Securing Space
If your company has a Facilities or Grounds Department, start there. Facilities managers usually know what land is open, if it is earmarked for any particular use or new construction, the site history, and whether there is access to water and power. If there are not any outdoor spaces available, consider growing food indoors in containers or hydroponically. You will need to find a space with enough light (natural or artificial) and adequate temperatures to support plant growth.
When deciding between potential locations, keep in mind factors such as corporate campus aesthetics and transportation to and from your space. Unlike a manicured lawn, a garden will evolve throughout the seasons and may not look neat and tidy all of the time. While a high profile position on campus may maximize the number of people who see and interact with the garden, these positions may also come with constraints. It is essential to understand how a garden fits into the corporate campus’s overall look and feel before breaking ground. In addition, consider how people and produce will get to and from the garden. If the food service team is managing the space, the closer you can locate it to the kitchen the better. When the garden is constantly in sight, the garden team will be more likely to remember to harvest that mesclun mix for the salad bar at lunch.
