Sowing Seeds of Kindness

From our earliest days, Free Gardeners have understood that tending the earth is inseparable from tending the community. We are called to offer our time, our labor, and our resources as stewards of nature—supporting preservation efforts, cultivating shared green spaces, and uplifting our neighbors through acts of collective care.

Community gardens have been a defining tradition of the Order since the 1600s. In those early centuries, lodges purchased plots of land not for profit, but for purpose: to cultivate them together and give freely from the harvest to anyone in need. These gardens became places of nourishment, fellowship, and dignity—living symbols of what it means to serve.

Today, we continue that legacy with the same spirit of generosity. We encourage members to support community gardens, participate in local conservation and beautification projects, and create programs and events that strengthen connection and togetherness.

Whether planting a seed, restoring a natural space, or lending a hand to a neighbor, every act of service helps the Order fulfill its ancient charge: to cultivate goodness in the world, one kind deed at a time.