Community gardens

Gardening in your local area is a great way to create more greenery in our city and grow vegetables, plants and flowers locally. It is also a fantastic way to get to know your neighbours and get involved in your local community.

If you don’t have the space, or you are a beginner wanting to learn new skills, community gardens are a great local resource. There are many gardens that you can join. As each garden’s rules are different, we recommend contacting a number of gardens in your area to find out which is best for you.

Garden locations

Other ways to get gardening

Street and Laneway Gardens

If you are thinking of growing plants that are not edible, gardening on your footpath, nature strip or verge is a great way to meet your neighbours and look after your local area.

Refer to our Nature Strip Guidelines which support community stewardship of our streets and public spaces.

Community Composting

Composting is a great way to use food waste that may otherwise go to landfill. There are several community groups across Port Phillip that accept organic food waste. Refer to our Composting with Community page for further information.

Garden Plots in Parks

There are raised garden beds in parks across Port Phillip. These are not licenced or fenced and are fully accessible to the broader community.

These gardens are generally managed by a group of volunteers and interested parties through informal Garden Groups. Requests for garden plots within public open space are considered during community consultation on upgrades or redevelopment projects. Requests are on a case by case basis. Council considers such installations where a need was identified through our Public Space Strategy or park planning processes.

A number of these sites are listed above, but refer to our parks, plants and playgrounds page for further information.

Gardens on private land or land owned and managed by other authorities

Some community gardens are on land owned by private individuals, organisations or authorities. For example a church, school, housing estates or vacant, privately owned land that may be waiting on another use.

In these circumstances, agreements must be directly negotiated between gardeners and landowners. Gardeners should check with our Planning Department to confirm if planning permits are required.

Starting a community garden

If you want to create a new community garden on land owned or managed by Council, there are several things you need to consider.

Prior to starting we suggest you look at the assessment guidelines for licenced community gardens and the associated application form and checklist. These documents outline how Council will consider applications for new gardens and how we will manage garden leases and licences on land owned or managed by Council.

You will need commitment and support from a cross section of the community to ensure you achieve a sustainable garden that can be enjoyed by all. It is important that gardens are safe, risks are identified and managed, and that community access to these valued resources is provided.

Related information

Soil Contamination

Soil testing determines if soil contaminants are present in the gardening beds. Refer to the soil testing page for further information. In most circumstances, gardeners address soil contamination through raised beds, providing a physical barrier between the bed and ground soil.

Commercial Footpath Trading

Businesses that would like to install planter boxes as part of an outdoor area, should refer to the Council’s Footpath Trading Guidelines.

Contact

For more information contact Council’s Community Building and Inclusion team helpdeskcbi@portphillip.vic.gov.au or phone 9209 6777.