What is Community Horticulture?

Community Horticulture is a general term used to describe any horticultural activity undertaken in a community setting and used as a means of environmental improvement, social engagement and personal development.

Communities have long used horticulture as a means of social interaction; you just have to think of the traditional village show with its produce stalls, horticultural competitions, village open gardens, and local horticultural societies, to appreciate the value that horticulture has bought to traditional community life.

In recent years an increasing number of communities, local authorities, housing associations and voluntary groups have once again recognised the value of horticulture as a means of creating inclusive community based activities that are accessible to all regardless of ethnicity, age, language or disability.

The range and scope of horticultural activities within communities can be remarkably diverse and can include anything from hanging basket workshops, shared allotments, community orchards, school gardens, community composting projects, back alley projects and community gardens to name but a few.

Many projects have initially been inspired and funded with a desire to improve the local environment but once commissioned often end up contributing a great deal more to the local community than originally anticipated.

Whatever community-based activity you decide to undertake do remember that the greatest strengths and most significant gains will be achieved by those projects that are best matched to the needs and desires of the target community.

 

The benefits of community horticulture to community groups and individuals:

• A chance to take part in a community activity
• A chance to meet new people and to get to know neighbours a little better.
• An Opportunity to improve the neighbourhood
• An Opportunity to learn new skills
• A chance to create and or access creative activities
• Opportunities for different groups within the same community to participate in shared goals
• An Opportunity for agencies to promote messages about health, environment, crime prevention, environmental improvements and education and skills.

The development of project based
Community Horticulture

Much of the community horticulture thriving in our communities today does so because it exists in, and is sustained by, a healthy and active community.

In situations where a sense of community is less developed a number of agencies are starting to commission community horticulture projects as a means of cultivating community cohesion.

“The local authority commissioned a workshop on low maintenance gardening at the local community centre. The individuals attending were asked if they would be interested in attending similar activities. The events were well attended and from this core group of residents there was enough interest to form a gardening club. The gardening club organised a couple of trips a year and invited guest speakers to visit the group. Outside the gardening group the individuals involved organised social events. The group discussed their immediate environment and the kind of improvements they would like to see. Having found a collective voice the group then worked with the local authority and housing association to plan and implement local environmental improvements.”

(See Project Gallery/Kildare Street)

Community Development

Community horticulture projects have traditionally been applied as one off activities or events within a community. However recent work, such as the example shown, are starting to indicate that when applied strategically community horticulture can provide communities with activities around which the individuals involved can start to build or strengthen their own sense of community.

A good deal more work is still required to see if a few well-chosen horticultural activities can sustain wider social and community objectives, but until we have more information why not look at it this way; If the best we can do is make the place look a bit prettier then it hasn’t been a complete waste of time has it?