Promoting Vertical Gardening in Maitland Garden Village
Project Sponsor: Ms. Ronell Trout, The Green Light Project
Team Members: Lauren Braconnier, Sydney Kerivan, Greg Reppucci, Raunaq Sandhu
Advisors: Professors Steven S. Taylor and Rosemary Taylor
Visit the Maitland Garden The Green Light Project Website
Abstract
Maitland Garden Village (MGV) suffers from unemployment, widespread substance abuse, and few youth development opportunities. With the Green Light Project, a non-profit organization within MGV, we introduced vertical gardening to rebuild community and address the consequences of these challenges. We investigated local needs, restored the community garden, fabricated vertical gardens, and introduced sustainable teaching methods to the GLP and our volunteers. Literature reviews, personal conversations, and an iterative design process guided garden fabrication. Training documentation was formulated to help sustain the vertical gardening initiative. Recommendations include succession planning, ongoing workshops, and the increased sharing of ideas through community advocates.