Community Backgreens
Almost all of the tenements in Edinburgh have a backgreen. In some cases these backgreens are well used and cared for, and in others, neglected and of little amenity to the residents. ECBA was established to encourage and support tenement dwellers to work with their neighbours to regenerate backgreens into beautiful and bountiful community greenspaces, which encourage a sense of community and support sustainable lifestyles.
We've provided an introduction to the 'community backgreen model', if its something you would like to develop where you live you can get advice at the
How To Guide >.
Background Tenement backgreens in Edinburgh are normally communally owned by all of the flats in the stair much like the stair and the roof. Traditionally, the primary purpose of backgreens were to dry clothes, and this is still the case at some tenements. Nowadays, there is also interest in the potential for backgreens to be used for other purposes, for growing fruit and vegetables, play spaces for small children, storing bicycles etc.
However, with the high turnover of owners and tenants the management of many backgreens has broken down, and the communal ownership of the backgreens have inhibited initiative on the part of individual residents who are unsure if they are allowed to make changes to their backgreen or whether their neighbours might want to join in. Part of ECBA's role has been to make the connections between residents to explore how best backgreens can be used.
Caleys Community Backgreen in Dalry
Community Backgreen AssociationFor us, the most important part of a community backgreen project is the community that live around it. We encourage folk who live around the backgreen/s to volunteer their time to set-up the project, maintain it and enjoy using it. The development and management of a community backgreen project is a fantastic way to build a sense of community in a tenement and/or around a tenement square.
Wheatfield Community Backgreen Group, Gorgie
At larger sites with multiple backgreens we support residents to establish Community Backgreen Associations (CBA) to facilitate decision making and management. CBA's are set up as unincorporated associations with a constitution. The constitution allows the group to set up a bank account and make funding applications to meet project costs.
Community GreenAt larger sites, our first goal is to develop a 'community green' in a small area in the centre of the site, (you can see this in the image of the Caleys site above), which all residents can gain access to. The community green provides a central location for shared activities and community facilities which might be useful to all of the households such as, a community tool shed, raised beds for veg growing, a jungle gym play area for young children, a community composting facility, bike sheds or whatever the residents decide (see Strawberry Field community green below).
Strawberry Field Community Green, LeithWe advise groups to keep their community green small, or at least to make sure there isn't lot of grass as it creates a larger ongoing maintenance issue. The community green is often bordered by a 'forest garden' (see below).
Community Shed & Shared ToolsA tool shed is installed in the community green which is shared by all the members of the community backgreen group. The shed stores the shared tools and equipment which is used to develop and maintain the site. The shed, tools and other materials needed to develop the site are normally paid for by a grant from the Council or other funder.
Strawberry Field Communty Shed, Leith
Raised Beds & Grow Your Own Courses
Since 2009 we have encouraged our groups to install raised beds in their community backgreen, and regular tenement backgreens. The raised beds are normally 4 feet by 8 feet, and managed individually by each participating household. At the Strawberry Field site (above) 15 beds have been installed, at the Sunshine On Leith site, we have installed 38.
Grow Your Own Class at SOL Gardens, LeithThe raised beds are built during six week long Grow Your Own courses which teach folk the basics to grow vegetables.
Raised Beds at Caleys Community Backgreen, Dalry