Our ideas and methodologies have been developed at our two most recent community food growing projects, Sunshine On Leith Gardens and Lochend Secret Garden.  The Edible Estates model is intended to provide a framework or approach to the regeneration of urban greenspace and set up of community food growing projects.

Whilst we could provide a prescriptive definition of what features an Edible Estates project might have (and we have done in the past!), much will depend upon the existing greenspaces within a neighbourhood, and the needs, aspirations and capacity of the people who live there.  Instead we have set out below our Manifesto – the things we think are important, possible and/or a good idea.

In some estates, a lot of the greenspace is maintained as lawn.  Whereas some lawn is useful for recreation and amenity, it is costly to maintain in both financial and environmental terms.  The Edible Estates model is mostly about other things we can do with greenspace.  We want to re-think the greenspace within a social housing estate as an opportunity to create diverse and edible landscapes which promote personal and community well-being.

Growing food can be a very social activity, there’s opportunities to help out fellow growers with advice, plants, tools and mucking in with big jobs.  It can create opportunities to meet new people and start new friendships.  Whilst some people want to manage a full size allotment and grow lots of fruit and vegetables, others might be happy with a wee raised bed and a crop of herbs.  Community food growing projects put an emphasis on the community aspect of growing.

We want to encourage and support households to establish growing spaces throughout the neighbourhood by giving them access to Grow Your Own courses, and the tools and materials they will need.

We want to create landscapes which are beautiful to live in, that provide wildlife habitat and which provide a community harvest.

Community food growing projects are recognised as having a big impact upon the health and wellbeing of participants, if the project is sited in the greenspace around a community, the benefits extend in some manner or form to everybody that lives there.

Amongst some designers and proponents of children’s play, there is now a movement away from formal play areas with fixed equipment, towards creating natural playscapes, which encourage imagination, risk and challenge.

The greenspace around an estate is a community asset which can be used to foster participation and action.  Community greenspace regeneration projects can involve residents of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.  It provides routes for personal and community capacity building, and very visual evidence that positive changes are taking place.