Use of English

City Gardens

More and more people are discovering that gardening is not something that only belongs in the countryside. In many towns and cities, small shared spaces are being (0) TURNED into community gardens, where local people can grow vegetables, flowers and even fruit. These projects often begin when a group of neighbours come (1) .......... with the idea of improving an empty piece of land. At first, the area may look completely (2) .........., with broken fences and rubbish everywhere. However, with enough effort, it can soon be transformed into a place that everyone is proud of. Community gardens do more than simply make an area look better. They also bring people (3) .......... and help them get to know one another. In addition, they can provide fresh food for families who might not otherwise be able to (4) .......... it regularly. For children, gardening offers the chance to learn where food comes from and to (5) .......... responsibility for living things. Of course, keeping a garden in good condition is not always easy. It depends (6) .......... volunteers giving up their free time, and problems can arise if people lose interest. Even so, where these gardens succeed, they often have a very positive (7) .......... on the neighbourhood. In some cases, they even (8) .......... other towns to start similar projects of their own.