Co-Gardener Codification — A Letter to the Membership
Dear FGS Members,
Co-gardeners have been valued contributors to FGS for years. They share the work of a plot, show up to Community Participation Days, step in when a primary gardener can't, and, in some cases, become the reason a garden stays tended season over season. Because of this, the 2026 FGS Executive Board believes it's the right time to codify co-gardener standing.
Ten years ago, in 2016, the Nominating Committee at the time collected feedback from gardeners on a set of unresolved questions. Among them, one was listed plainly: "Rights of co-gardeners — what defines a member?" The specific concerns they raised:
Gardeners who are married or are partners in one plot...
Co-gardeners who have been gardening for several years...
Desire to run for officer or board position.
A decade later, those questions are still open. Co-gardeners are referenced in our Members' Handbook and Guidelines & Regulations but defined nowhere — no formal standing, no dues obligation, and no clear path to plot succession except in the narrow case of a primary gardener's death or divorce. This proposal is an answer to the one the 2016 committee asked for.
What's being proposed
At the FGS Spring Meeting on Saturday, April 25, we'll be presenting and discussing a proposed amendment to our governing documents that creates a fourth membership class, "Co-Gardener," with defined rights, responsibilities, and dues. The Board approved the proposed language at the April 7 board meeting.
Alongside the co-gardener framework, the proposal codifies the one-plot-per-person rule (currently informal but widely understood) and rewrites the community service section: every FGS member under 65 owes 9 hours per season, including co-gardeners.
How the meeting will run
We are treating the Spring Meeting as a community conversation -- a chance for everyone to weigh in before the proposal moves forward. We'll break into small discussion groups, each led by a board member, so every voice gets heard. Remote attendees are welcome via Zoom -- a virtual breakout will be reserved for you.
This is not a vote. After April 25, we'll share a summary of what we heard and a proposed path forward in May.
Before the meeting
Read the packet and share your feedback or questions via the form below -- we want to hear from you whether or not you can make it on April 25.
The packet
The packet has three sections:
Cover Letter — what we're doing and why.
Background — where FGS stands today, how other community gardens handle this, and why the Board landed where it did.
Proposed Changes — the full amendment text.
Download the full packet (PDF) →
We look forward to hearing your thoughts, and hope to see you on April 25.
All the best,
Sai Boddupalli
Board President, Fenway Garden Society
sai@fenwayvictorygardens.org