Community gardens grow from a need for such shared spaces, brought into being by a group of people working together for the free enjoyment of all. While allotment gardens are formed by dividing up land for individuals to use in return for a fee, a community garden includes shared areas as well as small plots available for individual users to garden rent-free.
The land used is often reclaimed from derelict sites in the centre of the community. A group of volunteers come together to clear the site, committed to providing a green environment in what are often inner-city areas. From the Culpepper and Phoenix Gardens in London to the Clinton Gardens in Hells Kitchen, New York, what used to be rubbish dumps, car parks and bomb sites are now thriving gardens producing flowers, vegetables and fruit, and providing urban homes for wildlife. The gardens are run by management committees formed by local people, usually working on a voluntary basis, and the emphasis is on co-operation and the sharing of labour, experience and responsibility, as well as the produce.
