The Garden: Commune or Cult

On 22 acres of backcountry land in the American South lies The Garden – a community that lives by its own laws, free from the pressures of modern society. They maintain an open-door policy to anyone seeking to join their ranks, but new people must submit to an initiation period. Some barely last a week, others are forced to leave, and a chosen few will call The Garden home for good. Questions continue to arise about the cult-like vibes of the controversial community, but this spring is different. Cameras have been granted unprecedented access to The Garden, documenting its spread to new locations deep in the Ozarks. Founded as a cooperative, “leaderless” community, The Garden could be viewed as a post-apocalyptic wonderland free of societal rules.