“Does anyone want to start a garden with me?”
That’s all it took for Jayne Watson Sévigny to get five fellow staff members in Enrolment Services to join the Staff Gardens program, which lends garden plots on McGill’s downtown campus to employees.
“I just asked, and all these hands went up,” recalled Watson Sévigny, a Service Representative participating in the program for the fourth time. “It’s a wonderful initiative, and a great way to connect with the people on your team and the McGill community.”
This is the second year Enrolment Services is participating in the program. (Watson Sévigny previously participated when she worked in another unit.) The group completed the registration form, were assigned a plot near Burnside Hall, and quickly got to work. They obtained seeds from the Macdonald Seed Library and have already planted basil, shallots, lavender, peas, tomatoes and flowers, with Patio Baby eggplant still to come.
The team members take turns watering their garden, share their harvest, and regularly bring freshly cut flowers into their office space.
“It’s really satisfying to grow things and connect with nature,” said Geneviève Alie, Service Point Associate in Enrolment Services. “You can come here, eat your lunch and decompress. It’s a rewarding experience.”
Green roots
Gardening outside Burnside Hall began in 2010 with the Edible Campus initiative, which received support from the Sustainability Projects Fund and aimed to demonstrate how productive planting could be woven into urban spaces. In 2017, the McGill Office of Sustainability launched the Staff Gardens program.
“The program tends to generate a lot of enthusiasm,” said Megan Toth, Sustainability Officer in the McGill Office of Sustainability. “We currently have gardeners from more than 40 different units across campus, which makes it an amazing opportunity to connect.”
The Staff Gardens currently comprise 45 containers. In addition to obtaining access to bins, water and gardening tools, participants can attend free workshops and share tips and challenges on a group Teams chat, where pesky squirrels are a common topic of discussion.
“There’s a lot of support,” confirmed Alie. “I love gardening at home, and this is a great way to learn and get involved.”
Perks with a purpose
The Staff Gardens program also aligns with McGill’s long-term sustainability commitments.
The action items listed in the Climate and Sustainability Strategy (2025-2030) include managing campus space to foster biodiversity and increasing McGillians’ knowledge and engagement with sustainability. McGill’s Biodiversity Plan 2030 seeks to increase the quality and quantity of campus green spaces as well as McGillians’ engagement in biodiversity-focused educational activities.
For those considering participating in the program, the Enrolment Services team highlights perks such as fresh air and fresh herbs, a greener workplace, the opportunity to engage in gardening and the chance to meet other members of the McGill community.
“When you’re here, you’re not a staff member, you’re a gardener,” said Watson Sévigny. “It’s about building a sense of community, and just being part of something that’s really nice.”
Registration for Staff Gardens opens in spring and bins are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Bins have already been assigned for 2025. To learn when registration opens for future years, subscribe to the McGill Office of Sustainability’s monthly newsletter or follow us on social media at @SustainMcGill. To get involved sooner, employees are encouraged to consider Sustainable Workplace Certification, which enables teams to advance sustainability at McGill year-round.