The number of community gardens is growing across Australia. As well as being places where people with little of their own garden space can grow fruit and vegetables, they are places of conversation, enjoyment and learning. Community Gardens can be found dotted around cities everywhere. Land is often supplied by local councils. It is then divided into small garden allotments, which people apply to use.

How to make a Community Garden

Here are some tips for getting a community garden up and running.

Bottom Up Approach

Working from the bottom-up is the most common:

  • a group of people get together and work out what they want
  • the group approaches the local council or some other institution for help in finding land and, perhaps, for other assistance
  • when the group has gained access to land, they design the garden and start to cultivate it.

This approach builds ‘ownership’ of the community garden because the people who work the garden put in all the effort.

Top Down Approach

The top-down approach is favoured by professionals such as community workers and local government staff:

  • the professional workers become interested in the potential of community gardens to build a sense of community or to improve the nutrition of the people they work with
  • with their existing contacts with government, schools or churches they obtain land and funding more easily than citizens using the bottom-up approach
  • they then have to popularise the idea of the community garden among the target group they believe will use the garden
    if successful – and it might take some time – they then make use of a council landscape architect to design the garden; alternatively – and this might be the better solution because it builds ownership of the garden – they might find someone in the community who can lead a design workshop with the would-be gardeners, turning what could have been a professional-led solution into a participatory process.

The good news is that the top-down approach can succeed if the community or local government worker has the patience and persistence to build support for the garden within the community.

Once the idea has been discussed with the local community, it is a good idea is to organise a mini-bus tour of three or four existing gardens. Some councils may help with this.

Be sure to visit a variety of gardens, as to expose community members to a range of approaches to community gardening.

Community Gardens Australia

Community Gardens Australia (CGA) is a national network that connects, supports and advocates for community gardens, city farms and community-led growing spaces across Australia. The network brings together gardeners, volunteers, coordinators, local governments, educators and community organisations who share a commitment to growing food, fostering social connections and creating healthier, more sustainable communities.

The aims of Community Gardens Australia are to:

  • Support the establishment, development and long-term success of community gardens, city farms and community growing projects across Australia.
  • Share knowledge, resources and best practices that help communities create and manage thriving gardens.
  • Promote the environmental, social, educational and health benefits of community gardening and urban agriculture.
  • Foster connections between community gardens, practitioners, organisations and local governments.
  • Encourage inclusive, accessible and culturally diverse community growing spaces.
  • Strengthen local food systems, community resilience and environmental sustainability through gardening and food-growing initiatives.

Community Gardens Australia works to:

  • Advocate for community gardens and community-led food-growing initiatives at local, state and national levels.
  • Provide reliable information, resources and practical guidance for individuals and organisations interested in starting or managing community gardens.
  • Connect people with existing community gardens, city farms and related community projects across Australia.
  • Support local governments, community groups and institutions seeking to establish community gardening programs.
  • Share stories, research, case studies and examples that highlight the impact of community gardens on communities and the environment.
  • Promote collaboration, knowledge exchange and peer learning between community garden groups nationwide.
  • Document and celebrate the growth, diversity and achievements of Australia’s community gardening movement.

Through these activities, Community Gardens Australia aims to help create vibrant, inclusive and productive community spaces where people can grow food, learn new skills, connect with others and contribute to more resilient and sustainable communities.

MORE INFORMATION

Community Gardens: A Celebration of the People, Recipes and Plants, by P. Vardy and P. Woodward, (published by Hyland House).

How to set up a Community Garden by SGA

 

Discover what’s happening in community gardens and city farms across Australia through the stories, projects and initiatives highlighted in the links below.