Diversity in community gardens: Evidence from one region in the United Kingdom

Literature tends to assume that all community gardens are essentially the same and focuses on their potential contribution to environmental sustainability, human health, and social inclusion through the creating of a communal space for growing food products. This paper investigates differences that exist by profiling community gardens in one region in the United Kingdom. Community gardens were found to differ in how and when they were established, how they are managed and funded, as well as their size and who uses the site for a variety of purposes. From a list of many possibilities, the two most common objectives from their organisers were community development, through a range of food-related activities, and contributing to environmental sustainability. The evidence suggests that longevity is not certain as one third of the community gardens in the study region were not active. To enhance their durability, it would appear that individual gardens should aim to create a sense of ownership from within the local community as well as ensure that they are managed in ways that are consistent with the tenure of their funding source(s) and aspirations of their volunteers.