There's never been a better time than now to think about getting involved with community gardening in Vancouver. Try your hand at growing your own fruits and vegetables, and reap the health, economic and recreational rewards of this satisfying way of life. In the Vancouver lower mainland, there are literally dozens of  community gardens and the trend to create more is backed by local government support and a growing interest from the public. Whether you've spotted a garden already or have the perfect area of land in mind, take a bit of time to do some research and follow the few simple steps below to ensure your project is a success.

Before creating a new garden, first take a moment to review the list of some existing community garden projects . From there, you can gain insight on what to expect in terms of the numbers of gardeners that cultivate the area, the "culture" of the garden (ie: perhaps there is a social group that meets or gardens together), or even tips about what kinds of vegetation will grow well in your chosen garden. In some cases there may be restrictions on what you can grow, or you may discover that certain soil types, such as high acid or low acid, are best suited your particular garden plan. You can also download a walking or cycling tour of Vancouver community gardens to see what great work has been done already in the city. Also, take a moment to get acquainted with the Community Gardens Policy

Setting up your own community garden plot:

• Step 1: Find a space which is at least 25 square feet where you'd like to start a garden. Finding usable land at ground level is best. Many existing community gardens are in fact on privately owned land while others gardening areas are created by developers. While the process to obtain land is not totally streamlined at this point, a good starting point is to fill out a Neighbourhood Garden Lands Sign Up Form
• Step 2: Determine who owns the land.  It's good to know that more than 50% of all community gardens actually exist within city parks. The City will let you know if its privately owned or city-owned. In the latter case, Send an e-mail with questions foodpolicy@Vancouver.ca  and provide your contact information. You will be notified as to the eligibility of the land in question. If you're looking to develop a garden on private land, this certainly is an option but you must clarify with the owner of the land your specific needs ie) planned activities, types of plants, and duration of use. The land owner may wish to develop in the future and both parties should be in agreement as to the land use and duration before embarking on a project. Good communication, as always, is the key. 
• Step 3: When you're ready to move forward, refer to Community Garden Resources which provides a wealth of resources to help you get started.

Finally, best of luck with producing a fine, organic harvest to enjoy, and know that your efforts are truly appreciated by everyone. You are doing your part to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for our city. 

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