An Eden Project Field Guide to green spaces

Community
Green Spaces
An Eden Project Field Guide to

Tony Kendle
Tony Kendle started his horticulture career in Southend Parks Department. After
studying at the University of Bath he worked on revegetating china clay mines in
Cornwall. Then he taught horticulture and community horticulture at the University
of Reading and this led to a key role at the Eden Project developing the technology
for creating the garden as part of the early development team. Now he works on
new project development and teaches on Eden’s horticulture courses.
Jane Knight
Jane joined the Eden Team in 2002, eighteen months after the Eden Project opened.
As in-house landscape architect, she works on the on-going development of the
enclosed biomes, outdoor gardens and wider estate. Jane also leads on many of
Eden’s varied outreach and consultancy projects including a Peace Park in Kosovo,
mine restoration in South Africa and, most recently, new initiatives in China and the
Middle East. Wherever possible, she creates places where children and young people
can be actively engaged in the natural world. Prior to Eden, Jane was Director of a
landscape architecture practice in Hong Kong and also worked in the UK, USA
and Australia.
Jane Stoneham
Jane Stoneham is Director of the Sensory Trust. With a background in social
horticulture, Jane’s work has focused on how people of all ages and abilities can be
engaged, challenged and revitalised by their environment. Early involvement with the
development of the Eden Project led to the building of a close partnership between
Eden and the Sensory Trust. Publications include Landscape Design for Elderly and
Disabled People, Making Connections: a guide to accessible greenspace design and
Historic England’s Easy Access to Historic Landscapes.
About the authors
Eden Project Publications
Published by Eden Project Publications © 2015.
Designed by Judy Caley and Paul Barrett.
Edited by Robert Lowe, Juliet Rose and Mike Petty.
Additional text on Forest gardens by Emma Pilgrim, University of Exeter.
This book has been produced for the
Big Lunch Extras programme — the
Eden Project’s way of supporting and
enabling people to become more active
within their communities and deliver
the social change they want to see.
2

Community
Green Spaces
Tony Kendle, Jane Knight,
and Jane Stoneham
3

Introduction 4
Why do it? The value of community green spaces 6
Ways to get involved with green spaces 12
Different types of community green space 20
Ten steps for creating a community green space 46
Great green space features 70
Creative ideas to bring your green space to life 94
Conclusion 102
Contents
5

Introduction
A community green space is a garden or area of land designed
to benefit the whole community. It is about influence and
control, a place that is managed (and maybe owned) by ‘us,’
not ‘them’.
Throughout history people have had a close working
relationship with the land. It is only in modern industrialised
societies that we have lost that close bond; many of us can now
live our entire lives without needing to dig soil or plant a tree.
Recently, communities have begun to reassert their need and
right to have access to land in the face of growing corporate
enclosure and local authoritiy ownership that fails to address
the genuine needs of their population.
Community gardening needs careful thought. What are these
spaces for? The word community has its roots in the Latin
communitas, which translates as ‘joint possession or use’;
this tells us that the essence of the idea is mutual support and
relationships, not just a common geography. People living near
each other are not a community unless they also share with
one another.
The Eden Project’s Big Lunch is based on this principle –
encouraging people to gather together and share food, and
also to share the organisation of the event. Increasingly there is
evidence that, following on from this, new community activities
take place and social isolation begins to break down.
This is the key produce from a community garden. At its root,
it exists to strengthen bonds, to give people a focus to get
to know and support each other. Knowing this brings subtle
changes to the way things are done, where the goal is to grow
a flower, a fruit, a conversation, a smile, or trust.
Tony Kendle
7

Why do it?
The value of
community
green spaces
Taking responsibility for a piece of land for the
benefit of the whole community is a significant
undertaking. There are lots of benefits to setting up
a community green space, but it’s really important
to work out what you want to achieve and why.
9

Taking on an unloved patch of land and turning it into a community
green space sends an important message to everyone in your
community, and the people who visit it: we care about where we
live. A sense of shared purpose and pride in your neighbourhood can
improve its reputation and make it a more desirable place to live, but
its impact is more than just cosmetic.
Green spaces can also help offset some of the impact of climate
change. They store carbon through plants and trees – and trees can
also help to reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect, which can have
an adverse effect on air and water quality.
And it’s not just people who benefit from green spaces – they are
home to all sorts of birds, insects and other creatures, increasing the
biodiversity of an area.
Caring for the
local environment
10

Well-planned green spaces offer neutral ground where people of
different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and cultures can meet and
share experiences and knowledge. This can help reduce social
isolation and really bring people together.
Your green space might begin as a blank slate (or a very overgrown
one) but if local people are encouraged to take ownership of it, it will
become a vital part of your community’s infrastructure. It can be used
for all sorts of activities, from training sessions to celebrations, from
wild play to yoga – the choice is yours.
Enhancing
community cohesion
11

Wanting to do something for children is often cited as a reason
creating or acquiring a green space – and green spaces can offer much
more than just a place for play equipment. They can provide young
people with somewhere to hang out and socialise.
They can also give people who don’t have gardens a chance to sit
outside, socialise or garden together. The key aim is to create places
that people of all ages and abilities can use and enjoy.
Improving facilities
and opportunities
12

Community green spaces can provide an opportunity to learn new
skills. As well as practical horticulture and landscape skills, many
green space projects will require project management skills such
as planning, the ability to budget, and work collaboratively. On a big
project you might not need to hire anybody; you might find someone
with these skills is already on your team.
Other less obvious skills you might need include public speaking,
which many people find daunting but generally gets easier over time;
and you’ll need patience and attention to detail to understand how
local government works.
A green space project is also a great opportunity to find ‘buried
treasure’: relevant skills and knowledge that people in your
community already have. A good way to find out what people already
know and can do is to hold a ‘skills audit’. This could take the form
of a survey (paper, online or both), or just a board on which people
can scribble what they can contribute. Remember, it’s not always the
loudest people who have the most to offer, so find a way to ensure
that anyone who is interested can volunteer – a Facebook page, say,
or an email address for the project.
There are some things that you will need a professional for – so if
you don’t have one in your group consider asking a lawyer or an
architect for some pro bono (free) help. Don’t expect unlimited
pro bono support, but it’s a good place to start. If you get positive
publicity for your project, you might be able to use that to help
promote them in return.
Above all, the ability to get on with other people and see their point
of view will stand you in good stead on any community project.
Learn new skills and
find hidden talents
13

Garden
to Share
:)
Land
not in
use
14

Ways to get involved
with green spaces
Getting a green space going can be a bit daunting,
but there are lots of ways you can test the water
and get involved without having to make a huge
commitment. You can also gain insight into some
of the requirements and decide whether to start up
your own project.
15

Community green spaces aren’t just about
horticulture, but if you want to get gardening
there is a wealth of information on the Royal
Horticultural Society (RHS) website; there’s
a postcode finder that will hook you up with
groups in your community. It will help you
work out how you can volunteer and use your
skills to transform local areas into horticultural
havens to be proud of.
www.rhs.org.uk/communities
In 2009, Garden Organic set up a Master Gardener
programme to provide local advice and support
to people and communities interested in
growing food. There are now groups of
Master Gardeners around the country who
inspire people to grow food, help remove
barriers that prevent people from growing,
and offer support with growing skills. If you
love gardening and would like to share your skills
and interest, this is a great initiative.
www.mastergardeners.org.uk
If you are keen on exercise, why not join one
of The Conservation Volunteers’ (TCV) Green
Gyms® which operate around the UK? Green
Gyms are fun and free outdoor exercise
sessions in which you can get involved in
practical activities such as planting trees,
sowing meadows and establishing wildlife
ponds. Unlike other conservation projects, the
emphasis is very much on health and fitness
– volunteers warm up and cool down in preparation for a
range of light to vigorous activities to suit all abilities.
www.tcv.org.uk/greengym
Hook up with like-minded gardeners in your community
Become a Master Gardener
Join a Green Gym
16

