Community Growing Space, Paisley
The brief
(A) To perform a Feasibility study to create a community garden and growing space.
(B) To create a community garden and growing space that is good for people, wildlife and that is at the centre of the community. The garden will consist of raised beds/growing areas, orchards, poly tunnels, shipping containers for office, meeting/gatherings and workshops and an outside teaching space amongst other things. The design must be functional, working a way that that incorporates the needs of the people, flora and fauna and encourages the biodiversity on site.
The space
The site is a former school grounds and is bounded by residential properties and a new school.
Problems to overcome
The majority of the site is covered in large quantities of rubble levelled from the old school which was demolished in June 2018.
The site is exposed to south-westerly winds. High potential for vandalism.
The design solutions
The design plans to work with both the gradient of the site creating terracing where needed and the onsite rubble (crusher-run) for creating low fertility substrates for growing meadow plants and for creating the sub-base for paths.
The flow of the site has been considered - not only for able-bodied people, but also those with less mobility. Any slopes within the main access paths are to be no more than 1 in 20 (5%). Ramps have been included for wheelbarrows, whilst steps allow quick access for those popping for a cuppa and moving around the site.
To combat the exposure and windiness of the site, raised beds with either hedges or trellises and climbing plants have been included across the site in an east-west orientation to form natural wind breaks. Mixed native hedges around the boundaries and the orchards have also been included.
Growing spaces outside, within raised beds and undercover in Polytunnels have been incorporated into the design. Some of the raised beds can be used for permanent planting, such as plants for dying cloth and other ethanobotanical uses, for wildlife and generally to soften the landscape of the community garden.
Refurbished shipping containers offer a reception and workshop spaces. Four of the six buildings have a planted ‘green’ roof, whilst the other two have solar panels for providing electricity for site.
Four further reused shipping containers - one which remains intact is to be used for tool storage; the other three are to be open-sided structures; the one in the gathering area will have a pergola attached to ‘enclose’ the space.
Rain water will be collected from all the shipping containers and the two poly tunnels into storage containers for use onsite.
The containers have been arranged to create courtyards and gathering spaces, softened with planting, making an inviting, attractive and biodiverse place to be.
This project is currently in the process of getting funding (Jan 2024) - watch this space……
“I’m the Chairperson the Foxbar Community Garden & Environmental Projects Group. On behalf of the group, I have no hesitation in recommending Rachel Bailey Garden Design.
We hired Rachel to carry out a feasibility study and design for our community garden. From our first telephone call, to first site visit to the completion of the Study and beyond she has been extremely helpful. She listened to what we said, what we wanted and advised accordingly, incorporating everything we wanted. She guided us through each stage of the process from the initial drawings, to 3D models and virtual fly through of the site, detailing construction and planting plans.
Her understanding and knowledge the environment, bio-diversity and permaculture is impressive. She pays attention to detail, makes full use of technology not just for plans but for communicating: bearing in mind we are in the middle of the COVID19 pandemic.
Thank you Rachel.”