A reflection from Paul Wilson, East End Homes

Hi, I’m Paul from East End Homes, and I was asked to share some thoughts on community gardening and the challenges we face in making it work for everyone. I’ve been involved in supporting our local gardening initiatives for a while now, and while there are a few bumps along the way, the benefits always seem to outweigh the hurdles.

The joy of community gardening

If there’s one thing that community gardens bring, it’s joy. I’ve seen first hand how getting out in the fresh air, connecting with your neighbours, and watching something grow can be incredibly rewarding. The happiness it brings to residents makes the effort worth it. That said, it’s not always smooth sailing when it comes to handing over the responsibility of these gardens to residents.

Fairness and plot allocation challenges

One ongoing issue we face is the fairness of plot allocation. There simply aren’t enough garden beds to go around, and when the plots are rationed, some people end up with more than their fair share, leaving others without. Managing the distribution fairly is a real challenge, and we need to find ways to improve this, so everyone has an equal opportunity to participate.

The key to successful gardens: Facilitated spaces and toolkits

From my experience, the happiest and most successful community garden spaces are those that are facilitated at the start. During the Capital Growth era, we saw how well things can go when there’s a clear strategy in place. I really think there’s an opportunity to create a toolkit that outlines what a well-run community garden should look like. This wouldn’t be a rigid guide, but more of a helpful resource for communities to build on. It could include sample rules and serve as a solid starting point for new gardening projects, saving everyone the trouble of reinventing the wheel.

The role of landlords and the need for professional support

Local housing providers aren’t always the best placed to manage community spaces directly. That’s why I think it’s crucial to have initial support from an expert organisation when setting up these spaces. They can help get things off the ground, and support residents to develop skills – but the eventual goal should be to hand over the reins to community members.

Practical issues: Storage, tools, and water

There are, of course, some practical issues to consider. Storage for tools can be in short supply, but in most cases, raised beds are small enough that hand tools do the trick. Water, on the other hand, is always a concern. We no longer install external taps, and there are even new regulations about water butts due to concerns over legionella. This makes it harder for residents to maintain their gardens, so we need to explore alternative solutions.

The Bigger Picture: Land use and community engagement

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is the bigger picture of land use. We should be conducting regular space audits to identify opportunities. Why isn’t more land being used for gardening? The council has already done a play space audit, so why not do something similar for green spaces? The real pinch point seems to be the availability of land, but I believe there are pockets of underutilized space that could be transformed into community gardens.

A lot of residents might not see themselves as gardeners, but with the right support and encouragement, I think we could inspire more of our neighbors to get their hands dirty and experience the joy that community gardening brings.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, community gardening is about more than just growing plants. It’s about growing connections, fostering a sense of ownership, and creating a space where people can come together. Yes, there are challenges – from plot allocation to practical issues like water and storage – but these can be overcome with the right support, tools, and community engagement. Let’s keep pushing forward, learning from our experiences, and making our community gardens the best they can be!

Thanks for reading!

– Paul, East End Home