Garden
to Share
:)
Landshare is an initiative established by Hugh
Fearnley-Whittingstall to connect growers with
people with land to share – gardens as well as
fields. Many elderly people find their gardens
too difficult to look after as they get older and
would like people to help with them. Garden
shares are also a great way to also help with
their isolation and loneliness.
www.landshare.net
You may not have to look far to find a suitable
green space. Many local authorities own under-
utilised and unloved areas, empty except for
a play park. These green deserts are often
managed and maintained by sub-contractors
without reference to the surrounding
community’s needs and wishes. They can also
become focal points for antisocial activity which
can put people off from using or even passing
through them.
Setting up an informal ‘Friends of…’ organisation that takes an interest
in the maintenance and use of a green space can be a good way to
determine how much interest there is in such a project without having
to find a plot of land and work out who owns it or how to acquire
it. You’ll need to decide on the purpose of the group collectively - is
it a pressure group for improvements, a fundraising group or just
volunteers helping out with the maintenance and upkeep, organising
litter picks and events? It’s also a good idea to contact the local
authority first and tell them you are planning to set this up, they often
prove valuable allies.
Some local authorities are keen to divest themselves of the
responsibility of maintenance, so your community could end up
running a green space under contract, or even owning it as a
community asset.
Join Landshare
Take care of an existing green space
17

Land
not in
use
Another way to get involved in green space
activities, without the commitment of finding or
managing a space, is to enter Britain in Bloom.
Run by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS),
Britain in Bloom sees over 1,600 communities
of all sizes take part every year.
It’s been running for over 50 years, so there is
a fair amount of competition out there. You start
by taking part in regional and national competitions
before working up to Britain in Bloom itself. It’s a bit of a
commitment but it’s a good way to instil pride in a place and people
often rally to something that is already recognised. It doesn’t have to
be about prettifying a place or winning first prize if you don’t want it
to be – you can make as quirky as the place you live in.
See the RHS website for further details of the competition and the
support they provide.
www.rhs.org.uk/communities/campaigns/britain-in-bloom
A lot of land sits empty awaiting development and
this can be a chance to negotiate use in the short
term. If you’re lucky you might find land where
the developer decides not to build for a while
or at all. Meanwhile Gardens in Hammersmith
(one of the first examples of vibrant
community garden developments in the UK)
and Camley Street Nature Reserve near King’s
Cross are two examples where the occupants did
not surrender the land to the landowners as per the
original agreement and new agreements were reached amicably.
Developers are now warier of these deals but it can still be worth
exploring options, especially if you just want to see if other
community members are interested in a green space project.
See The Meanwhile Foundation website for more information.
www.meanwhile.org.uk
Britain in Bloom
‘Meanwhile’ use
18

Photo © SC Smith Creative Commons

Boscawen Park
A good example of a community working
with the local authority to revitalise
a local, urban fringe park. The Friends
of Boscawen Park in Truro organised
community consultation, developed a
fundraising programme that secured
£100,000 from the local authority and
£100,000 of landfill tax for new play
and infrastructure developments, and
attracted professional design input. The
park opened to a very enthusiastic and
appreciative community in July 2015.
www.facebook.com/boscawenpark

Different types
of community
green space
Every neighbourhood is different. Don’t be put off
if there isn’t an obvious patch of wasteland on your
doorstep that’s ripe to be transformed. It’s not all
about having acres of land. Somewhere small at the
heart of your community could be a better bet than
a huge patch of land on the outskirts that is poorly
served by public transport. Take a tour of your
neighbourhood and explore the options.
23

With austerity cuts many patches of land previously managed
by local authorities are being abandoned, and adoption by the
community can be the only way to preserve them in reasonable
shape, or to improve them. If you’ve started a Friends of… type of
group to support the local park, a contract to maintain or manage it
could be the next logical step.
Areas of land that continue to be owned and managed by the
local authority, or another organisation, might also be available for
community use, although this will inevitably involve negotiations
to agree sharing of responsibilities and use. Many parks contain
important trees and historic elements that must be carefully
preserved. Taking control can also mean taking responsibility for
them. This might mean being legally liable for their upkeep, so factor
insurance and regular tree inspections into any budgeting you do.
Whilst some local authorities have failed to see the benefits of
working more closely with their local communities, others believe
that involving communities in the management of parks helps to
ensure they reflect local needs and makes them more sustainable
in the long-term. For example, in Bristol there are around 30
community park groups that take an active role in the management
and improvement of their local parks. The council have even
produced a Community Action Toolkit to make it easier for people
to get involved.
www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/get-involved-parks
Parks and public
open spaces
25

Union Street Urban Orchard
Go to Union Street in Southwark today and all you’ll
see is a concrete yard beside a railway line. But if
you’d passed by in 2010, you’d have seen a very
different sight: fruit trees.
Created in just six weeks by an organisation of
designer-makers led by Heather Ring, the Union
Street Urban Orchard was built by over 100
volunteers, who picked up new skills in carpentry
and horticulture along the way. The result was a
pop-up orchard and a key feature of the Festival of
Architecture. The orchard was home to 85 fruit trees
and host to workshops and discussions - as well as
a zero-carbon pod that was occupied throughout
the project. As soon as the fruit was harvested, the
orchard was dismantled and the trees distributed to
community gardens and local estates, providing a
real and lasting legacy for the project.

Allotments are already a kind of community garden, but they are
generally divided into plots which are rented and worked on by
individuals rather than collectively. There are usually limits to what
can be done with the plots or on the site depending on the allotment
association you belong to.
There are around 340,000 allotment plots in the UK. Most allotments
are managed by the local authority, though there are over 8,000
owned by parish or town councils. There’s estimated to be around
90,000 people on allotment waiting-lists across the country.
Local authorities outside of London are legally obliged to find space for
allotments. All you need is to get six people who are on the electoral
register – registered for council tax – to write a letter requesting
allotments. However, although the councils are legally obliged to
provide land there is no set timescale for this, which is one reason for
the long waiting lists. If you live in London then unfortunately your
council has no obligation to provide allotments.
Wherever you live, if your council can’t or won’t oblige you could
always approach a private landowner or another organisation, such
as the Church of England, and ask if they are willing to rent space
for allotments.
Allotment soil may be in good condition, but it is likely to have a large
weed bank. In many cases water supply and vehicle access already
exist, although a power supply is less common. Allotments can be
friendly and generous places, so if you want a more structured kind
of green space but one that has a sense of community, an allotment
might be one way forward.
Allotments
National Allotment Society - www.nsalg.org.uk
UK Gov Apply for an allotment - www.gov.uk/apply-allotment
Further reading and resources
28

Community orchards can bring a community together. They are great
places for celebrations or school visits, and offer habitats for wildlife,
wildflowers and bees. If you don’t have a piece of land available you
could try establishing them on verges, roundabouts and roadsides, or
consider a dispersed model using local people’s gardens. Two-thirds
of the UK’s orchards have been lost since 1960, so a community
orchard can help reverse this trend.
Faster results can be achieved by using trees and soft fruit that
is already cropping – there is a good range now available from
nurseries and garden centres.
Community orchards
UK Government advice on orchards
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/
file/5908/19732401.pdf
Urban Orchard Project - www.theurbanorchardproject.org
Common Ground
www.commonground.org.uk/projects/orchards/community-orchards
29

