Community garden decorating ideas?

[kmeyrick]

Ok, here's the rundown. I am the captain of a small community garden in the city. People love this garden, and I love my plot! It's really a veggie garden, but two small plots I used for rose bushes and fox gloves to beautify the place. But I don't want to take over the plots with permanent plants, yk? I want to help decorate the place to keep it lovely. We are a grant and really need it to be spectacular to keep the grant going. And encourage other garden centers to donate, students to volunteer to weed, etc.

Have any ideas? I was thinking of making a beautiful wooden sign with stencils of plants to start with? Anything else you can think of? Pics helpful!

[lightheart]

What about growing some flowers among the veggies, annuals that are edible, things like nasturtiums, marigolds. Also look for flowers that will help keep the pests away - geraniums. Things like tall sunflowers that will add some popping pizazz.

Do you have pictures of the garden that you can share?

What are the paths mulched with are they bare or do you folks have grass growing between?

What about fencing, what type of enclosure do you have around it? If it's not as pretty as it could be what about growing things like beans or peas on it?

I'm assuming that some of the plots you don't have much control over since other folks are gardening in them so in a way you can't take total control over their little plots. Maybe not this year but next when you assign the areas be sure to spread out the people that you know are going to really put the time and effort into their beds so that the ones that are not taken care of as much are also scattered throughout so the garden as a whole doesn't look lopsided.

If you have areas that are not being planted sow a cover crop so there is more green and it will also help improve the soil.

You could add elements like a hose reel or a bucket/tool storage area so that those items are not scattered about and things just look neat and tidy.

[JamieCatheryn]

Seating like benches or something would be lovely, and butterfly attracting flowers, and annual flowers. Some kind of water feature, but not too expensive? Oh and you could share seeds for nasturtiums, sunflowers, and such in the spring with others with plots there to encourage them to add that sort of thing.

[HydeParkB]

If possible, you might want to consider some seating with shade. When I am at my garden, I can be working for a while, and it can get hot. We have a line of trees that I can take shelter under, but I do sit on the ground (or one of my overturned buckets). Maybe and arbor with vining plants, and a small bench or chair-width stool?

[kmeyrick]

Thanks guys, these are all great ideas! I'm going to run them by the president of the community garden.