Ardmore Gateway Garden Community Standards

The Ardmore Gateway Garden is a community garden. This means we are a community of gardeners who work collaboratively toward the success of our garden. To achieve this, all gardeners are obligated to help maintain the garden space, beyond their own plot. It also means that we are part of the local Ardmore community and need to do our part to meet community standards for appearance and behavior. We have defined this as keeping the lawn mowed, maintaining the flower/berry plots bordering the garden in the front and side, keeping the trees trimmed, and picking up trash.

Gardener Eligibility

In order for an individual to be eligible to rent a garden plot for 2024 at the AGG, he / she must meet the following criteria:

1. Live within Forsyth County, NC.

2. Supply current home address, phone number(s), email address. Contact information must be kept current – forward updates to the garden manager.

3. Agree to adhere to the Ardmore Gateway Garden community standards, as amended from time to time, & plot lease agreement.

3. Must be in good standing from previous year (if applicable). To be in good standing, a gardener must have fulfilled the volunteer requirement and maintained their bed(s) according to the Community Standards.

4. Must attend an orientation session at the beginning of the season.

5. Must pay garden plot rental fees in full prior to the payment deadline. If a gardener does not pay the garden plot rental fee in full prior to the payment deadline, the gardener forfeits the plot assignment.

Rent

Rent is based on bed size. Rates for 2025 are $40 (4’x4’) and $80 (4’x8’). Rent shall be paid in advance. PayPal invoice will be sent to renter. Payment may be made by credit card in response to invoice, cash paid to garden president, or rent check mailed to Sustainable+Ardmore; c/o Bill Blancato, Treasurer; 1860 Neushore Court; Winston-Salem, NC 27127.

Duration of Lease

1. The plot rental term commences on the date rent is paid and ends November 30 of each year.

2. Gardeners may not have access to their plots between December 1 through March 1, as this period is reserved for major maintenance events at the AGG site.

3. AGG reserves the right to terminate this Agreement at any time if Gardener violates any provision of this lease or the AGG Community Standards (Appendix). Gardeners considered to be in violation will receive written notification and encouraged to work with the Garden Manager toward a solution. If a satisfactory response is not received within two weeks, the Agreement will be terminated. This means that the plot will be taken over by the garden Board.

Plot return policy

1. Notify garden manager immediately to terminate your plot lease.

2. Beds may not be sublet.

3. No refunds will be issued if plot is returned or forfeited.

Program provisions

As a participant in the AGG community gardening plot rental program, you will be provided with:

1. A garden plot

2. Amended soil for gardening

3. Access to water (approximately April 1 – October 31)

4. Composting for plant waste and home kitchen scraps

Gardener work obligations

All gardeners are expected to contribute work hours over the course of the gardening season (March-October), with the number of hours based on the size of bed(s) rented. For each 4’x4’ bed rented, 4 work hours are required; for each 4’x8’ bed rented, 8 work hours are required.
Tasks will include mowing, mulching, weeding common beds and paths, trimming trees, maintaining the compost bins, picking up trash, and watering. This volunteer work may be done at a scheduled workday or, by written arrangement, at other times as convenient.
At least half of the volunteer work must occur in the first half of the summer. An electronic sign-up for mowing will be provided. Gardeners who have not signed up and/or contributed any hours by the end of May will forfeit their bed and any plants in it.

APPENDIX

Ardmore Gateway Garden Community Standards

Revised January 11, 2025

This document outlines the rules, regulations, and expectations for the Ardmore Gateway Garden (AGG) at 426 S Hawthorne Road. Anyone participating as a gardener or a volunteer at the AGG site or anyone attending a program, workshop, workday, or event at the AGG site must read, understand, and abide by the terms outlined below.

General Policies

Do not harvest, weed, or clear another person’s plot without first receiving permission.
No open burning is allowed on the property.
Excessive noise, music, and disrespectful or abusive language is prohibited.
All use of tobacco and illegal drugs is prohibited.
No dogs, leashed or unleashed, are allowed inside the garden property’s boundaries.
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied and supervised by adults.
All gardeners and volunteers participating in gardening or workdays must sign a waiver.
Please be aware that AGG is an unfenced, public garden, and we are not responsible for the actions of passers-by, including theft of plants or produce.
One of the tasks of the Garden Manager is to counsel new gardeners, particularly on what plants will do best in the different size beds available. New gardeners are encouraged to seek out the Garden Manager for advice.

Allocation of plots

Priority

In the event that demand for garden plots at the AGG exceeds supply, the following criteria will be used to determine plot assignment priority:

Plots are assigned on first come, first served basis. Date and time will be determined by receipt of garden rental fee and signature of gardener on the plot lease agreement.
Higher priority given to those without suitable gardening space at home.
Higher priority given for those who live closer to the AGG site.

Trading plots

Two gardeners may agree to trade plots if desired by both parties, with the approval of Garden Manager or Board President.

Parking and Access

AGG is primarily a pedestrian- and bicycle-accessed public space. Parking is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis only for persons working on-site.
Obey all municipal parking signs when parking on surrounding streets.
Access to the large tool shed will be provided via key, for those volunteering to mow. Otherwise, only the garden manager and S+A Board members will have access to the large shed.

Reporting Theft or Vandalism

Report all theft and vandalism immediately to the Garden Manager or the S+A Board President.

Enforcement

If any individual at the AGG site is engaging in unsafe, violent, threatening, or illegal behavior, notify the police immediately by calling 911.
The Garden Manager or any S+A Board member may ask any individual who is violating the general policies to leave the AGG site at any time.
The Garden Manager may file an incident report whenever a gardener is in violation of the policies outlined in this document or the Plot Lease Agreement. All incident reports are conveyed to the Board, which will communicate with the offending gardener via email. The Board will determine whether incidents reported warrant forfeiture of plot.
An injury report should be filled out by the Garden Manager or the supervising S+A Board or committee member for each and every injury. A first aid kit is provided in the small tool shed.