Graveyards don’t often feature on lists of green spaces, but in recent
years interest has grown in these overlooked resources. Some sites
contain very old trees or patches of woodland and even remnant
grassland, and already lend themselves to being managed as nature
reserves and havens for wildlife. Some are managed for cultural
reasons, for example Highgate Cemetery in London is managed by
a Trust and receives lots of visitors each year because of its gothic
setting and the famous people buried there.
Churchyards are rarely used for food growing or other community
activities but making an approach to the church or the parish council
which cares for it can’t hurt. Disturbance to plots must be minimised
and access to graves maintained, so the most successful uses will
often be light-touch activities that can be dispersed around the site,
such as bee-keeping.
Many of our towns have suffered because of competition from ‘out of
town’ shopping and it is now widely accepted that town centres need
to re-invent themselves as attractive places to live, work and play as
well as shop. Street trees, upgrading planting areas and floral displays
are a popular way to get involved in a community planting initiative.
If your town has a BID (Business Improvement District), this would be a
good place to start. Local traders pay a levy to the BID and this is used
for improvements such as floral displays and Christmas lights.
Church grounds
and graveyards
30

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
Every week, community
organisation Grounded Ecotherapy
work in Tower Hamlets Cemetery
Park, one of London’s ‘Magnificent
Seven’ cemeteries. No one has been
buried in the cemetery since 1966,
and the Friends and volunteers have
been improving this special site for
people and for nature, and dealing
progressively with the legacy of
decades of neglect. The Friends
manage the park on behalf of LBTH
Parks. Cemetery Park is an official
Local Nature Reserve as well as a
Site of Metropolitan Importance for
Nature Conservation.
www.fothcp.org
Photo © Allen V Morris

Many farmers are interested in diversifying from conventional forms
of agriculture, and this presents an increasing number of opportunities
for community initiatives. More remote areas of farmland are unlikely
to lend themselves to being a community resource, but edgeland fields
or farms swallowed by the urban sprawl are prime sites for gardens
and city farms.
This kind of land will inevitably come with a heavy ‘weed bank’ and
possibly a residue of pesticides, which will be particularly significant if
you are planning to grow organic food on the land. Access will often
be poor with limited infrastructure of paths, water, power, toilets and
parking, so these often need to be included in new plans. But all these
problems can be solved with time and fundraising.
Farmland
34

Making a community project in a hospital or other healthcare setting
offers real benefits to people who most need them – patients, families
and staff dealing with challenging situations. These sites often have
spare land but it may only be available short-term – hospitals are
notorious for sudden changes of plans, and the land you have in mind
may suddenly be required for new car parks and buildings. A safer
option might be to adopt an area of a site that’s difficult to build on, a
nature area for example.
Negotiating access with the NHS can be challenging so it’s best to find
an enthusiastic insider with sufficient authority to make decisions who
can help steer you through.
Health Centres and
hospital grounds
35

Royal Edinburgh
Community Gardens
There is a long history of hospital
gardening, one that the Chair of
NHS Lothian drew on when he invited
the Federation of Farms and City
Gardeners to discuss how some of the
15-acre grounds of Royal Edinburgh
Hospital could be turned into a
community garden.
A three-acre piece of derelict ground
was selected and a steering group
made up of NHS officers and local
community groups began developing
the brief. As well as places to grow, they
allocated space for a woodland walk
and a forest garden. The garden is now
well-established and open three days
a week. Over 20 community groups
have been involved and thousands of
volunteer hours clocked up. It’s not
just local people who take care of the
garden – former patients at the hospital
regularly come and lend a hand.
www.cyrenians.scot
Photo © P Stevens, Cyrenians

Yum Yum Yum
Yum Yum Yum
Community green spaces don’t have to be large open spaces – if
there is a shortage of land then smaller pockets of land, people’s
gardens or even individual trees can be networked into a dispersed
green space for growing. This kind of approach can still have a strong
sense of community, especially if everyone is growing the same things
and everyone pools what they’ve harvested to make something.
You could follow the example of Cardiff Hops and get people growing
hops in their back gardens and work with a brewery to produce beer,
or all grow and harvest the same fruit or vegetables to make a local
jam or chutney.
See the Eden Field Guide to Community Food Projects for more details.
Dispersed
community gardens
38

If you’re short of space, flat roof surfaces can make great green spaces,
but there are two critical technical issues that have to be solved before
they are safe to use.
The first issue is that most roofs are not designed to carry significant
weight – not even people, let alone wet soil in heavy planters.
One solution (following a structural survey) is to locate them over
load-bearing parts of the roof, such as above pillars. Another option
that the University of Bath developed successfully is the use of ultra-
light planters.
The second major technical challenge is adequate waterproofing to
prevent structural damage to the buildings. With an increased interest
in roof gardening there is now a range of effective membrane systems
on the market.
Access to roofs for machinery and heavy soil can be difficult; the best
roof gardens are designed and built at the same time as the building.
Parapets and edges obviously need to be carefully reviewed, as do
fire risks and emergency access procedures. There are many planters
available to buy – but check weight and drainage first.
Rooftops
39

2
Schools are natural centres in communities. Many have under-
utilised landscapes because they lack the resources to develop
them into outdoor learning spaces, and most are not used at
weekends, evenings and holidays. A community garden can be a
good way to make use of the land.
The safety of the children and the security of the school will be
primary concerns, and an important early step will be to find out
how this might affect how you use the grounds. You need to find out
when there is access, and if it is limited to outside school hours. You
may need to follow the school’s safety procedures and participants
might be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
check (this has replaced the old Criminal Records Bureau check).
Logistics are also important, like access to water, toilets, storage for
tools and materials and scope for vehicles to deliver and pick up. It’s
important to check accessibility for disabled participants.
If you are planning to share the space with the school, it is a good
idea to agree how you will share growing space, expenditure,
produce and responsibility for upkeep. Aim for community activities
that will not disrupt school activities or cause complications with
school security.
While a school garden may involve local people as volunteers, a
school community garden goes further and actively engages local
people in its planning, development and day-to-day work. A school
may be happy to release part of its grounds for use solely by your
community group. Alternatively, you could develop something
together and harness the benefits of building closer links between
the school and its wider community.
Making plans
School grounds
40

4
5
6
7
10
8
9
Plans may develop through informal discussions but it is important to
develop a documented agreement with the school in case the people
involved or circumstances change.
Explore options for funding, ideally in collaboration with the school,
governors and parent bodies whose links with local companies and
organisations can help with donation of materials, money and time.
There may be Department of Education funds for schools to extend
use of their estates by community groups.
See the Eden Field Guide to Working with Young People for further
advice on working with schools.
41

Edgelands are found on the outskirts of towns and tend to be
a random mix of industrial sites of different sizes, canals and
abandoned or derelict land. Sites are usually in private or public
ownership but have the advantage that access is often easy
if the land can be bought. Power and water supply are often
limited and the land may be polluted or low grade, and perhaps
infested with ragwort and knotweed so careful clearance may
be required.
Community groups around the world have created gardens and even
city farms as a result of negotiating access and squeezing into the
tiny and awkwardly shaped pockets of land alongside railway lines.
In the UK, National Rail own the ‘permanent way’ – the land, the
track bed and the fixtures such as the railway track etc. They also
own related land for which they are legally responsible, but generally
have no real interest in managing or maintaining. These areas, often
scrubby after years of neglect and clearance, will take some hard
work. Obviously nothing is allowed on this land that will threaten
safety of the users or the passing trains – so no bonfires!
There is a Community Scheme organised by Network Rail that
provides an opportunity for local groups to improve disused and
neglected land – old platforms, land by stations etc.
Alongside railway tracks
Edgelands
42

