Community growing garden

An information poster and survey were put up throughout Bayonne Estate. A text message was sent to all residents with a link to the survey. Of 420 households, 21 responded to the survey:

• 18 were in favour of the growing garden

• 3 were not in favour

Concerns:

• It would make the area noisy, with people cluttering and playing music.

• The trees in the location will not allow enough light and sun for plants to grow, and trees should not be cut down.

See questions & answers below for answers to these concerns.

Our growing garden has been a lifeline for our residents. It is situated at the back of the Community Hall and has 7 growing beds that are partitioned to allow for 2 families to share a bed. 

Our residents are requested to respect the location as being surrounded by houses and flats and as such we ask that no music is played in this area. 

We ask for a £10 deposit for the key to access the area. This is used to replace lost keys should it be required. 

Residents are respectful of the area as they put a lot of hard work into their vegetables and fruits, plants and flowers. We decided to lock the area to prevent ASB and theft/damage to residents plots. This has worked well and we have had little to no incidents within the area. 

Residents bring their children in to garden and older residents may invite family or freinds to help harvest or sit and have a chat after weeding. It is a lovely social space that requires love and attention but rewards the whole community every season with the fruits of all the hard work that goes in to maintaining the space. we all enjoy the daffodils and tulips in the spring, an abundance of flowers throughout the summer and an array of colour in Autumn from the climbers planted to enclose the area.

Many of the residents that overlook the area have struck up regular conversations with growers and 'keep an eye' on the area. This support is rewarded with tomatoes and potatoes from one of our gardeners who often has an abundance in her harvest.

The area is a calm oasis for those that work hard to keep growing and those living around it that benefit from an additional viewing garden from their windows.