Gardener-Specific Rules

Communications

All gardeners must have a current contact information on file. The gardener is responsible for contacting the Garden Manager with updated contact information.
A list of current gardeners’ email addresses and/or phone numbers will be provided to the Garden Manager and the S+A Board President.
Notify other gardeners if you will be away for an extended period so plot can be harvested / weeded / cleared as appropriate.

Dates by which planting and end-of-season clearing must take place

All plots must be planted by May 31st of each year. Plots not planted by this date will be forfeited, and reassigned June 1.
Plots must be cleared by November 30 of each year. Failure to adhere results in loss of priority placement the next year.

Maintenance

AGG provides a collection of tools and materials for volunteers and gardeners in the small tool shed on-site. AGG does not guarantee the availability of any tools on-site. Gardeners should plan to bring their own tools.
Keep weeds less than 6” in height. Remove grasses promptly to keep them from spreading.
AGG may trim any plant inside a rented plot that exceeds the bounds of the wooden or brick frame of the rental bed, or encroaches on the public space and walkways between plots.
Harvest crops in a timely manner. Please be aware that produce past peak ripeness may be harvested by AGG for donation. To avoid this, keep track of ripening and harvest just before peak ripeness. Doing so will also aid in keeping thefts and pests down.
AGG common spaces (including paths between plots, lawn, and common beds) will be maintained by gardeners.
No trash or debris in plot.

Plant debris must be placed in on-site compost. If the plant is diseased or infected with a fungus, place it in the yard waste cart rather than compost.
Dispose of all trash in the appropriate yard carts. AGG has no on-site recycling.

What can be grown

Food crops for personal consumption or donation (food grown cannot be sold for profit.)
Ornamental flowers and plants, as well as edible and medicinal herbs.
Do not plant anything prohibited by law or listed on the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s list of noxious weeds (found here: http://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/plant/weed/noxweed.htm) or plants listed on the USDA Federal Noxious Weed List (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/downloads/weedlist.pdf).
Keep plants that spread or wander, such as mint, in pots. Do not plant mint or members of the mint family in garden plots..
The following vining plants are not appropriate for raised beds of the size in AGG: melons of all kinds and winter squash, including pumpkins. These can only be grown with permission from the Garden Manager.
Keep vining plants away from plot edges.
Plants cannot be so high as to cause excessive shade in nearby plots.

Structures

Trellising is allowed so long as it is approved by the Garden Manager, the trellis PLUS the climbing plants do not shade adjacent plots at any time of day, and the trellis PLUS the climbing plants meets the following height requirement: the top of the plants over the trellis can be no more than 5’ above ground level (the path surrounding the raised bed plot). Trellis may exceed the height limit ONLY by special permission of the Garden Manager in beds that are removed from the main portion of the garden.

Pest control

All pesticides not labeled specifically for organic gardening use are banned.
Pesticides must be approved by the Garden Manager.
Organic pest controls must be applied so as not to affect surrounding plots.
Trapping of animals will be considered on an as-necessary basis. Submit requests and concerns to the Garden Manager.
Empty and store all containers of water in order to prevent mosquitoes.

Mulch

Only organic, plant-based mulches are permitted, such as straw, pine straw or composted leaves. AGG provides wood chip mulch on-site, however wood chips should not be used in plots.
Landscaping weed-barrier fabric, uncomposted grass clippings, and rubber / recycled tire mulch are strictly prohibited.

Compost

Plant material from on-site may be added to the compost at the rear of the property. It must be cut to 6 inch lengths. No corn stalks or sunflower stalks in the compost; they should be placed on brush pile at rear of the garden or in the yard waste cart..
Gardeners and Volunteers may bring food compost from home. Acceptable materials include:

Eggshells, coffee grounds and filters (no K cups), raw vegetable and fruit wastes, raw or cooked grains, pulp from juicing.
No whole fruits or vegetables are permitted - please cut before composting. No corn cobs. No pits or stones from fruit.
We do not permit meats of any origin, dairy, animal byproducts, bread products, flour, or oils/fats of any sort in our compost bins. This excludes most cooked foods.
Please be mindful of large seeds - these may germinate in the nutrient-rich bins!

Watering policy

Buckets and watering cans are available for gardener use in the small tool shed. Watering hoses are also available connected to the spigot. Please limit water use to only what is necessary and reasonable. Care should be taken not to stretch hoses beyond their limit. When finished, coil hoses neatly by the water spigot.
Water spigots must be fully shut off, as demonstrated at orientation, before leaving the garden site.
Report any leaks from the yard hydrant to the Garden Manager immediately.
Please be mindful of other gardeners who may be waiting to water, and return hoses to the spigot area as soon as you are finished watering.

Site maintenance

All gardeners are expected to contribute toward ongoing maintenance of the AGG site. This includes mowing, weeding (including in paths around beds), watering, and general site clean-up. Any person for whom these tasks are not possible due to physical limitations should discuss this with the garden manager to identify more appropriate tasks.

Termination

The lease for any plot that is inactive for an extended period of time, or unplanted by May 31st (excluding gardeners joining after this date), may be terminated after notice to the lessee. “Inactive” includes failure to tend assigned plot for an extended period of time, and/or consistent failure to harvest and letting produce rot. “Inactive” also includes not contributing volunteer hours to the garden. Leases for inactive plots will be terminated by the Board to maximize the availability of plots for other members of our community who would like to be able to participate at AGG.