SITE DESIGN

The Base Plan

The first step in designing the garden is to prepare a scaled base plan, showing the exact dimensions of the entire site. Depending on the size of the site and the size of your paper, a scale of 1/4”=1’-0” (or 1:50 metric) is a comfortable scale to work with. You may be able to obtain a survey of the site from the owner which you can enlarge. If not, get a long tape measure (50 ft. or more) and measure it yourself. Base your measurements from a fixed point, such as a sidewalk, building, or light pole.

Site inventory

After you have drawn the basic site outline, plot all of the existing features of the site on one or more tracing paper overlays (tracing paper is available in rolls at art and craft supply stores).

Include such features as:
- sun and shade patterns throughout the day
- drainage patterns
- objectionable views, noises, smells, etc. that need screening, or conversely,
- desirable views that you do not want to block
- wind patterns and direction
- changes in elevation (slope)
- existing trees, shrubs and other plant material: type, exact location, trunk diameter, canopy spread, height, planting bed shape and dimensions, condition and quality
- existing buildings that border the site
- existing structures within the site (fire hydrants, steps, signs, light poles, sidewalks, etc.)
- circulation patterns: pedestrian and vehicular inside and outside the site (i.e. is there a traffic light or parking lot adjacent to the site that will result in pollution from car exhausts or has the site been used for a long time as a pedestrian short cut?).
- soil quality: texture, contaminants, pH, organic matter, areas of compaction, etc.
- and any other things that you can think of, the more the better

Design Elements

Landscape design, whether for a small community garden or for a large park, is a process of taking stock of what you already have (the site inventory), brainstorming what you would like to have, and combining the two to see what it is possible to create.

Ideally, the entire group should participate in the brainstorming exercise. Put several large sheets of paper (flip charts are handy) on the wall and write down every idea, no matter how impossible it may sound at the time. List them all without prioritizing them at this point in time.

Some of the types of features you may want to include are:

- individual plots
- communal plots (for fruit, flowers, tall or space-greedy crops such as corn and squash)
- raised accessible beds
- children’s plots
- shady sitting area
- sunny sitting area
- picnic / barbecue area
- compost bins
- garbage containers
- signage
- storage shed
- notice board
- children’s play space
- pathways: paved and unpaved
- water
- naturalized area (i.e. butterfly garden, bird habitat)
- fencing
- lighting
- screening of objectionable views
- border planting for pollution filtering

After you’ve listed everything, put more tracing paper over top of the base plan and the inventory drawings and explore different layouts of the various features you have in your list. At this stage just use a bubble diagram style of drawing–show the approximate size and shape of the feature, not the details. You can do a more specific drawing after you’ve settled on the basic layout. The important thing to remember is to explore every idea and possibility. And don’t be stingy with the tracing paper.

Plot Layout

The most important feature of any community garden is the garden plots themselves. It is a rare site in which every plot is blessed with perfect sun, gentle breezes and easy access to water and the compost pile. Since some areas of the site will be more desirable as garden plots than others, make sure to use the best areas for plots and the secondary areas for non-growing functions, such as sitting and children’s play areas.

There is no one perfect size for a plot. It will depend upon the size and shape of the overall site, upon the interest and abilities of the individual gardeners and upon the number of people eating from that plot. Not everyone wants, or is capable of dealing with, a large plot and the work it demands to keep it in good shape. And there isn’t any law saying that plots have to be square or rectangular. Circular or curved plots can be an efficient use of space in an oddly shaped site, as well as providing visual interest.

Tip:
Devise two (or more) standard size plots for your site. Make one half the size of the other, to give gardeners a choice.

A good size for a basic plot where space is not an issue is 3M x 6M (approximately 10’ x 20’). This size will enable a family to grow a good supply of vegetables for the summer, and with planning, have enough to put up for the winter. Within these dimensions, gardeners can layout their crops in rows or in the more space-efficient intensive beds, whichever appeals to them. Rows allow for better air circulation and are easier to cultivate, weed and harvest if there are a lot of plants involved.

Where space is an issue, a plot can be as small as 1.2M x 2.4 M (4’ x 8’). In this situation, intensive planting techniques are key. Intensive beds are designed to accommodate more plants in a smaller area than row layout can, so for a small urban site they will enable gardeners to harvest much more per plot. Another advantage of this type of layout is that, because of close spacing, the vegetable plants themselves shade out weed seedlings in much the same way that plants in a natural ecosystem do.

Tip:
Beds with a path on both sides should be no wider than 1.2 meters (4 feet). This allows the gardener to reach halfway across the bed comfortably from either side. Any wider and the bed should have an internal path.

Paths

A well defined path system is essential, not only to make it easy to get gardeners and materials to and from their individual plots, but also to keep the plots well defined and to keep the peace among gardeners. Cover the paths in some well-draining material that is different from the mulch used in the plots, such as shredded bark, pea gravel, sod, etc., and, if the budget permits, edge the paths with wood, plastic edging, bricks or stones. Garden plots have a way of slowly gobbling up any unclaimed space, and fights between gardeners can break out if any one’s plot gets noticeably bigger while the paths become increasingly narrower.

For paths between plots, plan on a minimum width of 75 cm. (30 inches.) to allow a wheelbarrow to be pushed up to a garden plot with relative ease. For main paths (between sections of plots), 0.9 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) is desirable. When you first layout the site, these will seem too wide, but don’t be tempted to narrow these minimum widths. Any smaller than that and you’ll have a difficult time of it, especially by mid-summer when the growing plants will be overhanging the paths.

Sharing the Sun and the Space

If possible, orient the plots along a north-south axis, that is, with the longest sides running from north to south. This will give the plants maximum exposure to the sun and minimize shading problems. Encourage gardeners to plant with regard to their neighbours. That means not planting tall crops, such as corn or sunflowers, in such a way that they’ll shade out another gardener’s smaller plants.

Tip:
Several community gardens ban corn and squash from all plots because of the problems they cause, but this seems like overkill. For very tall or space hungry plants such as corn or squash, consider preparing a communal plot for everyone’s use. The corn should be located at the back (north end) of the site, laid out in a block, rather than a long row for better pollination. The space-hungry squash family can be grown along the fence, if you have one, or on some other vertical means of support, if you don’t have a fence. Just remember to locate the trellis where it won’t eventually shade out other plants.

To Fence or Not to Fence?

Will you put in a fence? In areas with a lot of vandalism fences can help to cut down on pilfering but only an 8 ft high razor wire will give guarantee and who wants to garden behind that? They do prevent dogs, balls and the casual vandal from entering. If you decide that a fence is needed, consider something other than a chain link fence, if the budget will permit. If not, then hide the fence by using it to grow vines.

Getting to Know You

A community garden can provide a opportunity for people to be creative in ways that they haven’t explored since childhood. Some of the most successful community gardens offer many ways in which to grow. Not everyone involved in the garden has to be a gardener. Some can rediscover art, carpentry, or learn about composting. A skills and interests inventory of the garden members can yield interesting results.

Many gardeners will want to identify their plot with a sign or other marker. The group may want to take the opportunity to design similar plot signs for everyone or may want to start a friendly competition to design the most individual marker. Remember to make any competition fun and an occasion for everyone to get to know each other better.

It’s virtually impossible for all gardeners to be in the garden at the same time. Someone with carpentry skills could build a rainproof bulletin board for announcing garden events and for passing along information to the gardeners.

People can do many amazing things--if you ask them.