Such sites are often surrounded by large areas of underused
land that could be made more use of. This can include hard
standing and rooftops.
Security will be a primary concern for owners, and this will need
careful negotiation, especially if you need access out of working hours.
Commercial and industrial land
Network Rail: www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/5847.aspx
Edgeland Projects:
www.swindonbackgarden.wordpress.com
www.skillnetgroup.co.uk/socialbusiness/pages/gardeningproject.php
43

Woodlands and forests are generally among the larger community
green spaces, and often require specialist skills to manage. But plenty
of communities have taken on the challenge. In Scotland, the majority
of the 200 community-owned forests have been purchased from the
Scottish Forestry Commission. In England and Wales, they have mostly
been bought directly from landowners and run as social enterprises,
but a few, like Raincliffe Woods in Scarborough, have been acquired by
a community asset transfer from the local authority.
Managing woodlands is a challenge but they have a lot to offer.
Community-owned woodlands can provide walking and mountain
bike trails, as well as training opportunities in traditional woodland
crafts, and income from managing the timber.
Woodlands and
biodiversity areas
44

Perfect!
Just right!
Look hard enough and you’ll see that cities and towns are full of gap
sites – neglected spaces where proposed developments have failed to
happen. Even newer housing developments hold possibilities, though
potential sites are often delineated as green space already. They might
comprise of dense turf and trees, or be landscaped and covered with
thickets of ornamental shrubs, so clearance is tricky and may be
contested.
Obtaining access to power or water may require negotiation with
adjacent householders, perhaps in return for access or a share of any
produce you might grow.
Neighbourhood spaces
45

Marchmont Community Garden
When a proposed site for key worker
housing was deemed too small for
development, local residents decided to
make the best of what was otherwise
just a piece of wasteland, and turn it
into a fully accessible community garden
that increased biodiversity. With the
help of the London Wildlife Trust, and a
steering group of residents and partner
organisations, they secured £100,000
of Big Lottery funding and took a
peppercorn lease on the site. Activities
on the site have included planting events
and choirs singing Christmas carols, and
the garden provided a venue for the first
Marchmont Street Party. The Marchmont
Association has now been set up and
they have their eye on other neglected
gems in the neighbourhood that are in
need of a bit of a polish.
www.marchmontassociation.org.uk

Ten steps for
creating a
community
green space
There are no set rules to developing a community
green space project, but there are some general
principles that are worth thinking about and
applying to make it more inclusive and easier to do.
We’ve put together ten that we think are worth
including, however big, small, high or low your
green space is.
49

If you are setting up a green space from scratch, you need
to get organised.
Set up a Working Group – it should include people with authority to
make decisions and time to keep things moving forward.
Identify a project manager to lead and supervise the work; ‘project
manager’ has become an increasingly common job description, so
finding one shouldn’t be too difficult – it might be you! – though if you
can find someone with experience of physical or construction projects
so much the better. He or she must be experienced in dealing with the
technical issues likely to arise, and able to make decisions quickly.
Find people who can help both locally and nationally, with useful
expertise, and relevant experience, or who might help raise funds,
promote and advocate, help with the design, construction and
maintenance.
1. Assemble a team
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There are lots of different options out there, so it’s a good idea
to go and talk to people who have set up a green space already.
Pick one that is similar to the site you have in mind and find out
what the pitfalls and advantages are. You should also ask your
community what they want, as their ideas and input will help
ensure the green space is regularly used.
Take a creative approach to consultation – it doesn’t have to
be surveys on doorsteps. Creative community engagement
approaches can help people to think beyond the everyday and use
their imaginations. Make it fun, while remembering that different
approaches may be needed for different groups. Keep the community
in the picture about what’s happening, and be sure to involve people in
all stages of the proceedings.
If you have access to the space you want to develop (and it’s safe and
legal to do so), you could consider hosting an engagement event there.
If you don’t, or if you’re still looking for a place to develop, then pick
somewhere that the community use regularly or where you’re likely to
encounter a range of local people.
Ask people what they want to do in the space, not what they want
included. Try to identify what the most important things are by asking
open questions – for example, if you had £10k, what would be the first
thing you’d do in this area?
And get beyond the dog poo! Every community has a ‘pet’ gripe or
issue about their green space and everyone needs an opportunity to
get this off their chest. Consultation on change won’t get beyond this
unless it’s acknowledged and addressed, so get it out of the way early
on.
2. Collect ideas
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Have a look at some examples of
open questions:
What would you like to
get rid of?
What do you like about the place?
What should be kept?
What do you do here?
What would you like to do?
What kind of space would you like to have?
Community Service Volunteers (CSV) has 50 years’ experience in recruiting and
supporting full-time volunteers to help individuals and organisations come
together to build stronger communities through better services and more
fulfilling lives. They may be able to help with your project by organising a team of
volunteers or providing the professional skills of one of their volunteers:
www.csv.org.uk
Groundwork is a national organisation which, from regional hubs, forges
partnerships to carry out thousands of projects, including green space projects,
every year: www.groundwork.org.uk
Business in the Community (BITC) is a national charity which mobilises
members of its business network to support their programmes. They believe in
community investment and, through local offices, support communities most
in need, with time, skills, money and expertise. They also support Employee
Volunteering, where staff at all levels donate time and skills during work hours
to tackle local social issues. Contact your regional BITC office to see if they can
help your project: www.bitc.org.uk
GoodGym in London is a community of runners who get fit by doing good. They
run in groups to do manual labour for community organisations. They have
helped deliver turf to the Southbank Roof Garden: www.goodgym.org
53

Photo © Camley Street © Kate Symonds

It’s important to understand your site fully before you plan
anything in detail. Start by recording what’s already there in
terms of features and plants.
3. Survey your site
Slopes – great for play.
Microclimates – shady places and sun traps, wind tunnels
and frost pockets.
Soil – quality and depth.
Drainage.
Trees – condition and spread.
Views.
Think about what’s below ground too, as this may be a constraint on
what you can do.
Utility companies will provide information on any pipes and cables
etc., (and can also come and mark them on the ground before any
construction work starts).
Physical characteristics to look for:
55

Although great ideas often start off on the back of an envelope
or scribbled on a napkin (like the Eden Project) you will need to
make a proper plan to:
Show what fits where – what works together?
Explain to your community what is going to happen.
Show how the site will develop in phases, e.g. when funding
becomes available.
Secure funding.
Apply for planning permission or other approvals.
4. Make a plan
The first decision: dividing the space – common or private?
Many people struggle when there is just one big open space with
no boundaries, as they find it hard to know where to start and who
is responsible for what. Often dividing a garden into small plots
or allotments will encourage quicker uptake, especially if this is
complemented by a shared infrastructure such as tool and seed
store and water supply.
Create a plan
Master plans have pros and cons – they are essential for getting
funders and local authority support but they can be overwhelming
for community members who might feel unable to contribute. It is
better to leave some areas that can be developed more organically
by community members where possible.
Plan your space
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Working with a designer on a plan can save a lot of time and provide
easy shortcuts for your project. Some designers only advise or project
manage, others offer a design and build service. Whether you need a
designer or not will depend on the scale and complexity of the project
you’re undertaking. Even if it is a big plan, a designer can help you
phase it into manageable chunks.
Hiring a designer can be expensive, so fundraising may be required. A
local firm might offer pro bono services – design or perhaps project
management. Other options include trying local college courses; it
could be a good student project with the right supervision.
Creating more opportunities for children and young people is often a
key reason for starting a project. A great play space can offer a huge
amount to the community – play is really important to the health and
wellbeing of children who are spending increasing amounts of time in
the digital world.
A word of caution though – it’s really easy to go to a play equipment
company. They often offer a planning and design service as part of
the package, but you need to make sure you get what people want.
Sometimes simpler is better. An engagement activity that starts with
a catalogue will end up with a shopping list, not necessarily a great
play experience for kids. If you go down this route, make sure that it
delivers value for money and will keep children interested in the long
term. For the best value, look for play equipment that is robust and
multi-functional, and plan for all ages – babies and toddlers may not
be able to express themselves but parents will want something they
can use too.
Working with designers – the design process
Play
57

