Community Garden, Lochwinnoch

The brief
To create a masterplan for an attractive, accessible garden for community events, gatherings, and growing.

The design is to incorporate some of these main features: seating areas, picnic tables, a cooking area, accessible paths, a covered structure, trees, hedges, wildflowers, edible perennials, fruit shrubs, a pond/bog garden, and raised beds.

The space

The site spans roughly one acre in size.

Problems to overcome

•  Designing a masterplan that integrates different areas seamlessly while addressing accessibility, social gatherings, and childcare provisions while keeping within the laid out budget. 

• To provide space for stalls for craft and farmers market, along with a multi-functional covered structure for various events.

• Addressing the parts of the site that are prone to flooding during heavy rainfall.

The design solutions

The Hub: Near Lochhead Avenue, a newly clad food pantry and meeting room serve as a welcoming entrance. A deck with seating and tables is nestled within planting. Behind the meeting room, a larger seating area with a pizza oven is provided for gatherings.

Farmer’s Market / Large Event Space: A central open space serves as a venue for farmer’s markets or events, with planted borders offering seating areas. A large covered round-wood structure provides undercover space for various activities.

Play / Workshops / Education: Paths lead to quiet seating spaces among trees and a versatile deck for activities like art or yoga. A raised walkway provides dry footing through trees, leading to an open greenspace with a fire pit and a sensory maze.

Growing Vegetables and Fruit: A large growing space accommodates community gardening or a veg-box social enterprise. Raised beds of various sizes cater to different needs, along with water capture & storage, tool storage, and compost bins.

Pond & Wildlife: A large pond surrounded by planting areas provides a habitat for wildlife, while a bramble grove offers shelter and food sources. An orchard with fruit trees and meadow seating creates a relaxing atmosphere.

Storage: Lockable sheds placed strategically throughout the garden provide storage for tools and resources shared by community groups.

This project is currently in the process of getting funding (Feb 2024) - watch this space……