At ALS Landscaping, we are extremely proud to work with a diverse range of clients and support local communities with our work. This recent project for Arise Church is a great example of how skilled and versatile our team can be.
Arise Church is a central hub for this community in Birchwood, and we are proud to support their work and create an environment for local children, families, and residents to enjoy.
Join Addam and Arise Church’s Pete as they walk through this incredible community garden that is now fully in operation.
Project Overview
This was a large-scale landscaping project for the team, which covered several areas of the church’s garden.
This landscape was originally underused and uninspiring. “Essentially, before it was just a bit of grass… now we can do so much more with the space,” Pete explains. While this was useful, the church knew there was more potential to be had with this incredible outdoor space and entrusted our team to make this a reality.
Pete had the vision for this community garden, which would offer a combination of benefits for residents and local families. Following our garden design and installation services, what was once an unused patch of grass has become a multi-use community garden complete with permeable paving, raised planters, and turfed areas.
This community garden now presents plenty of opportunities for gardening, enhanced well-being and connection for Birchwood residents.
Vision And Collaboration
Pete played a crucial role in the development and eventual success of this community garden project. He provided the vision for the church’s garden and was very clear about what was needed in the community.
“When Peter approached us looking to put a design together for the garden, we jumped at the chance” – Addam.
Throughout the development and installation of this community garden, ALS Landscaping worked closely with the church team to ensure the new landscape met the church’s requirements and aligned with their goals for the community. The community landscape aims to bring people together and support wellbeing through nature, encouraging people to connect and get outdoors in a safe environment.
Following our collaborative design and expert installation services, the church now has a beautifully welcoming space ready for community events and hands-on gardening that serves the people of Birchwood all year round.
Key Features Of The Community Garden
This community garden was built to promote community involvement. The space needed to be both functional and accessible, while also being an attractive backdrop to a range of events.
A combination of shared space and reflection zones was requested to align with the varying uses of the church. To bring Pete’s vision to life and take full advantage of the available space, we delivered a combination of soft and hard landscaping features, such as:
Hoggin Pathways
These low-maintenance paths provide the main access throughout the community garden and are designed to guide visitors through the landscape, so they can take in the amazing work of the community around them.
As the church is accessed by the whole community, the paths needed to be stable and wide enough to support people of varying abilities, as well as space for wheelchairs, mobile scooters, and prams for small children.
Arena Turf
Arena turf has been used to create separate zones within the landscape, which are currently being used as play areas for children and as space for seating on sunny days. This artificial turf is designed to look and feel like real grass but does not require ongoing maintenance.
With these green areas, the community landscape is a natural, open space that will continue to look amazing throughout the seasons.
Block Paving
This durable block paving was selected to provide structural definition to specific zones across the community garden, such as the main patio and seating area. It is hard-wearing and designed to withstand the test of time, making it an ideal surface for a range of events at Arise Church.
Garden Beds
The garden beds have been professionally installed and planted by ALS Landscaping. Over the couple of months since the project was completed, the plants and flowers have begun to take shape nicely. These garden beds are now full of life with colourful, sensory displays.
“It’s beautiful to see all the colours coming through and the smells coming through, and it’s just a wonderful place to come out and sit” – Pete
Raised Bed Design And Installation For Community Planting
A key part of this community garden is the raised planters, which we have installed by leaving them empty to be used by members of the church.
“Some flowers have been planted by our children’s group, some by guests of our wellbeing café, and others even from funeral services… a beautiful memorial gesture.” – Pete
These planters are designed to be easily accessible by people of all ages and abilities, allowing the community to get involved in gardening. Following our design and installation of these timber raised beds, the community garden is a living, evolving environment that is changed by everyone involved.
A Multi-Functional Landscape
“It is exactly what we hope this space would be.. It serves a whole bunch of different functions. It’s serving different needs within the community at different times” – Pete
This community garden is a stunning, multi-functional landscape that is already being used by residents of Birchwood. While encouraging community involvement with the raised planters and gardening spaces, there is also plenty of time for reflection and wellbeing.
Benches and seating have been installed at various points in the landscape to encourage a slower pace. One particular bench, at the top end of the community garden, is Pete’s favourite.
“This is my favourite spot here, just to come and sit. Read my book, have a chat with a couple of people, so it’s an absolute sun trap down here. Is it nice for people just to come out and take some time out.”
These quiet reflection zones are just as popular as the large community spaces and are being accessed by a range of people across Birchwood. The church now has plenty of space for community-wide events, such as the Open Day, as well as supporting enhanced well-being from its members.
A combination of trees, shrubs, and seasonal flowers makes this a living landscape that offers tranquillity, community and space for reflection.
The Future
“We were able to do so much more with the space now than we could ever do before.” – Pete
As the garden continues to mature, further additions are being planned to expand its appeal and functionality. The design and layout of this community garden aim to withstand the test of time, ensuring it remains a central part of the church for years to come.
This has been an amazing opportunity for the ALS Landscaping team and the beginning of a continued collaboration with Arise Church. We are very pleased with the results of this project and excited to see what comes next for this community in Birchwood.
“The space is getting used for exactly what we designed it to be used for. And hopefully you’re going to get many, many years of use out of this to come.” – Addam
About ALS Landscaping
ALS Landscaping is a registered Brett Premier Approved Installer. Therefore, this porcelain patio, and all our porcelain patios, are covered by a 5-year installation guarantee and 10 10-year product guarantee.
Once we’ve completed a project, we register it on the Brett website. All the information is also sent to the homeowner. Our clients get the all-important peace of mind that their work is fully guaranteed.
Contact Us Today
Can you picture this in your garden? If so, get in touch today. Contact us to talk more about your garden project in Lincoln or the surrounding areas.
