Community Gardens Standard

This Standard establishes guidance for the planning, establishment and stewardship of Community Gardens developed under the National Community Landscape Framework.

Community Gardens provide adaptable, participation-focused landscapes that can support food literacy, environmental education, social connection, practical skill development and local resilience.

Purpose

The purpose of this Standard is to ensure Community Gardens are planned and managed as inclusive public assets rather than informal or temporary planting spaces.

Community Gardens should strengthen neighbourhood participation, improve environmental awareness and provide practical opportunities for residents, schools and organisations to contribute to healthier communities.

Core Functions

Food Literacy

Support practical understanding of growing, harvesting, seasonal produce and responsible food use.

Community Participation

Create accessible opportunities for residents, families, schools and local organisations to work together.

Environmental Education

Encourage practical learning about soil, water, biodiversity, composting and sustainable growing practices.

Local Resilience

Strengthen neighbourhood capacity through shared skills, community connection and practical food-related knowledge.

Planning Requirements

  • Site suitability should be assessed before establishment.
  • Soil quality and contamination risks should be reviewed.
  • Water access should be practical and sustainable.
  • Garden layout should support safe access and inclusive participation.
  • Long-term stewardship arrangements should be identified before planting.
  • Community use should be compatible with existing public space functions.

Garden Models

Shared Community Garden

A collectively managed garden where residents participate in shared planting, care and harvesting.

Educational Garden

A garden designed primarily for schools, workshops, food literacy and community learning.

Raised Bed Garden

A structured model suitable for smaller spaces, accessibility needs or locations requiring soil separation.

Mixed Productive Garden

A flexible garden combining vegetables, herbs, pollinator plants, native species and seasonal growing areas.

Stewardship

Community Gardens require active stewardship because they are generally more seasonal and participation-dependent than orchards or food forests.

Stewardship arrangements should identify who coordinates planting, watering, maintenance, community access, reporting, education and periodic review.

Volunteer involvement should be encouraged, but responsibility should remain realistic, supported and clearly defined.

Harvest & Community Use

Community Garden produce should be managed for public benefit rather than commercial return.

Where produce is distributed, the preferred principle is free community benefit, subject to locally appropriate arrangements for seed saving, education, food safety, community sharing and approved charitable partnerships.

Lifecycle Planning

Community Gardens should be reviewed through three practical lifecycle phases:

  • Establishment Phase: site preparation, soil improvement, initial planting, participation building and stewardship formation.
  • Development Phase: improved growing systems, stronger participation, education programs and refinement of garden management.
  • Renewal Phase: bed replacement, soil restoration, leadership succession, redesign where needed and continued community benefit.

Review Indicators

Participation

Volunteer involvement, school use, community attendance and partnership activity.

Garden Health

Soil condition, plant performance, water efficiency and seasonal productivity.

Community Value

Food literacy, social connection, resident feedback and educational outcomes.

Governance

Stewardship continuity, maintenance completion, safety reporting and annual review.

Community Gardens are most effective when treated as learning, participation and resilience spaces rather than simple food production areas.

Standard

Community Gardens should be planned, managed and reviewed as inclusive community assets that strengthen food literacy, environmental education, participation and local resilience while remaining safe, accessible and supported by clear stewardship.

Framework Documents

The following documents collectively support the National Community Landscape Framework. While each document may be read independently, together they provide a comprehensive framework for strengthening healthier, greener and more resilient communities.