A garden is more than a place where plants grow—it’s a place where neighbors connect, stories are shared, and communities take root.
This year, Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) welcomed a brand-new garden to our network: Denargo Market Community Garden, located in the heart of the rapidly evolving RiNo neighborhood. As a new DUG community collaborator, Denargo Market Community Garden is creating a welcoming space where neighbors can grow food, build relationships, and contribute to the vibrant character of their community.
After hosting its first garden workday in May 2026, the garden is already growing thanks to the dedication of gardeners, volunteers, community partners, and neighbors who helped bring the space to life.
With 29 garden plots, primarily made up of raised steel beds and ADA-accessible beds, Denargo Market Community Garden was designed with accessibility and community connection in mind. The garden also features a bee shelter, creating habitat for important pollinators while adding another layer of learning and stewardship to the space.
We spoke with the Denargo Market Community Garden team to learn more about what makes this new garden special, the people helping it grow, and their hopes for the future.
What makes Denargo Market Community Garden special or meaningful to you?
The RiNo neighborhood is home to people with many different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. For Denargo Market Community Garden, that diversity is what makes the space so exciting.
“The RiNo neighborhood has such a blend of people with various backgrounds, experiences and current circumstances. It’s so fun and special to add to the creative and vibrant fabric, while getting to know our neighbors and eventually share our space and food with the community.”
The garden is more than a growing space—it’s another piece of the neighborhood’s creative and collaborative identity.
Who are the people helping shape this garden into a community space?
Every successful community garden is built through collective effort.
Denargo Market Community Garden is led by Micaela Lindemann, the garden leader, alongside the many gardeners and community members who have contributed their time, skills, and resources.
“Officially, Micaela Lindemann is our garden leader. However, many of our 28 gardeners have laid the ground work and continue to dedicate themselves and their passion for gardening to great use.”
The garden has also benefited from generous donations of equipment, volunteer hours, and community expertise.
“Additionally, we’ve received many donations of garden equipment, volunteer time and community members’ skills that we are very grateful for.”
This spirit of collaboration is what transforms an empty space into a thriving community resource.
What’s a memorable moment or experience you’ve had in the garden so far?
Sometimes the smallest discoveries become the most memorable.
Shortly after getting started, gardeners discovered some unexpected neighbors sharing the space.
“We discovered we have a family of bunnies living under our shed! We love to reserve some extra leafy greens for them!”
These moments are part of the joy of gardening—creating a space where people, plants, and wildlife can coexist.
What impact do you hope this garden will have as it grows?
Like many neighborhoods across Denver, RiNo continues to change and grow. Denargo Market Community Garden hopes to provide a consistent space for connection, nourishment, and community building.
“We very much acknowledge the rapidly changing neighborhood and hope that we can help foster a space for community growth, shared connections, and bringing fresh produce to our neighbors in need.”
Through gardening, the community hopes to create opportunities for neighbors to meet, share resources, and grow food together.
What’s something you wish more people knew about this garden or what’s happening here?
Launching a community garden takes dedication, teamwork, and a lot of behind-the-scenes effort.
As a brand-new garden, Denargo Market Community Garden is still growing its roots and looks forward to welcoming more community members into the space.
“We are brand new this season, and it takes so much collaboration and selfless work to make spaces like this come to life!”
The garden hopes to become a visible gathering place where neighbors can socialize, share ideas, and participate in creative projects.
“We hope to be more visible to the community soon and invite them into the garden for socializing and sharing in creative endeavors!”
Growing Together in RiNo
Community gardens thrive because people come together.
From gardeners tending their plots to volunteers sharing their skills, every contribution helps create spaces where neighbors can connect and communities can flourish.
Denargo Market Community Garden is just beginning its journey, but its first season has already shown what’s possible when people collaborate around a shared vision.
Welcome to the DUG community, Denargo Market Community Garden—we can’t wait to see everything you grow.