Also consider less costly alternatives which may, perhaps in
combination with traditional play equipment, provide more interesting
and varied opportunities for play. The natural world provides a rich
environment for play and it is vitally important that children have
contact with nature. A varied place with trees for climbing and loose
branches for den building is a great place to play. Loose parts that can
be used for multiple purposes and some container storage could be
just as much fun.
When planning play spaces for children, don’t forget the adults!
If they are relaxed and comfortable while keeping an eye on what’s
going on, the children will play for longer and have more fun and
imaginative play.
Project Dirt
Project Dirt is a community of people doing green space and
environmental projects - www.projectdirt.com
Play England
Play England have produced a wide range of great resources on play
www.playengland.org.uk/resources.aspx
Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens
Promotes and offers training and advice on setting up community gardens
www.farmgarden.org.uk
Landscape Institute
Produces guidance documents, including a guide for clients appointing a
landscape professional - www.landscapeinstitute.org/registeredpractices
58

It’s essential to get the right approvals and permission to
develop a site at the outset – and that includes your initial
investigations, otherwise you might be trespassing.
5. Get access and
permission
Finding and getting access to land to use as a community green
space can be a challenge. Just because a piece of land is neglected
doesn’t mean there isn’t an owner.
This means that you will need to find out who the owner is and
come up with an acceptable proposition to ‘borrow’, rent or buy
the land. In most cases this entails entering into some kind legal
contract with the owner, whether it’s a private landowner (a person
or company) or a public landowner (such as the local council, a health
authority or Network Rail). If you enter into a legal agreement you
might want to form a community-based organisation first, so that
you aren’t personally liable. See the Eden Field Guide to Community-
owned Places and Spaces for more on this.
Some private landowners are willing to let people develop or
cultivate land that is out of use for nothing, on a temporary basis,
often called ‘Meanwhile use’. Others might be prepared to lease the
land, or you could try to buy it − if you can raise the funds.
You can also acquire land using a community asset transfer. This is a
legal mechanism that allows you to acquire the ownership to a piece
of land (or a building) owned by the local authority or public sector
agency. You will need to set up a community-based organisation,
have some funding and have a clear plan for the ongoing ownership
of the land to be successful.
How to get access to land
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There is more advice on finding and acquiring land on the Community
Land Advisory Service (CLAS) website, by country, including details of
the legal requirements on their website.
Other types of permission
Once you’ve got permission to use the land there still might be other
requirements to bear in mind. Below are a couple of important ones
to consider.
Trees
Trees take a long time to grow and mature and are special features
in any community. Check with the local authority to see if any of
the trees are protected with Tree Preservation Orders (TPO). If your
chosen site is in a Conservation Area, any trees will be automatically
protected too.
Heritage
Existing parks and gardens may be important pieces of local heritage
which can make it easier to get volunteers but can also require
permission to make changes. If it’s on Historic England’s Register of
Historic Parks and Gardens, it is afforded protection and approval will
be required to make changes.
Community Land Advisory Service (CLAS) - www.communitylandadvice.org.uk
Historic England - www.historicengland.org.uk
The Meanwhile Foundation - www.meanwhile.org.uk
61

A lot of effort and thought can go into making a plan but the
most important thing is to make something happen.
Changing or creating green spaces doesn’t have to be expensive. The
creative process doesn’t stop with the plan, but one of the first things
you might have to do is clear the site. Don’t throw everything in a
skip – see what you can repurpose.
To start most projects, you will need:
Materials – plants, soil, stone, timber.
See if materials can be donated or repurpose waste.
Labour – people to do the work.
Skilled, professional labour to install any of the materials is
usually two to three times the cost of the materials.
Equipment – saves labour and time. But you will need to
budget for this - and you might need training.
Take a phased approach if it’s a big project, break it into achievable
chunks – clearing or establishing the site, planting days, etc.
Be realistic about the amount of time you (and your team) have
to spare, and plan accordingly so you don’t run out of people or
momentum before the project is up and running. Everyone involved
in the project is likely to have existing commitments so try and
accommodate them.
6. Make something
happen
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You don’t have to have money to make a project work, but it
can make a big difference. It’s not just a question of getting
start-up funds to establish a green space, there will be ongoing
costs to consider, so when you start planning, think about ways
of generating further income – not just further fundraising bids
– to make your project sustainable. Funders are likely to
regard projects with a long-term strategy more favourably.
7. Money
In-kind donations are a great way to get support for your project
without having to start a spreadsheet. Contact local businesses
and see if they can lend people or equipment, or provide in-kind
donations – a hardware store or garden centre might be willing to
let you have something for free if you give them a bit of a plug in any
publicity. Large businesses, including supermarkets, are sometimes
able to provide this kind of support. Remember to acknowledge
any gifts of time or equipment and invite your benefactors to any
celebrations you hold.
Many organisations offer grants to community groups for a wide
range of projects, for example the Big Lottery.
Funders are usually restricted in what they can fund – it’s important
that you take the time to find the right funders for your project, and
ensure it will meet their requirements as well as yours.
It’s generally not a good idea to shape a project around a particular
funder’s requirements, though, if it means you have to compromise
what you really want to do. It’s a community project, so should
incorporate local people’s needs first and foremost, not the funder’s
– but sometimes a compromise is necessary. So be certain you
understand the requirements first.
Donations of material or time
Fundraising for big (capital) projects
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New developments have an obligation to contribute to the wider
infrastructure of the community, including schools and open spaces
– at present there are two different types of mechanism which work
in different ways so contact your council for more information. It’s
possible you can get funding via these.
Community shares are a way for an enterprise with a social purpose
to raise capital but they do not suit every organisation.
Section 106 Agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy
Community shares
Establish a good track record: once you have demonstrated to one
funder that you can be trusted to deliver, it can be easier to get more
money from them, or from another funder.
Funding paperwork can be time-consuming – and a bit dull. Treat it
as a learning opportunity: the more you do, the easier it becomes –
and don’t let it mount up.
Make personal contact with the funding organisation before filling
out a form – there are sometimes local representatives, or people
with connections who can help.
There are professionals who can help with complicated applications
for large sums of money. They will charge for this service and will
also rely on the information you give them about the project.
There may be requirements to report back on specific criteria.
EFG Community-owned Places and Spaces by Dave Chapman
Community Shares - www.communityshares.org.uk
Community Land Advisory Service (CLAS) - www.communitylandadvice.org.uk
The Big Lottey Fund - www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
65

It might seem obvious, but celebrating everyone’s
achievements is an essential part of any community project.
Celebrations can be big or small – a toast at the end of a day’s work,
or a party to mark the completion of a specific phase of the project
- it doesn’t matter. Celebrations create a sense of fellowship and
commitment, and can help to keep up momentum amongst your
volunteers (of which you are probably one).
Take loads of photos and put them up on social media for your
volunteers to see – photos might encourage more people to lend a
hand. Make sure you get their permission in writing before you post
images of them.
8. Celebrate your
achievements
Organising a ‘big dig’ type activity can really rally the troops and
volunteers can get a huge sense of achievement from being involved
in making changes over a short period of time.
Things you can do:
Litter picks
Bulb planting (with wishes), wildflower planting
Make a plastic bottle greenhouse.
Quick wins
66

