{"id":513,"date":"2012-03-27T15:39:30","date_gmt":"2012-03-27T14:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/?page_id=513"},"modified":"2012-08-10T02:26:52","modified_gmt":"2012-08-10T01:26:52","slug":"how-to-start-a-community-garden","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start a Community Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bagenalstown<\/a>If you’re interested in community development, a garden is a great start….<\/h1>\n

You\u2019ve looked around and can\u2019t find a community garden in your area but are keen to get involved\u2026 what next? How do you go about setting one up?<\/p>\n

\n

As with any new project, enthusiasm and commitment is the key. If you have those, and really want to achieve something, then nothing is impossible\u2026. from there on in everything has a way of falling into place.<\/p>\n

You have bucket loads of enthusiasm, then what?<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n

It\u2019s important to think about what you want from the garden\u2026who will be using it? Will it be the active retirement group, young people, the community as a whole or individual groups? Often groups find the funding for a polytunnel and some equipment, try to recruit some individuals to come along and garden, and stall because they have no real plan for it.<\/p>\n

\"Community<\/a>Play around with some ideas until you have a vision or a goal. It may change along the way but at least you\u2019ll have something to talk to others about and ideally fire up their enthusiasm too.<\/p>\n

\n

Then you need to recruit some fellow gardeners to help you make your vision a reality.<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

In Ireland Pride of Place and Tidy Towns competitions are becoming more popular and the individuals working to help their communities look their best often have contacts, resources, and\/or knowledge about funding\/land that should not be overlooked.<\/p>\n

Local council offices usually know who the committee members are and would be a good point of contact if you\u2019re unsure.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Community Gardens<\/p><\/div>\n

A large polytunnel in a community would be a major asset as groups would be able to start seedlings off for their planting schemes to ensure their villages, towns and cities are full of flowers, at a much lower cost than having to buy them all in.<\/p>\n

Parish churches may have enthusiastic helpers and\/or land so may be worth considering too and from my experience, Family Resource Centres are always willing to help community groups. You could also advertise in a local newspaper (they may run a short story which will cost nothing) or place posters up in shop windows.<\/p>\n

\"Community<\/a><\/p>\n

Once you have fellow enthusiastic volunteers the land usually follows. It may be an old scrap of land that\u2019s often used for fly tipping or an unsightly area that\u2019s been overlooked\u2026. in just a few months you can pretty much guarantee that it will be transformed.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s fairly much it. It helps to get an \u2018expert\u2019 in to help get you started. Inviting a qualified horticulturist to come along and help you set up or give a series of gardening classes is invaluable and these can often be found on VEC tutor lists.<\/p>\n

The important thing is\u00a0DON\u2019T GIVE UP<\/strong>\u2026. it may take a while to get going, but once you have a community garden, you won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you’re interested in community development, a garden is a great start…. You\u2019ve looked around and can\u2019t find a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":508,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"sidebar-page.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"\nHow to Start a Community Garden<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you're interested in community development, here's some tips on starting a community garden\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Start a Community Garden\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"If you're interested in community development, here's some tips on starting a community garden\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Greensideupveg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/\",\"name\":\"How to Start a Community Garden\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-03-27T14:39:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2012-08-10T01:26:52+00:00\",\"description\":\"If you're interested in community development, here's some tips on starting a community garden\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Greenside Up Community Gardens\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"How to Start a Community Garden\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/\",\"name\":\"Greenside Up\",\"description\":\"Creating Gardens for Biodiversity and Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/af9fa70aa2b68d02d41409cc50c16c85\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/af9fa70aa2b68d02d41409cc50c16c85\",\"name\":\"Dee Sewell\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greensideup.ie\/media\/2019-badge-1.jpg?fit=298%2C312&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greensideup.ie\/media\/2019-badge-1.jpg?fit=298%2C312&ssl=1\",\"width\":298,\"height\":312,\"caption\":\"Dee Sewell\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\"},\"description\":\"Hi, I'm Dee Sewell, proprietor of Greenside Up, based in County Carlow, Ireland. I am a horticultural and environmental educator, mentor, consultant and social garden designer and an URBACT expert on Food and the Circular Economy. Since 2009 I have been working with, designing and providing consultancy for many public and private horticultural projects across the country, in person and online. My primary focus is about helping people to create social gardening spaces where communities can grow organic food for themselves and the biodiversity around them. I have seen first-hand how beneficial they are to those who get involved.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.greensideup.ie\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Greensideupveg\",\"http:\/\/instagram.com\/greensideupveg\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/greensideup\/\",\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/greensideup\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Greensideupveg\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/Greensideupveg\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Start a Community Garden","description":"If you're interested in community development, here's some tips on starting a community garden","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How to Start a Community Garden","twitter_description":"If you're interested in community development, here's some tips on starting a community garden","twitter_image":"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png","twitter_site":"@Greensideupveg","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/","url":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/","name":"How to Start a Community Garden","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png","datePublished":"2012-03-27T14:39:30+00:00","dateModified":"2012-08-10T01:26:52+00:00","description":"If you're interested in community development, here's some tips on starting a community garden","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png","contentUrl":"http:\/\/greensideup.ie\/media\/Bagenalstown.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/how-to-start-a-community-garden\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Greenside Up Community Gardens","item":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/community-gardens-2\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to Start a Community Garden"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#website","url":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/","name":"Greenside Up","description":"Creating Gardens for Biodiversity and Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/af9fa70aa2b68d02d41409cc50c16c85"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/af9fa70aa2b68d02d41409cc50c16c85","name":"Dee Sewell","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greensideup.ie\/media\/2019-badge-1.jpg?fit=298%2C312&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greensideup.ie\/media\/2019-badge-1.jpg?fit=298%2C312&ssl=1","width":298,"height":312,"caption":"Dee Sewell"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/"},"description":"Hi, I'm Dee Sewell, proprietor of Greenside Up, based in County Carlow, Ireland. I am a horticultural and environmental educator, mentor, consultant and social garden designer and an URBACT expert on Food and the Circular Economy. Since 2009 I have been working with, designing and providing consultancy for many public and private horticultural projects across the country, in person and online. My primary focus is about helping people to create social gardening spaces where communities can grow organic food for themselves and the biodiversity around them. I have seen first-hand how beneficial they are to those who get involved.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.greensideup.ie","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Greensideupveg","http:\/\/instagram.com\/greensideupveg","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/greensideup\/","http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/greensideup","https:\/\/x.com\/Greensideupveg","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/Greensideupveg"]}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P2jHzH-8h","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/513"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=513"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/513\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}