SCENES FROM A PREVIOUS SWISSVALE EDIBLE GARDEN TOUR | PHOTO BY PORTER LOVES

Featuring 25 gardens across the borough, the Swissvale Area Gardening Enthusiasts will host their seventh annual garden tour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m on Saturday, July 12.

During the choose-your-own-adventure-style tour, visitors are encouraged to roam through Swissvale and sneak a peek at as many of the featured gardens as they please.

At each stop, hosts will be available to answer questions, provide insights and show tour-goers around their outdoor space. With gardeners of all skill levels invited to participate, the tour displays a range of garden sizes and styles that demonstrate how community members grow food in urban spaces. Visitors can expect to see features like native plants, fruit trees and compost systems, offering inspiration to both curious newcomers and seasoned green thumbs.

While the event is free and open to the public, community donations are appreciated and dedicated to a different nonprofit each year, with this year’s tour supporting SisTers PGH – a Black and trans-led organization providing support to the transgender community of southwestern Pennsylvania.

THE SWISSVALE EDIBLE GARDEN TOUR IN A PREVIOUS YEAR | PHOTO BY PORTER LOVES

Event guides and maps will be available online and at the information table at the Swissvale Farmers Market, held at 7301 Schoyer Ave., Saturday morning. Local businesses throughout Swissvale will also be open during the event, adding another layer of community connection for those exploring the borough.

Since the event started in 2019, the Swissvale Edible Garden Tour has created a network of plant lovers in and around the borough sharing the benefits of gardening. Organizers emphasize that gardening not only beautifies neighborhoods, but it also fosters physical and mental well-being and builds sustainable food systems.

After the open garden tour, the celebration continues with a community picnic at the Swissvale Farmers Market offering food, activities and entertainment for all ages.

“We hope this event inspires you to consider growing your own food (on your own or with neighbors) and/or support local farmers at the market,” Swissvale Area Garden Enthusiasts say on their website. “Creating local food systems helps form a more interconnected, resilient community.”