THE EVOLUTION OF A GREEN REVOLUTION
Most of us are familiar with the concept of a community garden. But what is ‘community gardening’? Attempting a definition reveals the huge range, scope and potential of these activities. It’s something I’ve come to appreciate, having founded and launched the Chelsea Fringe Festival ten years ago. The aim there was to celebrate the many ways we can intersect with plants and gardens, based on the conviction that gardening is never only about horticulture. The fact this unfunded, volunteer-run festival has to date seen more than 2,500 quirky and original events in more than 20 countries is perhaps an indication of the strength and depth of interest in gardening in all its many guises.
The first permanent community garden was created in New York in 1973 by a group called the
