Public Planting

Since I've been writing about public planting, a number of you have suggested I should produce a separate blog about this subject in its own right. Whilst I like the idea, I also know it would be too much for me to try and run another major blog alongside Veg Plotting. So as a compromise, I've decided that Public Planting should have its own dedicated Page outlining some of my key posts, plus some of the many links I've bookmarked and filed along the way.

However, I've also realised that I can't really do them justice within a single page. So I've classified the bookmarks I have into a number of key categories, with a post on each linked to from here. This is a work in progress not only whilst the separate category posts are created but also I expect here and the other posts will be updated as I discover more information that is of interest.

If you've found something useful which should be included, then do please get in touch via vegplotting at gmail dot com. The categories may be split down even further if and when any of them become unwieldy and those I've identified so far (in no particular order) are:

• Academic/Professional Organisations - UK
• Charities/NGOs
• Non-UK Resources
• Initiatives/Projects
• Publications
• Blogs/People
• Techniques and Best Practice

You may also like to look at my Defining Public Planting post from 2008 when I explained how I was intending to look at this topic. Since then I've relaxed my remit a little and I also talk about our major parks and open spaces where appropriate, though I do try and focus on the more everyday aspects of our planting that we pass by rather than specifically visit. All my posts about Public Planting can be found under the label of the same name in the left hand sidebar of this blog.

I also asked Do We care About Public Planting?  and concluded that many of us do. Such was the response to my public planting posts and you wanting to be involved in some way, that in 2009 I launched Out on the Streets (aka OOTS). This was at the time a quarterly meme inviting you to post about public planting in their neighbourhood. Here's the kick-off post I wrote in February 2009 when I announced this meme and explained how it would work.

From 2010, it's been at four-monthly intervals (April, August and December aka spring, summer and sparkly festive editions) which is how I expect it to operate going forward. My own posts can be found under the Out on the Streets label. If you don't blog, but would still like to be involved in some way, there's always the possibility of a joint posting on here or a full blown guest post.

Whilst I'm still building up the resource category posts to link to from this page, you might like to have a look at a couple of good resources I've found thus far. The first is CABE's* Grey to Green campaign and report; the second is my post about the Horticultural Trade Association's Greener Planning guidance and resources available on their website.

* = an organisation now sadly defunct following the government's budget cuts in October 2010, but still has a wealth of good practice information and other resources on its archived website.