6 ms·

Is this uncommon in the US? I’ve seen it pretty much everywhere across Europe. Usually they’re managed by the town council and reserved for apartment-dwellers

simantel 4y ago
Not uncommon at all. In the US they're generally called community gardens, and in larger cities often have similarly long wait lists to the OP's.
- 13of40 4y ago
  Not sure if this is a pro-tip that could be repeated or not, but I've had a plot for five years. When I signed up they contacted me and told me about the extensive waiting list, and offered to tear up my check if I didn't want to wait. "But it's a cashier's check," I replied. I think they bumped me up in the queue just to avoid the hassle of returning it, because I was immediately approved. (Edit: Just to be clear I think the wait time was a year or two, not 40.)
- paulcole 4y ago
  Yes, I’m in Portland, OR and waited for a plot in a community garden a few blocks from my apartment for about 4 years - this garden is very popular and now has a wait list of 6-8 years. There were several gardens in the city with openings but none were very convenient to where I live.
  - selimthegrim 4y ago
    My aunt had one in the garden next to Buckman Elementary, it seemed well subscribed.
    - paulcole 4y ago
      Yeah the closer in gardens in SE tend to be really popular and well taken care of. Buckman, Colonel Summers, Clinton, etc.
sour-taste 4y ago
I've never heard of this anywhere in the US (but I've never explicitly looked). I got a plot at work once but that was private property. A senior center next to me offered gardening at a nearby plot for it's elderly members but again nothing public. Some city parks have small gardens run by volunteers. Edit: should have googled, seems my town does indeed have it! https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/rec/facilities/garden.asp https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/rec/facilities/garden....
dbt00 4y ago
Some US suburbs put them in park areas, I live in Palo Alto where there are a number of such community gardens. In bigger cities there have been various community garden projects, but they often are wildcat projects using vacant lots and constantly facing eviction by property owners to avoid insurance and adverse possession claims.
Spooky23 4y ago
My little city has about a dozen of them. Usually they are legally parks, which makes it harder under NY law to get rid of them.
AlbertCory 4y ago
I don't know about elsewhere, but there's a "community garden" I walk past every day. No idea how long I'd have to wait to get a plot in there.

simantel 4y ago

Not uncommon at all. In the US they're generally called community gardens, and in larger cities often have similarly long wait lists to the OP's.

13of40 4y ago
Not sure if this is a pro-tip that could be repeated or not, but I've had a plot for five years. When I signed up they contacted me and told me about the extensive waiting list, and offered to tear up my check if I didn't want to wait. "But it's a cashier's check," I replied. I think they bumped me up in the queue just to avoid the hassle of returning it, because I was immediately approved. (Edit: Just to be clear I think the wait time was a year or two, not 40.)
paulcole 4y ago
Yes, I’m in Portland, OR and waited for a plot in a community garden a few blocks from my apartment for about 4 years - this garden is very popular and now has a wait list of 6-8 years. There were several gardens in the city with openings but none were very convenient to where I live.
- selimthegrim 4y ago
  My aunt had one in the garden next to Buckman Elementary, it seemed well subscribed.
  - paulcole 4y ago
    Yeah the closer in gardens in SE tend to be really popular and well taken care of. Buckman, Colonel Summers, Clinton, etc.

sour-taste 4y ago

I've never heard of this anywhere in the US (but I've never explicitly looked). I got a plot at work once but that was private property. A senior center next to me offered gardening at a nearby plot for it's elderly members but again nothing public. Some city parks have small gardens run by volunteers. Edit: should have googled, seems my town does indeed have it! https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/rec/facilities/garden.asp https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/rec/facilities/garden....

dbt00 4y ago

Some US suburbs put them in park areas, I live in Palo Alto where there are a number of such community gardens. In bigger cities there have been various community garden projects, but they often are wildcat projects using vacant lots and constantly facing eviction by property owners to avoid insurance and adverse possession claims.

Spooky23 4y ago

My little city has about a dozen of them. Usually they are legally parks, which makes it harder under NY law to get rid of them.

AlbertCory 4y ago

I don't know about elsewhere, but there's a "community garden" I walk past every day. No idea how long I'd have to wait to get a plot in there.