Seeds in the city
Helping urban tenants to grow their own food can boost well-being and bind communities, says Philippa Ward
Waiting lists for allotments are stretching into decades. Food prices are rising. One in 20 children never eat vegetables. There are lots of reasons why now is a great time to help residents grow their own food, even if they live in the middle of a city.
There are acres of unused land owned by social landlords, which could be transformed into food-producing, community-building spaces. It doesn’t just have to be in a garden - food has been planted in window boxes, on green roofs or in one tonne compost bags. Last month, Merseyside housing market renewal pathfinder New Heartlands announced plans to convert some of its stalled housing developments into gardens.
As well as mental and physical benefits for residents, urban agriculture can improve skills and community relationships, and create a nicer environment that is less vulnerable to anti-social behaviour. Here’s what to think about when planning a project.
Place
Find a suitable area. Something that looks neglected could actually be a place where children play or with a good range of biodiversity already. Make sure there is access to water.
People
Set out clear plans and decide who the scheme is for, who will be involved and what the benefits will be. Projects will require co-ordination and consent from different departments, as well as resident enthusiasm: work with the tenants’ association where possible.
Design
Good design is essential: use in-house expertise or get help from specialist organisations such as Greenspace, Sustain, the Women’s Environmental Network or the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens.
Find out what residents want. Look beyond the obvious carrots and lettuces: is there scope for fruit trees? Can an existing wall be used for trellises of beans?
Funding
Cash is usually needed to get a project off the ground, although it is likely to become self-sufficient or even generate income in the long term. Initial outlay will be on landscaping, seeds and tools. It can be maintained by a small annual subscription to a gardening club after that, for example £10 per year.
Support
Decide who will be responsible for the project early on, whether the social landlord, tenants’ association or a gardening club. Consider giving residents training on food growing or even how to cook their spoils after the first harvest.
Home grown in Brixton
The Blenheim Gardens estate in Brixton is being transformed into a feast for the senses. Sunflowers, pumpkins, chard, mint and onions all flourish in the borders and small beds that run through the estate. There is even a touch of the exotic: a chef living on the estate planted a cho-cho. The vegetable, native to central America and used in Caribbean cooking, is flourishing.
In November 2008, Bonnie Hewson went to an annual general meeting for the tenant management organisation and suggested that instead of ‘empty, muddy borders’ they could grow vegetables. The TMO liked the idea, so she leafleted residents and got the estate manager and director onside. ‘We were very lucky that the estate management were very supportive,’ she says. ‘They could see that it was beneficial to the ambience of the estate.
‘Neighbours have got to know each other, teenagers are involved, there is less graffiti,’ she explains. There are also plans to plant an orchard in the winter, with money from the council, and the estate has applied for funding from the Capital Growth project.
Ms Hewson says the main lesson is to keep it simple and local. ‘People who run estates should not be afraid!’ she laughs.
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