Process
1
Contact
We build relationships with community mangers to identify ecological opportunities.
This stage concludes with a site assessment and recommendations for suitable landscape elements.
2
Design
Next we incorporate the best elements into a holistic landscape design that welcomes community engagement.
The design proposal includes a concept map, planting plans, and approximate pricing provided by our installation partners.
3
Installation
When you decide to move forward with the project, we contract with vendors to secure installation and stewardship services.
Finally, your landscape is growing! Now the real fun begins.
4
Stewardship
Our stewardship partners visit your landscape periodically to make sure nature has everything she needs. Your landscape grows ever more Beautiful, Bountiful, and Resilient.
We then host community events and workshops to maintain engagement and offer a chance to connect with neighbors and friends.
Projects
Placemaking takes many forms; our primary focus at Gneighborly is creating community green space that offers natural and human connection. We use native and edible plants, winding paths with nooks and benches, and an ecological approach to design, installation, and stewardship that reduces maintenance inputs while simultaneously offering more Beautiful, Bountiful, and Resilient green spaces.
Meadows
Meadows are the perfect alternative to unnecessary lawn. Clipped turf is well-used in walking paths and areas for kids or pets to play (being mindful of biocides); but where lawn is not necessary it can and should become meadow. Why?
Human wellness
Ecological wellness
Purpose and connection
Hedgerows
Hedgerows are living fences. Some hedges in England are over 900 years old! Instead of cleaning, repairing, and replacing a fence every 15 years, why not plant a hedgerow that could remain for the next 150 years? The edges of common areas within communities are perfect opportunities for these enduring landscape features.
Using about 30 native and edible species selected for their height and suitability to the specific site conditions, these shrubs offer seasonal blooms, fruits and berries, and all of the elements of a wildlife habitat save for the water source.
Hedgerows need "laying" about once per decade. This is an opportunity for communities to gather and work with common cause. Each new generation gets a chance to participate, learn, and share with their neighbors. Imagine a 50 year-old hedge that continues to be tended by the community. The oldest remember the planting, their children remember the maturation, and their grandchildren act as stewards to continue the tradition for the next hundred years.
Forest Stewardship
Counter to some 'accepted' wisdom a healthy forest has an open canopy, allowing light to the ground to grow shrubs and herbaceous perennials that offer food and habitat for a wider variety of wildlife and
Find project photos on our portfolio page.
FAQ
What support do we offer?
We act as a guide for the entire journey to initiate, plan, install, and steward edible and ecological initiatives. After your community landscape is installed, we offer a couple tiers of stewardship service to keep the community engaged and the landscape beautiful for the long-term.
Do you need gardening experience to get involved?
Not at all. Gneighborly is designed to bridge the gap between 'enthusiast' and 'expert.' Whether you are a master gardener or have never touched a trowel, we provide the structure and mentorship—through partners like Gnom.Ed—to help you contribute meaningfully at your own pace.
Can you become a landscape steward?
We love to help anyone become more capable! We partner with Gnom.Ed to give newcomers a head start on developing their green thumb. The ones that love the work can apply to Garden Gnomads so they can practice their skills. Those who prefer advocacy can join Gneighborly or CWES to cultivate new projects and coordinate ongoing stewardship, and anyone who is dedicated to science, discovery, tech, and teaching will thrive at Gnom.Ed to educate the next generation of stewards.
What sets Gneighborly apart?
Our approach is grounded in ecological principles. As the world grows more interconnected, the general approach to natural stewardship will have an ever greater impact on the other side. In short, tending our immediate ecosystem benefits the greater environment.
What are our typical projects?
Ecological: Meadows and hedgerows are habitat for pollinators and birds, they evolve through the seasons to offer an ever-changing show, and they require much fewer external inputs to thrive.
Edible: Where there is the desire and capacity for more intensive care, a community garden and food forest is an amazing place for connection.
Can you trust our partners?
Yes. We can only move as fast as the speed of trust. That’s why we’re highly selective. We partner with those who share our greener vision, but more importantly, people who walk the talk. If the fit isn't right, we move on amicably. This high bar means that when we bring a partner to the table, we—and you—can rely on them completely.
Resources
Digital Tools:
Charlotte Placemaking Guidebook: A tool to facilitate neighborhood improvement projects.
Local Organizations:
Keep Charlotte Beautiful: Sometimes the best first step is just clearing the slate. Find tools and support for neighborhood cleanups and beautification efforts.
Neighborhood Matching Grants: Fund matching up to $25,000 for eligible organizations to implement a wide variety of community projects.
TreesCharlotte Community Trees: An excellent organization that plants many many trees across Charlotte.
NC Native Plant Society (Southern Piedmont): A cohort of passionate plant people who gather to explore our beautiful world.
Inspirational & Educational
Homegrown National Park: This link is to a guide for planting natives in an HOA community
Project for Public Spaces: An organization dedicated to placemaking.
Community Toolbox: An incredibly comprehensive resource for supporting community-based projects.
Your Journey Starts Here,