Community Gardens

Importance of Community Gardens

"Tell me; and I will forget. Show me; and I will remember. Involve me; and will understand forever" is a saying by Confucius, meaning the essential prerequisite for learning is involvement. Community Gardens provide involvement of three important types - individual work and enjoyment, group and team co-operation and community engagement. I will now explain how community gardens offer opportunities for these three types of learning.

Gardens are used for community education, teaching people the environmental and social implications of their living habits, whilst using ecologically sound ways of living and building a community. People learn to cultivate plants growing their own food, which is both mentally stimulating and adds to an individual's knowledge and expertise. Community gardens not only improve people's knowledge of horticulture, it also teaches people to work together and socialize. This helps people gain tolerance for others of different nationalities, cultural groups and religions; they learn to co-operate, solve problems and express gratitude for each other's efforts and assistance.

Working with students in a community garden means a practical introduction to their subjects. Schools, universities, TAFE and other learning institutions use the community gardens as 'non-traditional learning labs', meaning instead of a classroom, students can work hands-on, interacting with the environment they are studying. Students can explore interests, hobbies and even future professions such as landscape architecture.

Community gardens are efficient as they grow to provide a learning facility and a place to enjoy gardening. They combine opportunities for individual work, enjoyment and reflection with others, and community interaction and relationships. They provide people with the full range of human experiences in a productive and