Amanda Carrier

Thank you for the great ideas!

I'll explain the space a little better.  This is an old house plot, 1/4 acre in size, off a busy main road, across the street from a college and next door to a school building (meaning that recess takes place behind the garden and there's some more noise there as well, but not always).  There is about 30 feet from the road to a small picket fence, in which space a more community-oriented space is planned for those who want to harvest.  Ideally we would put any noise barrier around where the fence is, making the raised beds a great idea! Then there is about 30 feet to the right of the fence where there is a driveway and then another garden bed, which is completely open with some small plants and flowers.  

In the back of the garden we do plan on creating a classroom space, where the noise curtain might be a good idea.

I've attached a diagram/map to show what this looks like roughly, and I can add pictures later!

Thank you again!

Hello,
I'm designing a teaching garden that works with college students, young children, and adults in the city.  We want this space to be open and inviting, but the noise from the street is so loud we can barely hear ourselves think, and becomes a problem when teaching.  It's especially a problem for those with hearing loss.  I'm looking for any ideas anyone may have on reducing noise while remaining an open and welcome space for the community? As it stands, many think of this garden as a a private space rather than a community one, and I don't want to make it worse by planting a huge hedge or putting in a wall. We're in Northeastern U.S.  
Thank you!