Traditionally, community gardens have been led by garden-loving volunteers who spend considerable time and energy finding available public space in which to grow. Extensive efforts filling out funding applications, organizing fellow gardeners, rounding up free materials and lobbying their local governments, are all undertaken in their precious spare time. Happily, the private sector is catching on to the immeasurable benefits of gardening in community and are committing to significant investments in establishing community gardens for their residents, employees, students, staff, and faculty.
We have seen a huge surge of interest over the past few years from property managers of purpose built apartments (aka rental apartments), condo developers, corporations, public and private schools, senior’s residences, and not-for-profits as well as churches, synagogues and mosques, all of whom want to engage their urban and suburban communities in activities that will enhance their quality of life, build a sense of belonging and camaraderie, and create biodiverse spaces where people can commune with nature.
It goes beyond Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals – markers designed to set standards for corporate environmental and community engagement. Some of our clients simply want to contribute to the greater good and establish gardens for the sole purpose of providing fresh organic produce to those who don’t have access to such luxuries (which are actually essentials). For instance, Beth Torah Synagogue established Hayden’s Memorial Garden in 2022 in memory of congregant Hayden Solomons, who was a huge believer in providing for his community. BUFCO built, and continues to plan, plant, and maintain their 20-bed garden which has produced hundreds of pounds of fresh food donated weekly to North York Food Bank.
Mark Miller is the owner/operator of Executive Furniture Rentals who had BUFCO establish a 240 square foot garden that is available to his not-for-profit neighbours, Vita Community Living Services, who visit weekly and work with our gardeners tend and harvest the gardens. Vita provides specialized services to help and support adults with developmental disabilities, dual diagnosis, and chronic mental illness to live life to fullest in their community, and gardening is one great way to get there!
Whether intended for an internal corporate community, in a school, or nestled within an apartment block, the hopeful vison of shared gardens comes to life with the installation of garden infrastructure. This is key focus for BUFCO, and often includes raised garden beds, a fantastic way to start and maintain a healthy, bountiful, and well organized garden. We’ve had the good fortune of establishing a variety of gardens in many different shapes and sizes, for many different communities. Our specialty wheelchair beds make our gardens accessible to all. We provide fencing, composters, pergolas, pathways, picnic tables, and all sorts of other garden-essentials to help with things like critter control and vertical growing.
Engaged leadership is essential to every community garden’s success, so we have developed a full season program to animate communities and foster their independence by helping them build skills, from gardening and organization, to conflict resolution. We offer workshops, planting parties and regular work bees, and encourage a shared garden model rather than individual allotments. Everyone is involved in the planning, planting and maintenance of the entire garden and everyone receives an equal share of all that the garden offers. Gardeners wait for a scheduled work bee day to harvest and divide up the bounty. We have found this approach cuts down on theft and conflict, and creates a harmonious, supportive, and happy experience for all.
Thanks to our many forward-thinking, community-minded clients we are able to further the BUFCO mission: to inspire urbanites to grow their own food and reconnect with nature.
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