Abundance – Grow Sheffield
Abundance was established by Grow Sheffield
with the idea of seeing the city as a giant orchard.
It is based on the simple but powerful idea that
people with fruit trees often have far more
than they can use – the project built a sharing
network, which encouraged people to go and
help harvest and share the produce. Existing fruit
trees were complemented by new trees planted
on roadsides and vacant lots.
A team of fifty volunteers collect and harvest the
fruit for distribution either fresh or processed
into juice. The tree owners are given first pick
and are saved the burden of harvest and the sight
of seeing the fruit rot away. Through the winter
new trees are planted and training given on tree
pruning. The project has grown into a movement
inspiring people to reassess their existing
resources and think about what can be unlocked
by sharing and mutual support.
www.growsheffield.com

All of this effort is for a purpose – if you’ve planned it properly
and everyone is still excited about it, then you won’t have any
trouble finding uses for your green space.
Community green spaces are the opposite of windblown recreation
grounds, they’re there to be used by the community. Although your
close-knit team are likely to be regular users, you may need to give
other people an excuse to join in. Plan activities and events, and
experiment with new uses for the space that encourage different
groups to come and use it - it could be a coffee morning for older
people, a making session for families, or a barbecue for young people.
Whatever you do don’t let it stagnate – keep planning, keep
improving it; your community green space should evolve and change
like the community around it. See the next sections for more ideas.
9. Use it
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Community green space projects are about the long haul if
they’re to make a real difference. A pop-up can invigorate a
community, but a permanent green space should be resource
for everyone and that means maintaining it.
Maintenance should be at the back of your mind throughout
the planning process so you don’t make back-breaking work for
yourselves (or financial headaches for that matter).
Things to bear in mind:
Trees will take a while to establish themselves.
Plants will generally need more attention in the early stages
as they establish themselves.
Built things usually look their best when they’re just finished, they
will need maintenance and maybe replacement longer term.
Paths – they should be durable but they will need to be clear.
Who’s going to look after it all? It could be you, but it shouldn’t
be just you.
Watering – the most basic maintenance, you can’t rely on the
rain to do this for you, so consider a rota for such regular tasks.
Some maintenance can be done in big chunks, so consider organising
days for seasonal clean-up, litter picking and mending. Make them
fun and people will be more likely to come along and lend a hand.
10. Maintain it
71

grub
games
chairs
loos
ﬁre
72

Great green
space features
Community green spaces are as much about people
as plants or wildlife, so it’s important to plan them
with people in mind. In this section you’ll find a range
of features that you could include to encourage
people to linger, as well as some essentials to make
them easy to use.
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Not all of these features will be appropriate for your community
green space, and you should do some further research before
you commit to including any of them. If you’re uncertain what
to include, or you have something ambitious in mind, you could
talk to a professional landscape architect or designer. Some
professionals will do work on a pro bono basis – in other words,
for free – but in most cases you will have to pay for them. The
more ambitious the ideas the more likely you are to need a plan.
A good professional master plan or design could help you get
the landowner’s approval, planning permission and funding, as
well as helping with any legal contracts, so it could be money
well spent.
Picking and choosing
key features
74

The more accessible your green space is, the wider its appeal.
More people will use it if you take account of their diverse
needs and make it easy to get around.
Making it accessible
Some people will need paths in order to make use of a community
green space – most people will if the weather is bad. Paths will be
used for walkers, dogs, joggers, bikes, buggies and mobility scooters
so make sure they’re wide enough to accommodate them or that
there are passing places if not.
Paths
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Sharing information is a chance to uplift, intrigue and inspire. Every
garden needs some written information but people often go into dull
‘sign speak’ when preparing these. This is often combined with telling
people what you think they ‘must know’ rather than what they might
find interesting and engaging.
The best option is to write the signs as if you were showing round
an old friend and say what you would say to them – in plain English.
Imagine it as a conversation between you and the visitor when you
aren’t there.
Include poetry and jokes, not just factual information. Have some
temporary and flexible places for current news – blackboard paint is
a wonderful thing!
Plant labels can be tricky – people like to know what different plants
are, but just putting the Latin names excludes non-gardeners. At the
Eden Project we have tried to tell a small story about every important
plant, why we have it and what it is used for – even the most every-
day plants have a story to tell.
Signs and labels
Plant labels
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Seating is one of the most important and most overlooked features
in landscape design. Seats make a space comfortable for everyone
and are crucial for anyone with limited stamina – older people and
people with a debilitating illness, for example. It is easy to treat
seating as something that can be sorted later, but this often ends up
with it being forgotten, or put somewhere inappropriate because
there isn’t space.
Think about what are the seats are for – who wants to sit in a row
on a bench staring at a random view, for example? Why not provide
portable seating so people can group where and with whom they
want? Choose seats that are robust, comfortable for different shapes
and sizes, and in good locations.
Shelter is an important consideration – being able to shelter from the
elements will make events more viable and extend the length of time
people can use the garden. Shelter from rain and wind is important,
but so is being able to shelter from the sun – this is crucial for anyone
taking medication which makes them sensitive to sunlight, older
people, and young children. Most people will welcome a bit of shade.
Temporary shelter can be effective, for example pergolas, umbrellas
and fold-out canopies etc., or consider something more permanent
such as summer houses and huts.
Seats
Shelter
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Access to toilets and changing facilities is crucial. If you don’t have
scope to include toilets as part of your plans it is important to find out
where the nearest available facilities are. Include information about
Changing Places toilets. These are designed for people with profound
and multiple disabilities; there is a searchable map on their website.
If you are running an event, consider hiring one of their mobile toilets
to maximise participation.
Toilets
Great British Public Toilet Map - www.greatbritishpublictoiletmap.rca.ac.uk
Changing Places - www.changing-places.org
Widgit (accessible signage) - www.widgit.com
Eden Field Guide to Inclusive Communities by Stuart Spurring and Jane Stoneham
79

Your green spaces could include sports pitches, tennis courts,
bowling greens, basketball courts, ping-pong tables or a sandy
spot to play boules. Think about changing facilities, and lighting
if people want to play after dark – and insurance.
Making it fun
Games and play are a great way to encourage children (and adults)
to be playful, inquisitive and adventurous by making use of what
you have to hand. Games can be very simple. For example, Gofindit
is a game developed by the Sensory Trust to encourage children to
explore gardens and other safe spaces. Treasure hunts are popular
with all ages - try a nature-themed mini-beast hunt, or make a
miniature garden or a piece of art out of natural materials.
You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment. Kids are generally
happy with a place where they have permission to snap off twigs, get
muddy, play in the long grass, make noise and build dens. Permission
is the key thing, imagination and energy will do the rest. Remember
to provide for different types of play to suit different children –
adventurous, active, creative or inquisitive.
What do they need? Dense shrubby areas like willow are perfect,
also ideally some mounds to run around and play ‘King of the Castle’
on (remember to include slopes for wheelchair users to join in too).
Water is great for play too and doesn’t need to be complex – just a
hosepipe or sprinkler, wellies and waterproofs and permission to
make mud is all that you need.
Play
80

Build dens from woodland trimmings.
Create simple water play with guttering and hosepipe.
Make waterslides with a hosepipe, a slope and a long sheet
of plastic.
Mark out hopscotch and other pavement games using a box
of chalk.
Make petal leaf pictures.
Treasure trails, sensory trails, adventure trails, fitness trails… they all
offer ways of creating journeys through your site that engage people
in different ways. You’ll need to make some signs or include some
features to make it easy to navigate and explore.
Simple play ideas:
Trails
81

