In the words of Robert Frost, "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors," or in this case, good gardens make good neighbors.  In his poem, Mending Wall, Frost speaks of the act of rebuilding or mending the wall each spring as an act of camaraderie and a building of friendship.  The same goes for community gardens.  Building a community garden is much like mending the fence, it helps to build strong bonds in your community while providing new and renewable resources.  Here are some helpful hints from the American Community Garden Association (ACGA) to get your community garden started.

1. Form a Planning Committee

Whether you are planting your garden with a small group of friends, a large community or neighborhood, or with the help of an organization, it is important and useful to have a planning committee to help oversee the project from start to finish.  The planning committee will help to see the big picture and be useful for deciding design, layout, location, and work issues.  Not each member in the community will be able to commit the same number of hours to building and maintaining the garden, having the planning committee to oversee such logistics can make the entire process run more smoothly.  The planning committee can also research and organize based on climate and overall desires the appropriate plants for the garden.

2. Determine if your Garden has a Budget

Once the budget for your garden is set, the planning committee can oversee and make adjustments to ensure the garden stays within its budget.  However, it is important for all those contributing or involved to help determine the budget of the garden.  If the garden is being built with the help of an organization, the organization may have a particular budget in mind as there contribution.  Otherwise, it is up to the community to decide how much each individual can contribute to determine the overall budget of the garden.  Though it is unlikely, you may also determine not to set a budget for your garden, which can lead to runaway expenses and is not recommended.

3. Choose a site for your garden

The site you choose for your garden will impact the community and the process.  Whether you are taking a rundown piece of property or a small piece of land between the neighborhood houses, the location will determine much of what can go into your garden and the amount of funds or resources.  When choosing the site it is important to identify the owner of the land and receive the proper approval or lease to use the land for a community garden.  Also, maybe do some digging.  Make sure the area will get plenty of sunlight and maybe some dirt testing for soil nutrients.  Choosing the right site for your garden can be a bit of a challenge, but getting the right bit of land can make a difference.

4. Prepare and Develop

Once your site is selected you can start cleaning up the area and preparing it for development.  During this process either everyone or the planning committee can work on the design and layout of the garden.  After the land is cleared and ready for development you can put your chosen design into action.  Through the development of the land you are preparing it for planting.  This includes leveling areas that need to be leveled, building garden beds, latices, and other structures that will help your garden thrive.

5. Organize

When you and your community feel you have prepared and developed your site properly then it is time to organize the garden.  There are many details and steps that go into organizing the garden.  The planning committee can oversee the many different aspects, but it is up to all involved to agree upon different aspects involved in organizing the garden.  Some of the different aspects involved include plot assignment, tool usage, rules and regulations pertaining to the garden, and the possibility if dues or fees to maintain the garden.  All of these and more should be considered and addressed before the first seed is planted in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

Now it's time to plant! Enjoy!