens

The Rooftop Garden

The Rooftop Garden was first established in 1996 as a living laboratory on top of Trent’s Environmental Science Complex. Professor Tom Hutchinson launched a research project in that year to study the effect of ozone pollution on plant growth. A farmer himself, Hutchinson was fascinated by the capacity of conventionally unused urban and peri-urban spaces to produce food and preform vital environmental functions.

The Rooftop Garden still functions as a research space and agricultural ecosystem over two decades later. Today, the Rooftop is home to an established pollinator garden and a highly productive perennial garden. The Rooftop produces over 1000 lbs of food each year despite its modest dimensions of 100 by 30 feet of growing space.

Check out the Rooftop during drop-in hours or by appointment in Trent’s Environmental Science Complex B305.1. Find out our drop-in hours here.

The Field Garden

The Field Garden was established in 2005 and enabled the TVG to expand both in its size and scope. Located northeast of Trent’s DNA and Health Sciences Building, the Field Garden boasts 2/3 of an acre of growing space and is organized similar to a small-scale farm. Like the Rooftop, programming in the Field Garden emphasizes community skill-building, research and experiential learning.

In 2010 the Trent Vegetable Gardens partnered with the Peterborough Community Garden Network and established a 20 plot community garden.

Visit the Field Garden any time at 2120 East Bank Drive. Be sure to check our volunteer drop-in hours here.