The Grow Model

Grow’s definition of a community garden is one that focuses on community through gardening. Unlike other community gardens which could be just about gardening or where individuals can have individual plots – at Grow our gardens are worked communally by a group – this could be a group of individuals recruited from a local community as in the Waterworks Community Garden, or it could be a community of interest for eg our first garden targeted people suffering from stress or depression.

In our gardens we don’t divide up plots and allocate them to individuals – we believe that would defeat our purpose. Rather we grow together, dividing up tasks every week, learning from one another.

Our gardens grow community, the group, individuals, health & well-being, vegetables, fruit and flowers!

Our gardens can be located at a vacant site, in the middle or an estate, at a school or hospital and can be urban, suburban or rural area.

Couple of things then about the Grow model of Community Gardening

Its led by a Community Gardener who has excellent people and group skills as well as good gardening and horticulture skills

We like to work and transform space that has been regarded as difficult – eg at a peace line, in contested space, in a disused space that has attracted anti social behaviour

Its inclusive of all sections of the community and promotes equality as a key component

Cooking and healthy eating workshops at the garden

The Community Gardeners along with Grow decide the design of the garden and what to grow

We actively involve the local community in what we do