The following steps are adapted from
the American Community Garden Association’s guidelines for launching a
successful community garden in your neighborhood.
1. Organize a Meeting of Interested
People
Determine
whether a garden is really needed and wanted, what kind it should be
(vegetable, flower, both, organic?), whom it will involve and who benefits.
Invite neighbors, tenants, community organizations, gardening and horticultural
societies, building superintendents (if it is at an apartment building)—in
other words, anyone who is likely to be interested.
2. Form a Planning Committee
This group
can be comprised of people who feel committed to the creation of the garden and
have the time to devote to it, at least at this initial stage. Choose
well-organized persons as garden coordinators Form committees to tackle
specific tasks: funding and partnerships, youth activities, construction and
communication.
3. Identify All Your Resources
Do a
community asset assessment. What skills and resources already exist in the
community that can aid in the garden’s creation? Contact local municipal
planners about possible sites, as well as horticultural societies and other
local sources of information and assistance. Look within your community for
people with experience in landscaping and gardening. In Toronto contact the
Toronto Community Garden Network.
4. Approach a Sponsor
Some gardens
“self-support” through membership dues, but for many, a sponsor is essential
for donations of tools, seeds or money. Churches, schools, private businesses
or parks and recreation departments are all possible supporters. One garden
raised money by selling “square inches” at $5 each to hundreds of sponsors.
5. Choose a Site
Consider the
amount of daily sunshine (vegetables need at least six hours a day),
availability of water, and soil testing for possible pollutants. Find out who
owns the land. Can the gardeners get a lease agreement for at least three
years? Will public liability insurance be necessary?
6. Prepare and Develop The Site
In most
cases, the land will need considerable preparation for planting. Organize
volunteer work crews to clean it, gather materials and decide on the design and
plot arrangement.
7. Organize the Garden
Members must
decide how many plots are available and how they will be assigned. Allow space
for storing tools, making compost and don’t forget the pathways between plots!
Plant flowers or shrubs around the garden’s edges to promote good will with
non-gardening neighbors, passersby and municipal authorities.
8. Plan for Children
Consider
creating a special garden just for kids–including them is essential. Children
are not as interested in the size of the harvest but rather in the process of
gardening. A separate area set aside for them allows them to explore the garden
at their own speed.
9. Determine Rules and Put Them in
Writing
The gardeners
themselves devise the best ground rules. We are more willing to comply with
rules that we have had a hand in creating. Ground rules help gardeners to know
what is expected of them. Think of it as a code of behavior. Some examples of
issues that are best dealt with by agreed upon rules are: dues, how will the
money be used? . How are plots assigned? Will gardeners share tools, meet
regularly, handle basic maintenance?
10. Help Members Keep In Touch with
Each Other
Good
communication ensures a strong community garden with active participation by
all. Some ways to do this are: form a telephone tree, create an email list;
install a rainproof bulletin board in the garden; have regular celebrations.
Community gardens are all about creating and strengthening communities.
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