How to Landscape a Community Space

Landscaping a community space is an exercise in grassroots organizing for materials, labor and ongoing collaborative work. The task requires much networking and communicating between those who are interested in enhancing the appearance of the area.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Survey the community. It doesn't have to be a paper survey, just a general effort to find out what everybody wants and who will help.

2. Call for volunteers. Place messages on community boards or other common places around the community to build your base of interested residents who will help install the landscaping.

3. Fund raise. Find grants or donations from local government or businesses, or from individuals and households. Look at your budget to determine how much planting can be done. Review the survey to choose plant varieties and amounts.

4. Plan the installation. Look at how much area you have to work with, how much sunlight is available, how the plants will be irrigated and other essentials. Draw up a draft of the landscaping.

5. Get everyone together. Plan a day to start the project. Then delegate roles to make sure the project gets finished.

6. Plan for maintenance. Figure out how the area will be tended to on a regular basis and by whom. Keep in mind that plants needing a lot of care may end up being discarded if they are not monitored and cared for regularly.

Resources

• Government's Efforts to Improve Communities
• Community Landscaping from Nebraska Arboretum