““Within natural settings, especially in the presence of powerful, majestic landscapes, we experience our humanness more fully. Our petty grievances seem insignificant under the dome of stars.”

-Karl Linn, landscape architect, educator, community activist, and author of “Building Commons and Community” (2007)

Creating beautiful, ecologically-minded spaces is an important part of design, but what truly makes a place are the people who maintain and bring life to it through conversation, play, and celebration.

So what does community engagement have to do with planting design? 

In the case of community engagement, the beauty of planted spaces lies in its greatest burden – its maintenance. These by design provide opportunities for local stewardship.

Moreover, planted spaces can grow healthy, local, and sustainably sourced produce. These foods in turn allows community members to cultivate moments of cultural and community connection through the act of the harvest and the breaking of bread.

In these sections, you will be exploring just a few of the facets of community engagement with your planting design projects, from the creation of a commons, to the people involved in the process, to the design considerations, and finally, to the continuous process of placemaking that comes afterwards.

You will also find interviews from local community organizers, as well as opportunities for engagement in planting design in your community.