Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents
Mayor’s introduction...................................................................................04
Introduction................................................................................................05
Why grow your own food?..........................................................................07
What is a community garden?....................................................................09
Choose your site..........................................................................................11
Find out who owns the land, set up a lease agreement
and check on insurance...............................................................................13
Get your committee together and start making plans!..............................15
Now for getting your hands dirty – preparing and developing the site......... 17
Finances and fundraising............................................................................19
Health and safety........................................................................................21
How to manage your garden.......................................................................23
Success stories.............................................................................................29
Stanstead Road Garden Project...............................................................31
Frendsbury Gardens.................................................................................32
General Links and Resources......................................................................35
4 Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
We feel a great sense of achievement We also have a huge number of local for citizens to actively engage
when we work together to overcome people actively involved in helping us in their communities. This is real
a problem or realise a goal. We make the most out of our facilities. community empowerment – local
can only build strong and caring We have park-user groups, civic people coming together to create
communities if we recognise that societies, citizens running allotments something which is sustainable, adds
we all have a contribution to make. and a whole range of other ways for to the environment and makes good
people to get involved. use of our natural resources. I would
In Lewisham we are incredibly lucky
be delighted to see more of these
to have a vibrant voluntary and Community gardens offer local
gardens flourishing in Lewisham.
community sector with thousands residents the opportunity to get
of our citizens volunteering on a together with their neighbours and So that is why we are launching
regular basis. They are involved in friends to grow their own food, our new guide – to encourage local
a tremendous variety of activities flowers and plants on an area of citizens who want to get involved in
including formally organised unused land. their own community garden project,
community events, giving up by providing them with helpful hints
Over recent years, a number of highly
their time to manage community and useful contacts for organisations
successful community gardens have
groups and simply helping out their who can provide support.
sprung up across the borough adding
neighbours where there is a need.
to the wide variety of opportunities I hope you find it useful.
space community projects and You will also need to organise how
commercial and private landscaping often gardeners will meet, what
contracts. If you need help with tasks they will be responsible for
getting your plot developed visit and how tools will be distributed.
www.enviroworklewisham.co.uk.
How will regular maintenance, in
There will be a fee for their services.
particular weeding, be handled
If you need a little extra help in both inside plots and in common
the early days of your garden, areas such as along fences, in raised
then additional volunteers can vegetable beds and in seating areas?
be sought through TimeBank,
For large groups it is advisable to
www.timebank.org.uk or through
have a set of written rules so that
Lewisham Council, which has its own
users know what is expected of them
volunteering scheme. For further
and what standards they should
details, contact the Environment
adhere to.
and Community Development
Team on 020 8314 2068 or email If you are considering dividing your
communitygardens@lewisham.gov.uk. land into plots, think about how
they will be assigned, i.e. by family
Organise the garden
size, by residential areas, by need,
You may need to consider conditions
by age groups etc.
for membership such as fees and
agreement with rules. How large should each plot be and
how will they be laid out?
If there is to be a membership fee,
consider how much you should charge Different users will have different
for membership, as these fees could requirements and your planning
help to cover some of the costs of should incorporate this.
running the garden. What will
active members receive in return
for their membership?
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food 19
the soil underneath may be unsuitable you can employ – physical control, flies at bay. Hyssop, mint, oregano,
for cultivating vegetables. cultural control, biological control and rosemary, sage and thyme keep
chemical control. cabbage moths out of your garden.
In addition to this, continuously
growing vegetables in the same soil Physical control If you know that a certain type of
will eventually deplete its nutrients. This method of control involves insect pest could be problematic in
As a result, you may have to consider physically keeping pests out of your your garden, timing your planting
adding some fertilizer to maintain the garden with barriers and traps, as may be one way to avoid infestation.
health of your soils and keep your well as removing established pests For example, planting summer
vegetables at their best. on a one-by-one basis e.g. beer squash late in the season so that
traps for slugs, mesh/wire netting they mature after squash vine borers
The three major plant foods that need
to keep birds from eating soft fruits have finished laying their eggs can
to be available in your garden are
and upturned juice bottles with the help protect the plants from attack.
Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and
tops cut off to put over young plants
Potassium (K). There are four basic Keeping your garden clean is another
to protect them from slugs and birds.
types of fertilizers that can be applied approach - remove diseased plants,
to your garden that include these and Cultural control rotting fruits and debris because
other nutrients and they are composts, This method involves choosing how, they will attract pests.
animal manures, natural or organic what, where and when to plant in
Biological control
fertilizers and chemical fertilizers. your garden to help minimise attack
It is easy to enlist a little help with
by pests. Companion planting is one
Chemical or artificial fertilizers should keeping the pests in your garden
approach to cultural pest control
be avoided if at all possible, because under control. Try to attract pest
– introducing plants that ward off
the regular use of them can actually predators like insect-eating birds,
specific pests. One of the oldest and
impede the soil’s ability to hold toads, bats, snakes, insects and frogs
well-known types of cultural control
nutrients and could impact on local to your garden. There are many ways
is the planting of marigolds to ward
water resources. For healthy plants to attract these beneficial creatures,
off flying pests and nematodes,
and people, ditch the chemicals! and certain approaches will also
but many other plants can do the
make your garden more attractive to
Pests job as well. Chives, coriander, and
people. Adding a bird bath or bird
Whilst there are many beneficial nasturtium can help ward off aphids
house will attract birds, as will the
insects that your plants rely on to keep while rosemary and sage keep carrot
creation of a garden pond.
them healthy and productive, there
are also some insects and animals that
will harm your garden by attacking the
leaves, fruits or roots of your plants.
So to help you protect your plants
from pests, there are various methods
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food 25
Old logs laid in a shady part of your Watering using drip irrigation to minimise
garden will help attract toads and Watering is best done in the early evaporation
beetles, and flowers like sedum and morning or late evening, when you
avoiding planting or transplanting
butterfly bush will attract bees and will lose the least amount of water to
during dry spells
butterflies. You can also purchase evaporation. Watering with a drip line
beneficial insects, like ladybirds, and (a hose or tape with holes in it) will enhancing sandy soils with
set these loose in your garden. help you minimize water loss, as it organic matter to improve
will deliver the water at the roots of moisture retention.
Chemical control
the plants where it is needed.
Chemical controls should only be Knowing how much water to use
relied on as a last resort, because In sunny weather, you should do depends on the types of plants you
they can harm the soil and the your best to keep water off leaves, have in your garden, as they all
beneficial insects that you need fruits and flowers, where it will do have different moisture needs. The
in your garden. Chemicals are also little to benefit the plant and may most efficient way to irrigate your
expensive and will be washed out lead to scorching. garden is to give it a good soaking
of your garden when it rains. This once a week, which will penetrate
You should try to conserve water
run-off can pollute groundwater deep into the soil, rather than
whenever you can, and there are a
and waterways. Use chemicals only watering just a little bit each day.
few strategies that are useful to know.
if you can find no other way to cope As a general rule of thumb, a few
Water conservation tactics include:
with the pests in your garden, and types of plants need extra attention
then do so sparingly. Insect-specific planting species that are well- to ensure their watering needs are
chemical treatments, like slug pellets adapted to the average rainfall in met and these are: transplants,
will have little or no impact on the your region seedlings, flowering vegetables and
beneficial insects in your garden, fruits, and container plants.
applying mulch to the soil to help
but these can still have negative
hold in moisture
environmental consequences. Always
make sure to read instructions weeding regularly, as weeds will
carefully, and use only the minimum pull moisture from your plants
amounts recommended.
installing a rain catchment system
to make the most of rainfall
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food 27
Weed control month guide. Visit www.rhs.org. Plant raspberries, climbing roses or
Weeds are often considered the uk/gardening/growyourown. other thorny plants along the fence
bane of any gardener, because they as a barrier to fence climbers.
Garden Organic – Whether you
rob plants of moisture, nutrients,
are a novice gardener or need Make friends with neighbours
and light. Knowing a few basic
specific advice on dealing with whose windows overlook the
weeding approaches can help keep
a pest or disease, you’ll find garden. Trade them flowers and
them at bay. The first trick is to start
what you need here. Visit vegetables for a protective eye.
early, and to remove weeds often in
www.gardenorganic.org.uk.
the spring and summer before they Plant potatoes, other root crops or
have a chance to go to seed. Make Vandalism a less popular vegetable such as
sure you remove the entire weed, Vandalism is a common fear among kohlrabi along the fence.
including its root, as some plants community gardeners. However,
Final thoughts
are able to re-grow from just a small the fear tends to be much greater
piece of root. than the actual incidence. Try these Record keeping
proven methods to deter vandalism: It is a good idea to keep records to
It is a good idea to weed during hot,
monitor your progress. These can be
dry periods, because the weeds will Make a sign for the garden.
