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One of the most popular forms of Community Horticulture is the creation of a community garden or shared community space. Projects are often focused around a community building such as a church, community centre or school.
The projects often help communities focus on shared goals and if well designed should allow all members of the local community to make a contribution appropriate to their abilities.

Once the focus of the project has been agreed the community should be involved in the planning from as early a point in the process as possible. A community planning session might be a good idea as it gives everybody a chance to put forward their ideas before firm plans have been made. Once a plan has been agreed it is vital that everybody should stick to it. Without a clear plan it will not be possible to co-ordinate physical or human resources and the individuals involved will not share the advantages that come from working towards an agreed goal. It is vital that the individual leading the project keeps the group focused on the agreed outcomes and avoids allowing participants to go off on too many tangents.

With Community Horticulture the journey is often every bit as valuable as arriving at the destination so be sure to get as much participation from residents and participants as possible. This may require the planning of activities that will allow for the maximum involvement of participants or simply the allocation of tasks appropriate to the individuals and skills within the group.

"A group of young people were being supported to replant the gardens around a group of retirement bungalows. The local parks department provided tools, equipment and supervision. The young people provided manpower and the pensioners provided refreshments from their community room."