Urban gardens offer people living in the city without their own garden a green space where they can spend their free time and grow their own food inside the city. In Berlin small Urban Gardening projects can be found in in almost every borough. They are not only places for growing vegetables, people from the neighbourhood can also come together to co-create a beautiful space. They are supported by different initiatives and associations. Empty spaces which normally quickly resemble garbage dumps are reformed into small oases in the city. When it is time to harvest, people can come together in these oases to dine and celebrate together.
Wedding: Himmelbeet – Garden Café
The Himmelbeet is one of the bigger urban gardens in Berlin-Wedding. It is an open space for everyone to enjoy. It is not only a space for gardening also workshops are held there. The intercultural space also has a Garden Café where visitors can buy meals prepared with the harvest from the garden. It was Built in 2014 with sustainable materials consisting mainly of wood and straw.
Photo: Himmelbeet gemeinnützige GmbH
Wilde 17: Build your Stove
The Wilde 17 is a small urban garden. The initiative has secured an empty space right next to a car workshop and has transformed this formally dark corner scattered with old car parks into a community garden. For every harvest they come together for a BBQ where anyone is welcome. This project also has space for people who do not find their passion in planting.
This summer anyone who wanted to be part of a construction team working with wood and clay was welcome. No prior knowledge was needed but new input always welcome.
The team is just finishing up building their own clay stove. Soon they will be able to offer their own freshly baked pizza with toppings from the garden.
Schöneberg: SchöneGärten – Green Office
With a growing population and a housing shortage space is rare in the city. Nevertheless a free space in Schöneberg was leased for interim use until a new housing project will be build. The districts delegate of the green party has worked together with neighbours from the borough to create not only a urban garden.
Next to the high flower beds is a sun terrace built out of 350 wood pallets, and hidden in a quietly space in the back you can find a bee keeping station. Right next to the green labyrinth is a big container. In there the delegate Notker Schweikhardt has his office where the people of the neighbourhood can visit him and an open dialogue can be created.
The urban garden creates an atmosphere where people can come together without boundaries. With his container office the delegate becomes approachable to the residents. This benefit both sides.
Photo: Amina Koss
Inselgarten
An urban garden does not necessarily need a lot of space. The Inselgarten is a small urban garden project that has found its space in the gap between two buildings. With just a few high flower beds a green spaces is created that is used for intercultural exchange in the neighbourhood.
While biking through Berlin you can find a lot of these small spaces which are completely open to the public. The Inselgarten is one of the hidden oases, we will show you on our green bike tour through Berlin.
Photo: Amina Koss
Friedrichshain: Mörchenpark
Right next to the Spree riverside is the Holzmarkt, a place for culture and celebration. Self-made wood constructions and tents form a unique space visited by Berliners and tourists to enjoy their free time. This is not only a space for party – in the midst of food stands and music is the Mörchenpark. An urban garden offering education in agriculture. An important aspect of the urban gardening culture is to bring understanding of agriculture and the concept of growing your own food close to the inhabitants of the city.
Photo: Carolin Saage
Neukölln: Almende-Kontor
The Tempelhofer-Feld as a former airplane field is such a unique green space in Berlin. Berlin residents have fought to keep this place and not having it replaced with big construction projects. Now it offers space for projects like Urban gardening. Right next to the Neukölln entrance a collection of high flower beds and wooden seating areas can be found. The flower beds are maintained by residents who are part of the association, but the beautiful space can and is frequently used by anyone visiting the Tempehofer-Feld.
We will also see this place on our Green bike Tour and you will have the opportunity to discover it yourself. Book a spot on a public tour Tour 1 – The sustainable Berlin of the future, Saturday at 10 am https://greenbiketours.org/vare/the-sustainable-berlin-of-the-future/
Written by green guide Amina Koss