1. Community Gardens in Parks Krista Bailey Program Director Unity Gardens, Inc.

2. Community gardens provide gardening and educational opportunities that help connect people to each other and to the natural world.

4. Why Start a Community Garden? Economic and educational opportunities Produce nutritious, local, fresh food

5. Why Start a Community Garden? Bring together various ages, races, and ethnicities. For recreation and exercise Provides a way for residents to take ownership of the land

6. Why Start a Community Garden? Bring people outside Decreases crime Raises property values

7. Why Start a Community Garden? Preserve green space Create a social networking, meeting and play space Educational opportunity for all ages

8. Why Start a Community Garden? Economic support for neighborhood residents Community Service Project Youth entrepreneurial experience

9. Why Start a Community Garden? FOOD!!

10. How to Get Started: Planting the Seed Initial Meeting

11. How to Get Started: Planting the Seed Publicize the event

12. Garden Land Lots of sun Water source Soil quality Lighting Fence Manageable rubble, debris – if any

13. Garden Land Room for parking cars and bikes Close to neighborhood residents Accessible by public transit Availability Extended community interest

14. Planning for the Garden Include an educational component Liability Insurance Youth involvement Tap into existing garden network in area Gardener Registration and Sign Up Engage park staff: who will do what (maintenance, chemicals or no, etc.)

15. Planning for the Garden

16. Garden Designs Communal: Gardeners take responsibility for one crop. Shared work/harvest days. Shared harvest. Individual plots an additional possibility (here, single raised beds are in background).

17. Garden Designs Neighborhood plot on area green space. Shared work and harvest creates a source of neighborhood pride and fresh food!

18. Garden Designs Bonus Features: containers in parking lots, gathering space… … and a place for the children.

19. Garden Designs Combination shared and solo space: Large shared mono-crop with family beds alongside.

20. Garden Designs Unity Garden: Open garden concept. Plant, weed, water, learn, harvest as you can, need, want.

21. Do it Together! Family days, work days, harvest days (with food!!), volunteer days, Master Gardener education days…

22. Plan to Party!

23. Celebrate with the children

24. Share the Wealth

25. Enjoy!