Making it sociable
Cooking and eating together are essential elements of community-
building. This could mean including options for cooking outdoors
– building a clay oven for example, or a barbecue – or at its simplest,
providing the opportunity to eat together. Tables are a crucial part of
the mix. Ideally opt for portable rather than fixed tables and benches
as the latter are hard for many people to use and discourage flexible
group gatherings.
Very few gardens or green spaces make provision for fire – perhaps
there is a perception that it is an unnecessary risk – but a fire can
provide a focal point and the opportunity for people to gather round
and strike up conversations. A simple fire pit for logs or a brazier can
create an easy-to-manage fire for people to gather around – but
avoid smoky bonfires unless it’s 5th November.
Fires aren’t without risk so you should contact the landowner for
permission and the local council and/or fire station for advice before
you start anything; there are requirements you will need to meet and
you will probably need insurance.
Having a space where people can gather in reasonable numbers is
really good idea. If you have room you could create a simple hard-
surfaced area with some basic drainage so it doesn’t pool. If you
have the money then an open-sided shed or summer house is also
a great asset.
Eating and cooking together
The special role of fire
Gathering space
82

Sometimes people just want to be alone or socialise in small groups.
Providing quiet spots to relax, chat, sunbathe or picnic will encourage
more people to use the space. If you’ve got offices nearby then you
may find people anxious to escape their desks.
Key features you could include:
Lawns
Flower beds and borders
Trees for shade
Water features – ponds, streams, fountains, lakes.
Remember to include seating, tables and bins nearby.
Quiet spaces and picnic spots
This is important for everyone but especially teenagers who have
nowhere to go and just be themselves in most communities. The
answer doesn’t have to be something formalised like a youth club
– for example a small hut they can make their own is simple and
effective. Find out the kind of places they like to hang out and get
them to help design and build it.
Make sure everyone knows the ground rules (e.g. no fires
without permission, no smoking), and ensure that that there is
appropriate insurance.
Hang out space
85

Making it grow
Growing food can be a really rewarding way to use a community
green space. It offers a reason for people to visit the garden regularly
to care for the crops and an opportunity to celebrate the harvest – a
pumpkin patch could lend itself to a soup or pumpkin pie night as
well as provide the raw material for Jack-o’-lanterns at Hallowe’en.
If you are setting up an orchard you’ll have the excuse to wassail and
hold apple days. Rather than treat it like an allotment and try to grow
a significant quantity of food crops, you could just pick and choose
a few interesting or unusual crops – or use the space to grow things
that are otherwise expensive to buy, like herbs.
Food growing
Make space for a cutting garden in which flowers and foliage are
grown for cutting and crafts, including drying flowers. Hanging
flowers up to dry from the roof of a shed looks fabulous – they can
even be sold or donated to members of the community or nearby
healthcare facilities. It’s not just a spring or summer trade – people
often want holly or wreaths at Christmas.
Cutting gardens
86

A forest garden is a method of producing food that is also beneficial
to wildlife, through the planting of fruit- and/or nut-bearing trees.
The concept of growing a wide variety of predominantly perennial
crops in both the horizontal and vertical space was introduced into
the UK in the 1980s by Robert Hart, who was inspired by tropical
home gardens. Typically, there are up to seven layers in a forest
garden depending on its size (see figure below) which include:
1. Tree canopy e.g. for timber.
2. Fruit/nut trees on dwarf root stock.
3. Shrubs, e.g. fruit bushes.
4. Perennial plants and herbs such as New Zealand
flax for fibre and mint for tea.
5. Tubers, e.g. Jerusalem artichoke.
6. Ground cover such as wild strawberries.
7. Climbers such as hops, grapes or kiwi.
Forest gardens
7 6 5
4
3
2
1
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Forest gardens are intended to be self-supporting systems, with
the plants themselves providing the nutrients for plant growth. For
example, nitrogen is provided by cutting and mulching nitrogen-
rich plants such as nettles or planting nitrogen-fixing species such
as peas and beans. Comfrey is often planted around fruit trees as
its deep roots can tap potassium from the soil, a nutrient which
encourages flowering and subsequently fruit development.
Forest gardens can also contain edible plants, commonly found in
our gardens and local parks, that we in the UK have not previously
considered food – such as day lilies, berberis, fuchsia and Oregon
grape. Forest gardeners look at plants in a completely different way,
tucking into what others would normally consider weeds, such
as three-cornered leek, a useful garlic substitute, or ground elder,
introduced by the Romans, who considered this plant a delicacy.
You’ll need around an acre for a forest garden, though smaller ones
exist. Get ideas on how to create your forest garden by visiting others
(see the agroforestry and forest garden network list). Your Forest
Garden requires careful planning of the different layers. Start by
establishing your tree layer first. Trees are best planted from October
through to April.
Apples, pears, nuts, and kiwis (at least in Cornwall).
Raspberries, red currents, black currents, goji berries.
Three-cornered leeks.
Nettles.
Best started in the autumn; establishing a forest garden can take a lot
of work and careful planning, so take your time.
Things you could grow in a forest garden:
Agroforestry Research Trust: www.agroforestry.co.uk
Permaculture Association: www.permaculture.org.uk
Red Shed Nursery: www.grahambell.org/the-red-shed-nursery
Forest gardens text by Emma Pilgrim, University of Exeter.
89

Community gardens can offer great habitats for wildlife, especially
insects and birds. The key elements are rich layers of trees, shrubs
and bushes. A common misconception is that you have to create the
entire habitat – e.g. planting nettles for caterpillars – but in reality
your site already sits within a network of green spaces and typically
there will be plenty of nettles in range of any garden.
The important thing is to complement natural features and provide
viewing opportunities for people – feeding stations for birds and
maybe even butterflies and include plants and trees which produce
fruit and nectar.
Ways of encouraging wildlife:
Extend the flowering season by planting for a succession of
flowers through the whole year.
Include special plants such as butterfly bush (Buddleia)
and ice plant (Sedum spectabile) that are particularly popular
with butterflies.
Flowers between March-September to feed bees (single
flowers are best, double flowers can make it hard for bees to
reach the pollen). In southern England some bees will feed in
February so include some flowers then too.
Evergreens for winter shelter for birds.
Berries and fruits and flower buds for bullfinches and
other birds.
Areas of long grass for insects and small mammals.
Walls for masonry bees.
Rock piles, piles of rotting wood for insects.
Wildlife areas
90

Keeping any form of livestock is a major commitment and shouldn’t
be taken lightly. The welfare of the animals has to take top priority
and vet bills can be very high.
Small-scale ventures, e.g. bees, chickens, rabbits etc., are best suited
to small projects but even these will bring responsibilities. Try and
find someone locally with the relevant expertise to help, e.g. a local
beekeeper, farmer or city farm.
Enclosures must be very effective to make sure there is no chance
of animals escaping. There is also a growing concern about the
transmission of diseases such as E. coli from animals to children so
strict risk assessment and hygiene will be necessary. There may be
local by-laws that prohibit the keeping of animals on your site so
make sure you check these first. Try your local authority website first.
Beehives and other livestock
91

Camley Street Natural Park,
Kings Cross, London
One of the best-known examples
of derelict land transformed into a
green oasis, Camley Street Natural
Park was built on an old coalyard
in 1984. Run by the charity Wild
London, the park is a green oasis for
local people in the heart of the city.
It’s now completely surrounded
by urban developments, making
the nature reserve an even more
important place for respite from
the city. It also provides learning
opportunities for local people.
www.wildlondon.org.uk/reserves/camley-
street-natural-park

