The 100 Mile Diet  inspired the project. The idea of encouraging individuals to reduce their carbon footprint was the driving force for the new gardens. RBG took the idea beyond conceptual to the concrete. “The Veggie Village’s nine gardens show concrete design ideas for homeowners,” says Belinda.

The nine gardens  designed for nine different composite characters demonstrate how people with different tastes and preferences could grow vegetables in gardens that suit their lifestyles. Even if gardening isn’t a growing concern for you, there’s an option: buy locally grown produce…

The nine composite characters with their different garden styles:

• Dongah Shin’s Global Garden, Hamilton, Ontario.
  Grows Asian greens for his family. Close rows, vegetables grown close together

 

• Grandmother Judy’s Heritage garden, retired teacher, Barrie, Ontario.
  Grows heritage veggies and flowers
• Sandra’s Modern patio, interior designer, Peterborough, Ontario.
  Herbs & tomatoes in trendy containers, urban chic
• Emma’s Eclectic balcony, graduate student, Thunder Bay, Ontario.
  Hippie, any container goes.
• Belinda, Textural Terrace, horticulturist, Burlington, Ontario
  Colour, texture and symmetry
• Pierre’s Salad Parterre, artist, Waterloo, Ontario
  Salad greens & nasturtiums
• Dave’s Herbal Delight, chef, Stratford, Ontario
  Formal herbal arrangement
• Andrew & Leena’s Urban Edibles, Andrew, computer engineer; Leena, interior designer, Ottawa, Ontario
  Black mulch & silver edging, urban modern
• Celebrating Biodiversity with Robert, Solanacace medley, scientist & plant breeder, Toronto, Ontario
  Formal layout with hay mulch.

In addition the RBG asks for a call for action in lowering your carbon footprint by signing the Local Veg Pledge .

The pledge:

I/we pledge to use locally grown produce in at least one meal a week for a year to help reduce my/our carbon footprint.

Are you ready to take the pledge plunge?