DENTON (UNT), Texas — The University of North Texas celebrated the grand opening of a new and improved community garden space. Located behind Crumley Hall on the flagship Denton campus, the UNT Community Garden provides opportunities for Mean Green students, faculty and staff to cultivate their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers.

The UNT Community Garden was established in 2017 through an environmental grant program offered by the We Mean Green Fund, which supports community-driven sustainability projects. The fund, created through a 2010 student government election, is sustained by a $5 fee paid by students each fall and spring. The original garden was located behind Legends Hall.

The garden is one of several resources offered by the Diamond Eagle Student Resource Center, which provides students access to professional development, food items and sustainability initiatives. The UNT Food Pantry — the recipient of much of the garden’s fresh produce — is another of those resources.

Tristen Wheeler Mauldin, associate director of the resource center, said the new space comes with several benefits for the community.

“The new garden has more plots and overall square footage, which will allow our collaboration with the UNT Food Pantry to increase significantly,” Mauldin said.

Construction on the new space began in Fall 2023 and finished in Fall 2024. Three donors — the We Mean Green Fund, Valley Creek Church and RAM Concrete — provided assistance with bed and walkway construction, concrete pouring, irrigation and a new gazebo. The new garden houses 10 plots more than the original, which Mauldin said could increase overall crop yield by about 70 pounds, or 60%, per year. Other improvements include a vegetable washing station, increased sitting and shade areas, a larger storage shed and power for lights and fans.

“We also have approval and plans to create a hydroponic greenhouse, plant additional fruit trees and add new compost structures,” Mauldin said.

The grand opening doubled as a workday where volunteers and members seeded garden beds and transplanted vegetables and flowers. Barrett Andrews, a sophomore speech pathology major who shares garden space with her father, spent the morning transplanting produce and helping others with their plots.

“I really like meeting people and having this space to connect over shared interests," Andrews said. "We get to see our plants grow together.”

About 85% of the garden space is dedicated to any UNT student, staff or faculty member who would like to rent a plot. Members with excess crops can choose to donate their surplus directly to the UNT Food Pantry, which also occupies a small amount of garden space. Group and individual plots are both welcome, as are volunteers who simply want to assist with upkeep.

Cody Kimpton, student services coordinator for the resource center, was on-site to help members and volunteers. Kimpton, who is also the garden’s operations supervisor, said he hopes the new space will offer what its name suggests: community.

“Now that we have this more central location, I hope we can host more events and continue building community connections,” Kimpton said. “We’ve already seen a lot of new interaction from people, and we’re really excited.”

UNT students interested in renting a UNT Community Garden plot can sign up using Navigate. UNT faculty and staff members can sign up by emailing communitygarden@unt.edu.