a combination of visual and written
be easy to remove and will wither Let people know to whom the
records and are a great way to see
on the surface. When using a hoe, garden belongs and that it is a
how much your garden has changed
try to dig as shallow as possible to neighbourhood project. Fences can
and developed over time. They also
avoid disturbing the roots of your be made of almost any material.
give members and volunteers a great
garden plants. They serve as much to mark
boost to see how all their hard work
possession of a property as to
Lastly, it may be wise to learn about has come to fruition.
prevent entry.
the weeds in your garden before
Records are a way of learning for
beginning to eradicate them. A few Create a shady meeting area in the
the future, by providing information
plants that are treated as weeds, garden and spend time there.
by which activities to support and
such as dandelions, purslane,
Invite everyone in the manage the garden can be reviewed,
nettles, burdock, and wild garlic, are
neighborhood to participate as well as the raw material from which
actually highly nutritious and prized
from the very beginning. Persons reports are produced. Other purposes
by cooks for their flavour.
excluded from the garden are of record keeping are for publicity and
Related information potential vandals. presentations, applications for funding
and reporting back to funders on
The Royal Horticultural Society Involve the neighbourhood children
how money was spent, and to inform
provides information on garden in ‘learning gardens’. They can be
you of how your planting plans have
maintenance and growing your the garden’s best protectors.
worked over time.
own food, with a month-by-
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
Success stories
Stanstead Road
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Garden Project
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30 Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
Success stories
Frendsbury
Gardens
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food 33
Frendsbury Funding
Funding was secured via the Big
Forming a committee
Green Scene Council officers
Gardens Lottery Fund with contributions from in partnership with community
Lewisham Council, Family Mosaic members, began to develop a list
Choosing the site
Housing and the South London and of interested parties through a
This garden is located on Pincott
Maudsley Trust. series of consultation exercises and
Place in Brockley, adjacent to
workshops. From these meetings,
the railway bridge. The area was Preparing and developing the site
the committee was developed.
previously a derelict piece of land A soil sample analysis was carried
The recruitment of members is an
prone to fly-tipping, which created an out and recommendations were
ongoing process and is aimed at
unwelcoming, unsafe environment. acted on.
involving as many members of the
Neighbouring residents, having tired Groundwork, in consultation with community as possible.
of the look of the area, approached the residents, worked on the
Managing the garden
Lewisham Council with a view to final design.
A resident steering panel meets
clearing and bringing the land back
The development and construction regularly to discuss the progress and
into use for community benefit.
of the site was carried out by development of the project and how
Owner of the land Envirowork Lewisham, who also to keep the garden maintained.
Research into ownership of the jointly managed the site for the first With the help of funding from the
land showed it was owned by more year with the local residents. The
than one party, including the Crown management of the site thereafter
Estates. Purchase of the area was has been carried out by volunteers.
therefore more complicated and was The site now consists of a winding
carried out by Lewisham Council’s pathway bordered by beautiful floral
Legal Department. areas and a number of raised beds
for growing vegetables.
“ I am new to th
ea
Gardens has be rea and Frendsbury
en a great way
get to know peo for me to
ple in the local
have a young g com
randson and we munity. I
other parents a ha
nd kids through ve met
It has been ver the garden.
y good for him.”
Norma Hibbert,
Lewisham resid
ent.
34 Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
Big Lottery Fund, the garden now identified in the risk assessment and a a visit to Hampton Court
also provides regular free gardening licence was obtained to play music in Flower show
and horticultural activities, involving a public space.
a certified horticultural course
all sectors of the community,
For the construction aspect of the
including schools, community centres, themed floristry workshops.
garden, everything was carried out in
pensioners’ groups, local businesses,
compliance with the Health and Safety More than 700 people have
the local health centre and an after
Executive Construction, Design and attended these activities.
school club.
Management regulations (2007).
The garden will also have a sculpture
Legal, health and safety, and
Insurance is provided by Lewisham which was designed with the help of
insurance matters
Council’s insurance policy. local residents. Once it is completed, it
The main legal issues have been with
will form the focal piece of the garden.
regards to establishing ownership of Progress to date
the land and securing permission to The garden has held activities such as: The project is working closely with
establish the garden. the Telegraph Hill Local Assembly to
parent and toddler sessions
encourage use of the garden and to
The main thing to remember in terms
winter workshops promote volunteering. The group has
of health and safety is to ensure that a
also secured further funding from the
risk assessment is undertaken for any hanging basket workshops
Telegraph Hill Local Assembly Mayor’s
events at the garden. For example,
container gardening workshops Fund to extend this outreach activity
when the launch party was held, a risk
and work with other communities
assessment was done, actions were bulb planting sessions with the
in the ward to develop community
taken to mitigate the risks that were local schools and nurseries
gardens in their area.
