Greening Cities, Growing Communities

Although there are thousands of community gardens across North America, only Seattle and a few other cities include them in their urban development plans. While the conditions and experiences in Seattle may be unique, the city's programs offer insights and lessons for other cities and communities. Greening Cities, Growing Communities examines:

-- Planning and design strategies that support the development of urban community gardens as sustainable places for education and recreation

-- Approaches to design processes, construction, and stewardship that utilize volunteer and community participation and create a sense of community

-- Programs that enable gardens to serve as a resource for social justice for low income and minority communities, immigrants, and seniors

-- Opportunities to develop active-living frameworks by strategically locating community gardens and linking them with other forms of recreation and open space as part of pedestrian-accessible networks

Greening Cities, Growing Communities focuses on six community gardens in Seattle where there has been a strong network of knowledge and resources. These case studies reveal the capacity of community gardens to serve larger community issues, such as food security; urban ecosystem health; demonstration of sustainable gardening and building practices; active living and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods; and equity concerns. The authors also examine how landscape architects, planners, and allied design professionals can better interact in the making of these unique urban open spaces, and how urban community gardens offer opportunities for professionals to have a more prominent role in community activism and urban sustainability.

Jeffrey Hou and Julie M. Johnson are associate professors of landscape architecture at the University of Washington. Laura J. Lawson is associate professor of landscape architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Acknowledgments

Introduction: A Case for Urban Community Gardens as Public Open Space

Part I. Understanding Urban Community Gardens

1. Community Gardens in America

Research and Literature on Community Gardens

Roles and Resources Community Gardens Provide

Understanding Community Gardens

2. Making and Sustaining a Community Garden

Initial Conception

The Garden Site

Design and Design Process

Implementation and Maintenance

Participation and Leadership

Evolution and Evaluation

Citywide Planning

3. Seattle Model: Local Activism and Institutional Support

Geography and Local Economy

Demographic Change

A City of Neighborhoods and Civic Activism

Seattle's Community Garden History

A Web of Support for Community Gardens

Supportive City and Neighborhood Planning

Community Garden Development and Land Tenure

Funding Programs

A City Ripe for Community Gardening

Part II. Seattle Case Studies

4. Interbay P-Patch

Tour of Interbay P-Patch

Background and History: Building Community through Adversity

Design Process and Implementation: Design for Efficiency and Social Activity

Funding and Support: Creative Reuse

Organization and Participation: Team Leadership

Programs and Functions: Celebrating Garden and Community

Contextual Factors and Challenges: Problems of Pilfering

Special Lesson: Expanding Beyond the Garden to Help Others

5. Thistle P-Patch

Tour of Thistle P-Patch

Background and History: Forgotten and Rediscovered

Design Process and Implementation: Maximizing Garden Productivity

Funding and Support: External Resources

Organization and Participation: A Garden Made by Immigrants

Programs and Functions: A P-Patch Serving Immigrant Gardeners

Contextual Factors and Challenges: Conflicts with Neighbors

Special Lesson: Serving Immigrant Gardeners in Multiple Ways

Special Lesson: Community Change on the Horizon

6. Danny Woo International District Community Garden

Tour of Danny Woo Community Garden: Urban Refuge and Neighborhood Jewel

Background and History: Rebuilding an Inner-City Community

Design Process and Implementation: "A Work in Progress"

Funding and Support: Community Entrepreneurism

Organization and Participation: Serving a Special Population

Program and Functions; Local Food Security, Education, and Habitat

Contextual Factors and Challenges: Addressing the Presence of Illicit Activities

Special Lesson: Fulfilling the Multiple Needs of Elderly Immigrant Gardeners

Special Lesson: Community Design/Build

7. Bradner Gardens Park

Tour of Bradner Gardens Park

Background and History: "Protect Our Park"

Design Process and Implementation: Creative Responses to Fulfill Multiple Functions

Funding and Support: Leveraging

Organization and Participation: Partnerships

Programs and Functions: A Garden for Learning

Contextual Factors and Challenges: Gentrification and Neighborhood Change

Special Lesson: Green Building Practices

8. Marra Farm

Tour of Marra Farm

Background and History: A Farm Reclaimed

Design Process and Implementation: Incremental Change

Funding and Support: Diverse Sources for Myriad Improvements

Organization and Participation: A Coalition of Interests

Programs and Functions: Serving Individuals and Targeted Groups

Contextual Factors and Challenges: A Green Enclave

Special Lesson: The Urban Farm Experience and Opportunity

9. Magnuson Community Garden

Tour of Magnuson Community Garden

Background and History: A Garden within a Park

Design Process and Implementation: A Guiding Master Plan with Incrementally Designed Areas

Funding and Support: Seeking Funding and Broad-Based Volunteer Efforts

Organization and Participation: Managing Multiple Gardens as One

Programs and Functions: Synergies of Activity

Contextual Factors and Challenges: Eyes on the Garden

Special Lesson: A Community Garden Enriching a Large Urban Park

Part III. Lessons from Seattle

10. Expressions and Challenges of Sustainability

Multiple Expressions of Urban Sustainability

Challenges for Urban Community Gardens

11. Designing and Supporting Urban Gardens as Hybrid Public Space

Design Lessons: Reflecting Context and User Needs

Hybrid Public Space

Is Seattle Unique?

12. Visions of Urban Community Gardens: People, Communities, and Cities

Individuals and Families: Choices, Diversity, and Empowerment

Neighborhood and Community: Reconstructing the Commons

Districts, Cities, and Coalition: From "Emerald Necklace" to "Eggplant Networks"

Realizing the Visions

--What Gardeners Can Do

--What Designers and Planners Can Do

--What Researchers and Educators Can Do

--What Nonprofit Organizations Can Do

--What City Officials and Agencies Can Do

--What Citizens Can Do

--References

--Resources

--Index