Community gardens are places where people come together to grow fresh food, to learn, relax and make new friends. Community gardens are not just an important source of fresh produce, they provide spaces for community interaction, decision making, problem solving, creativity and celebration. They are places for creating new social connections and releasing the stresses of everyday life.

Many community garden projects provide an opportunity for school children, unemployed people and mental health patients to engage in work that builds self-esteem and confidence. Community gardens provide opportunities to learn about food production, develop job skills, increase agriculture literacy, generate food-related businesses, and create links to nearby businesses,  restaurants and food kitchens.

Community gardens are on the increase in Australia

There are currently more than a dozen community gardens in Sydney alone and over 100 community gardens in NSW.

In the UK there are 300,000 allotments on 12,150 hectares, yielding 215,000 tonnes of fresh produce every year. The UK has several hundred city farms or community farms providing food for poorer urban groups and a range of other natural products such as wood, flowers and herbs.

Useful links

The Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network: http://communitygarden.org.au/