Making it sustainable
Bike racks, or at least something you can securely lock a bike to, are
an easy way to encourage people to travel sustainably to and from a
community green space.
Composting is a good way of turning your waste material into
something useful and saves you from having to take lots of garden
waste off-site. But it has to be done properly for this to work well.
Composting needs bacteria, and they need water and air and
sometimes added nutrients as a kick-starter. There are plenty of
guides online, and for small-scale composting you can get purpose-
designed containers. They’re sometimes free or significantly cheaper
from your local authority.
In small gardens composting is usually inefficient, airless and
stagnant, usually because people try to do it in too small a space.
For larger-scale composting, you will need to dedicate a large area
and ideally include a hard surface so you can get access by a machine
(e.g. small digger) to turn over the compost so it’s got an adequate
supply of air.
You could encourage people to bring their own garden waste and
in return they can take home the composted material to use in their
own garden.
Adding lights to a community space is a good way of extending use
into the evenings and darker times of year. It will also help make
the space feel safer. You will have more choice if you have a mains
power supply, but even if you don’t, you could use a small generator,
battery-powered lights, or try solar-powered lights.
Bike racks
Community composting
Lighting
94

Having secure storage facilities for equipment is essential – portable
seating, shade, and things you need for events will need to be kept
somewhere safe and dry behind locked doors if they’re to last.
Having free Wi-Fi in your green space can encourage more people
to use the space to check email, social media or even work. Even if
you’re in an area with good 3G or 4G coverage, free Wi-Fi can be a
draw, as most phone contracts have a download limit.
Installing a Wi-Fi hub is easier if you have a building nearby and
obviously it relies on internet access and mains electricity, so will
come at a cost.
Some community green spaces have grown into successful charities
and social enterprises offering a range of facilities and opportunities
for local people. A large enough site – or the opportunity to expand
– can provide space for a community centre, a garden centre, café,
community kitchen or even a doctor’s surgery. These sorts of things
will require further planning and permissions but can make a real
difference to an already successful green space project. They can
also provide a regular income for the green space, and allow you to
employ people. If you already have space you could consider pop-up
versions first to see if there’s interest in additional facilities.
Storage
Wi-Fi
Community facilities
95

Creative ideas
to bring your
green space to life
A programme of events and activities will encourage
people to use the space and help make it into a vital
community resource. In this section are a few ideas
to get you started.
97

Tie ribbons and pom-poms to a tree for no reason other than to
make people smile. Make the tree dressing an event – get everyone
in the community to add something and maybe make a wish. It’s a
great way of welcoming new visitors to your project, and an ideal
focus for festivals.
It doesn’t matter how big your site is, a map can really help people
appreciate a green space. As well as key features, maps can also
show the reasons why different parts of the green space are
important, what happens there, why it is valued. The community can
get together to tell their stories of different places, and perhaps work
with a local artist to illustrate them.
This tree is popular with robins – look out for them.
This is where we like to play hide and seek.
This apple tree was planted by Doug to celebrate his birthday.
This bush is too young to have much fruit yet, please be
gentle with it – but do eat what you find – it is not sprayed.
This bench was painted by…
Make a wish tree
Story maps
Things to put on signs, labels and maps…
98

Film nights are very easy to organise these days with relatively
affordable projectors that can run from a laptop or smartphone
and a portable sound system. Screening it outside can add
another dimension to the evening. You can project on to a screen
or a whitewashed wall. Check what time it gets dark, provide
comfortable seats (or cushions) and remind people to wrap up warm
– even a summer evening can get chilly.
You will need a licence to show films unless you made it yourself –
even if you’re screening it for free.
See the Cinema for All website for a clear and easy guide to running a
community cinema night:
www.cinemaforall.org.uk
Film nights
99

You can plant a permanent tree or install a stand for cut
trees, either way it provides the opportunity for people
to decorate. Many modern plastic decorations can easily
stand outside through the winter – as can solar-powered
fairy lights.
Telling stories is an ancient art, but one that’s as relevant
today as it was in the past. It’s quite a skill but anyone can
have a go – the story doesn’t have to be original, in fact
it’s probably best to start with something classic, like a
fairy tale. A bit of set dressing is always a good idea, and a
special storytelling chair will help with the atmosphere –
it doesn’t have to be grand.
A green space can be used to acknowledge special
days associated with different cultures and people’s
birthdays, weddings and meaningful dates – you can find
a celebration for just about every day of the year from
a search on the internet, or find out from the people
involved in your project.
Plant a Christmas tree
Storytelling
Celebrate anything and everything
101

Music is rarely found in green spaces but there is no reason why it
shouldn’t be – you can create a makeshift bandstand from pallets
and flags and if power can be connected it will be a perfect spot for
events such as fêtes or something for local young people to use.
These have become popular and there’s a reasonable chance of
finding one in your local area. They have the added advantage of
attracting friends and family along as a ready-made audience. How
about inviting them to help create small-scale music events? These
can be combined with the sale of food, craft and produce (see the
Eden Field Guide to Community Food Projects for information about
selling food and produce to the public).
Make music
Host a community choir
Music licensing
Community Matters -
www.communitymatters.org.uk/content/350/Music-Licensing
Gov.UK - www.gov.uk/guidance/entertainment-licensing-changes-under-the-
live-music-act
Community Choirs UK - www.communitychoirsuk.com
British Choirs on the Net - www.choirs.org.uk
102

Scarecrow competitions
Some areas already have a tradition of making scarecrows, but
you could take it up a level by inviting local people to take part in a
competition to create a trail of scarecrows to follow. Scarecrows
come in all shapes and sizes so let your imagination go wild.
An easy and fun way of attracting families, a treasure hunt will
encourage them to explore and make use of more of the green
space. Provide refreshments and you’ve got a great way to raise
money for your project.
Gardens are sometimes designed specifically for therapeutic reasons,
for example a restorative space to benefit people with mental
health issues, or a therapy garden used as part of a physiotherapy
programme. Accessibility is crucial to any community garden and
is especially important in a therapeutic garden, so ensure there are
gardening opportunities at different levels – e.g. ground level, raised
beds and containers - and train fruit along wires to keep the harvest
within easy reach.
Treasure hunts
Therapeutic gardening programmes
103

Conclusion
Green spaces are vital to the health and wellbeing
of our communities, so you can be sure that if you
decided to get involved with a green space project
or start your own, you will be making a positive
contribution to your neighbourhood.
Running a green space project however small is a
commitment so pace yourself and make sure you have
plenty of support and plan ahead even if you’re just
planning a brief pop-up garden — once a green space
projects appears, all sorts of possibilities can arise.
105

Eden Field Guide series
Maria Devereaux
and Clare Horrell
Stuart Spurring
and Jane
Stoneham
Dave Chapman
Bran Howell
Wendy Brewin
Eden Field Guide
to Community
Food Projects
Eden Field Guide
to Inclusive
Communities
Eden Field Guide
to Community-
owned Places
and Spaces
Eden Field Guide
to Working with
Young People
Eden Field Guide
to Working with
Older People
We have created a series of Field Guides to help you plan and
create your projects and make the most of the potential in your
community. They are free to participants on our community
projects and available to download. To find out more please
email communities@edenproject.com
Community
Food Projects
Inclusive
Communities
Inclusive communities are better
communities. An inclusive community
which welcomes diversity and
encourages and enables participation
is better placed to withstand the
challenges of the future.
This book explains what it means to
be inclusive and the methods we can
use to make sure everyone gets a
chance to join in.
FieldGuidetoInclusiveCommunities
Dave Chapman
Community-owned
Places and Spaces
n
FieldGuidetoCommunity-ownedPlacesandSpaces
15/06/2015 09:32
1
Working with
Older People
106

Community green space projects
can transform communities for the
better, improving health and wellbeing,
creating stronger social networks,
and making a positive impact on
environmental issues. The Eden Project
Field Guide to Community Green
Spaces takes you through the benefits
and offers guidance on the different
types of green space projects you can
do and how to get started.

An Eden Project Field Guide to green spaces

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An Eden Project Field Guide to green spaces