Starting a Community Garden
What is a Community Garden?It's an area for growing food, herbs, native plants and flowers that are used by the people who live in the community. They can have individual plots, communal growing areas or a mix of both.
A Community Garden is run by the community group as a whole. The goal is to involve all garden members in making decisions and creating garden policies. Some gardens are run by community organizations or institutions (such as schools or public housing providers), but they still are accountable to the community and aim to involve gardeners in running the garden. Community gardens may have individual plots or spaces that are planted collectively (or both!).
Considered at one time to be a recreational activity, gardening is now understood as an important source of food for many gardeners.
Allotment Gardens
Many people confuse community gardens with allotment gardens. The City of Toronto runs the allotment gardens program. You pay an annual fee for a plot that you tend yourself. Garden rules are established and enforced by the City of Toronto.
How do I start a community garden?
Here are some manuals with lots of tips about forming and sustaining the garden group as well as setting up the physical space.
Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) has interim community garden guidelines for gardens on TCHC property
Housing Services Corporation's full guide 2014 (PDF). There are also smaller text-only files:
FoodShare's Community Garden Handbook1. Introduction5. Resources