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food 35
Envirowork Lewisham are able to General Information for going organic, organic gardening
provide supervised labour forces for guidelines, the 10 easiest vegetables
Federation of City Farms and
a variety of horticultural soft and to grow, to topical advice including
Community Gardens (FCFCG)
hard landscaping projects, general what to do in your garden this
promotes, supports and represents city
open space maintenance and month and questions and answers.
farms, community gardens and school
ecological conservation work, such Visit www.gardenorganic.org.uk for
farms throughout the UK and have
as habitat creation. Projects vary further information.
produced a more detailed version of
from the development of Lewisham’s
this guide. Visit www.farmgarden.org. National Society of Allotments
nature reserves and town centre
uk or call 0117 923 1800. and Leisure Gardeners represents
open spaces, to nature gardens
allotments nationwide, providing
for schools, to general open space Food Up Front supports people to
membership to allotment societies
maintenance for housing trusts and grow food in their unused outdoor
and allotment gardeners. They
local communities, as well as private spaces. Whether it’s front gardens,
endeavour to provide advice and
work such as garden landscaping balconies, windowsills or back
information to members, be they
and maintenance. At their Mayow gardens, all members are given
allotment or home gardeners, and to
Park Nursery, they also have a range the opportunity to grow and share
encourage people to live a healthy
of community garden plots which healthy, natural food. This helps to
lifestyle by growing their
people are welcome to visit to get reduce food miles and dependency
own food. Visit www.nsalg.org.uk
ideas on how to get a plot started. on supermarkets, whilst increasing
or call 01536 266576.
Visit www.enviroworklewisham.co.uk self-reliance and community
or call 020 8469 9620. empowerment. You can also Permaculture Association promotes
become a street representative an ecological approach to design of
Groundwork Lewisham combine their
and promote growing food. gardens and gardening activities.
skills in and knowledge of landscape
Visit www.foodupfront.org or Visit www.permaculture.org.uk or
design, community engagement
call 0772 656 0703. call 0845 458 1805.
and empowerment, employment
and skills training, youth work, Garden Organic provides organic The Royal Horticultural Society is
education, and environmental gardening advice to enable organic the UK’s leading gardening charity
advice to deliver positive change gardeners to focus their energy into dedicated to advancing horticulture
for local people and places. For increasing the natural health of their and promoting good gardening.
further information contact them soil, choosing appropriate plant Their goal is to help people share
on 020 8694 5000 or visit www. varieties, and working with nature a passion for plants, to encourage
groundwork-london.org.uk. to produce a healthy and productive excellence in horticulture and
garden. Information ranges from tips inspire all those with an interest in
Love Lewisham Love growing your own food 37
gardening. For further information The Sensory Trust promotes and individuals and organisations, as well
visit www.rhs.org.uk. implements an inclusive approach to as teaching techniques and practical
design and management of outdoor applications so that anyone with a
Sustain is the alliance for better
spaces, promoting richer connections disability can take part and enjoy
food and farming. The organisation
between people and place, and an gardening. Visit www.thrive.org.uk
advocates food and agriculture
equality of access for all people, or call 0118 988 5688.
policies and practices that enhance
regardless of age, disability or
the health and welfare of people and
background. Visit www.sensorytrust.
animals, improve the working and
org.uk or call 01726 222 900.
living environment, enrich society
and culture and promote equity. The Soil Association is a charity
Sustain represents around 100 campaigning for planet-friendly food
national public interest organisations and farming through a number of
working at an international, national, campaigns. To find out more visit
regional and local level. They also www.soilassociation.org.
run the London Food Link campaign
Thrive is a charitable organisation
and have a publication called
whose activities are varied but are
‘Growing Round the Houses’ about
primarily focussed on championing
growing food on housing estates.
the benefits of gardening to
Visit www.sustainweb.org.
The London Wildlife Trust is the
only charity dedicated solely to
protecting the capital’s wildlife and
wild spaces, and engaging London’s
diverse communities through access
to our nature reserves, campaigning,
volunteering and education. Visit
www.wildlondon.org.uk to see how
you can incorporate and support
wildlife in your community garden.
38 Love Lewisham Love growing your own food
Community Gardens
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Wearside Service Centre
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Wearside Road
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Lewisham
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London SE13 7E2
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communitygardens@lewisham.gov.uk
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