GutterGrow for Local Authorities
Low Cost Vertical Allotments and Gardens
(for local residents to grow their own flowers and vegetables)
Many local authorities wish to provide their local residents with a range of activities and support services which contribute to residents health and wellbeing. This has become of particular concern for older or disabled residents in sheltered housing where support services from local authorities are being reduced.
Sustainable Opportunities won a government grant to look at ‘Proof of Concept’ for a low cost means of constructing vertical gardens which could be erected in any small available space (e.g. patio’s, yards). As a result of this grant they are now able to offer local authorities a vertical gardening system called ‘GutterGrow’.
The attractive features of this system are :
- Low initial cost - variety of funding options - useful means of greening urban environments
- Ideal starter kit for residents prior to allocation of an allotment
- Frames comprise of tubes and joints which are easily constructed in most available spaces
- Frames can be adjusted to meet residents requirements (e.g. height, accessibility)
- All types of growing containers (e.g. pots, troughs, gutters) can be supported
- Most plants, flowers and vegetables can be grown
- Frames are robust and reconfigurable providing long usable life
- Frames can be easily moved or dismantled and stored
- Essential plant growing services (e.g. watering, feeding) can be automated and attached
The Royal Society of Arts kindly provided a ‘Catalyst’ grant to pilot the use of ‘GutterGrow’ with a Housing Association in Cambridge and a report and conclusions are available for local authorities to assess.
A range of funding opportunities can be considered to cover the cost of providing these vertical growing frames to local residents.
For a copy of the report and suggestions on funding opportunities please contact