A community garden is in the works in Woodstock.

The city government is planning a garden along Dobbs Road behind the Chattahoochee Technical College campus downtown.

The garden will have 24 20-by-20-foot plots available for people to reserve and plant herbs, vegetables and flowers.

Plot registration will begin on March 15 and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for City of Woodstock residents, said Preston Pooser, the city's parks and recreation director.

The registration fee is $25 and includes access to a shed to store gardening materials. For information, call (770) 517-6788 or e-mail ppooser @woodstockga.gov.

The city will allow one plot per person until June 1. After that deadline, people already with one plot can register for more.

The city government was approached last year by a resident who wanted to open a community garden, Pooser said.

The city tried a pilot program last year, which was a success and led to the decision to expand it this spring, Pooser said.

"It's geared towards people who can't grow gardens in their yard," he said of the project.

The county's second largest city has a community garden of its own.

The Heron Square Community Garden is in its fifth season of sprouting veggies and flowers in Canton.

The garden is on East Marietta Street on the outskirts of downtown and has about 20 plots, said Roy Taylor, who owns the garden site.

The Canton garden is registered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank as a participating garden that helps feed the hungry through various programs.

Taylor said the garden has been popular among area residents. Last year, it was so popular that he had to turn people away.

Eight families are working together to grow things in the garden, he said.

"The benefits are that we've got people [participating] that otherwise wouldn't be able to grow food," he said.

He added there is another perk to a community garden: bringing a variety of people together to participate in one shared activity.

Woodstock Mayor Donnie Henriques said he is in full support of the idea.

"I think having a community garden would be a great addition," he said.