Idea in a Nutshell

Kinning Park Complex will put their money into redeveloping their community garden. The project revolves around setting up Kinning Park Complex’s (KPC) community garden as a self-sustaining, flourishing ecosystem, using permaculture systems and knowledge to ensure that this next phase of growing at KPC is accessible, sustainable, regenerative and responsive to the needs of the local people, place and climate. The plans focus on a number of key issues that have come out of recent outreach work, which included a Garden Launch event and a Garden and Outdoor Space survey undertaken with community members, tenants and building users.

Currently, the garden space is uninviting and underused. This project will seek to transform our community garden into a much more welcoming and friendly space, and for it to become somewhere to spend time rather than pass through. Our community garden would be accessible and open to all where people can practice growing activities while learning new skills. This includes an enhanced seating area, play area and an improved layout to increase accessibility and appearance.

We would further develop and promote our current sustainable gardening practices such as composting and native plant cultivation (the meadow) which would serve to support further knowledge sharing, but also contribute positively to environmental conservation. We would work with volunteers to plan and plant a wider variety of plants which are beneficial to visitors (human and non-human alike) including herbs, flowers, and vegetables.

The garden space would centre around the current meadow area, with a more inviting circular shaped seating / event space, surrounding a planted fruit tree, wood chip paths and raised beds. The idea for an area for young people to use and play came out of the outreach work; this would increase the garden’s usability for local residents. For example, a mud kitchen is planned as well as another element for outdoor play if budget allows. This will enable a wider range of adults with their dependents to attend events or volunteer in the garden and give greater access to a wider age range of our community. The project would include developing an existing relationship with the care home opposite KPC to encourage residents there to get active in the community, engage with the environment and promote intergenerational integration.

KPC exists to be a place where our communities work together to ensure that wellbeing is prioritised, and this project will deliver positive impacts for mental health, community cohesion, and the environment.