Creating BCC's Community Garden

Our goal in creating the Bull City Commons garden was to turn a mud-packed, barren-looking construction site into a lush, green and flowering extension of our new home.

Residents were looking for an outdoor space where they could relax and find inspiration. We envisioned having conversations with neighbors and friends, outdoor meals, and concerts, as well as spaces for quiet contemplation in comfortable seating areas with shade. We also wanted the garden to be a place where our environment and natural ecosystems would be protected.

The choices we made for the garden had to be wise because quite a few of our residents are retirement age. We wanted to keep in mind that bending down and weeding could become more difficult as residents age. Also, we have tried to avoid plants that need regular pruning or more than average watering.

Most importantly, we were committed to a conservation-gardening approach from the onset. We wanted herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees that would be drought-tolerant and provide a welcome habitat for pollinators and birds. We made the commitment that at least 75% of the garden would be native. The other 25% allows us to enjoy horticultural plants that we love and do not want to miss in a mostly native garden.

Gardens are all about planting not just for now but for the future. We’ve been letting the garden evolve quite naturally. We think it’s already very beautiful and will continue to become even more beautiful over the coming years.

Transforming a Construction Site to a Garden Bed

Our garden started out in 2021 as a busy construction site. During the construction of our building, the soft soil on our property was compacted with the addition of structural fill to accommodate the weight of heavy machinery.

One of the first steps in creating our garden was to clear the heavy brush and dead trees.

After our building was complete and the heavy machinery had departed, we needed to loosen the soil that had been compacted during the construction process. The compacted soil was not suitable for a garden -- trying to plant something in that structural fill would have been like shoveling through a cement sidewalk.

We brought in truckloads of topsoil and compost to enrich the loosened soil.

Laying Out the Garden

We began laying out our garden even while brush clearing continued.

Our initial garden plan was drawn up by landscape architect Matthew Arnsberger with Piedmont Environmental Planning and Design.

Leveling and Draining

To create a level surface for our firepit seating area, we needed to install a retaining wall.

A challenge we faced was how to address erosion issues caused by rainwater runoff. A French drain was the solution. Community members installed it!

Garden Shed

We hired a company to build a shed so we would have a place to store our garden tools — and we painted the shed to match the colors of our building.

Pathways

Winding pathways are integral to our garden design.

Raised Beds

A number of community members wanted to grow vegetables and herbs, so we dedicated part of the garden area to raised beds for this purpose.

Color & Bloom

Our garden in bloom!

Four years after move-in, the garden features 37 native herbaceous plants (including Blue Mistflower, Obedient Plant, and Columbine), 14 native shrub species (such as Southern Arrowwood, Winterberry, and American Beautyberry), and 7 native tree species (for example, Black Gum, Hawthorn, and River Birch).

We keep a very sunny area at the back of our property more meadow-like. There, a variety of native grasses and colorful, sun-loving native flowering plants attract insects and hummingbirds.

Moreover, grasses are used strategically for ground stabilization to avoid erosion in the vicinity of the French drain that we installed.

Maintenance

As every gardener knows, there is always work to be done! Garden maintenance is a community effort.

Celebration

Our cohousing community is especially delighted to hold celebrations in the garden with neighbors and friends. The garden has been a site for Old West Durham's Porchfest series of concerts, and for performances by the Cajun swing band The Swampbillies (which counts two of our community members as bandmates).

Thanks to the Service Providers who helped us create our garden

Piedmont Environmental Planning and Design (site planning)
Lily Garden and Design (site planning)
NC Shed Builders (garden shed construction)
James Perry (tree service and brush removal)
Tarheel Turf Services (excavation, retaining wall, topsoil and gravel)
Triple D Fencing (posts around fire pit)