The Joys of Community Gardening!
Community Gardening is a wonderful solution for those who love gardening or want to learn more about it, have nowhere to garden and who would like to meet kindred spirits!
Most Canadian communities have programs in place that will connect interested people with local gardens in their cities. In Peterborough, we have Peterborough Green-Up and the Community Gardening Network. Google your home town and "community gardening" to find resources where you live.You may find though, that the interest in gardening outweighs the actual spaces available, so be prepared to come up with alternatives. All the community spaces are full where I live, but a friend has offered her back yard and a group of us are going to use it to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers; together!
There are so many reasons to get involved in community gardening, if your own space is limited or non-existant. Obviously, the first benefit is the fresh food that you will grow! It is very easy to get disconnected from where and how food comes to us...planting it and tending it can actually be quite spiritual and meaningful! You will also be getting exercise....digging, planting and weeding will help keep you fit and trim. You will find that it can be a very stress relieving activity to work with plants. You'll also enjoy the companionship of new and old friends and ultimately, build a stronger community! All this from a few seeds and some great Canadian-made fertilizer such as:
Perfectly Natural Garden & Flower Fertilizer, made in Ontario by Sure-Gro and available at most hardware, garden and department stores.
While the city will provide the space for you and your friends to garden, you are responsible for bringing your own tools, seeds or seedlings, compost and other items. A great resource is:
Canadian Gardening Magazine , an all-Canadian publication!
You can learn more about Community Gardening, and gardening in general, at these sites: You Grow Girl, based in Toronto, Ontari0, Richters Herbs, in Goodwood, Ontario, Master Gardeners of Ontario, Canadian Gardening Magazine and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. I strongly recommend Square Foot Gardening as a fantastic way to grow food in small places and don't forget container gardening as an alternative to growing vegetables in the ground!
Are you starting a garden this Spring?
Image sources: SpacingMontreal.ca, BuyCanadianFirst.ca
