In almost every town or village you will find places that are uncared for, overgrown and neglected – yet they hold great potential. Thanks to the support of Via Foundation and Kaufland supermarkets, these abandoned spaces are being transformed into inspiring community gardens. Green oases can become a focal point for the local community where people meet, learn, relax and make new friendships. Let’s take a look at some examples of how gardens are transforming our towns and cities and bringing joy into the everyday lives of residents.
A campfire circle and a toilet: the basic necessities of a community garden
On the outskirts of the town of Čimice, in a place where there used to be only fields and wild thickets, a beautiful community garden has emerged thanks to the 333 Valley Association. Martina Taišlová, the driving force behind the project, has transformed this space into a wonderful, living place. Ironically, the initial impetus for the garden were covid restrictions, which Martina and her friends turned into a challenge as they sought to find ways to spend time actively. They cut down overgrown shrubs, gradually cultivated the whole plot and built a campfire circle.
Even a small garden can bear fruit
The smallest community garden, called Malý klín, is located in Prague’s Kobylisy district on a plot of land next to the Kaufland supermarket and a frequented road. Despite its location at a busy crossroads, the garden is a quiet and pleasant place.
It was created in 2021 with the aim of revitalizing a neglected site on the border of the Prague 8 and 9 districts and to connect the two districts. Today, the garden draws families and senior citizens from both the Prague 8 and 9 districts who work together to cultivate plants in 12 raised beds. The beds are divided in half, giving a total of 24 garden plots. Thanks to our support, the community garden group was able to purchase a tool box, rainwater barrel, bench and fruit bushes to plant along the fence.
Pavel Marvanek coordinates activities at the community garden. His energy and enthusiasm are important factors in the development of this green oasis in the middle of the urban concrete jungle. He and other gardeners and neighbors regularly participate in events such as Clean Up the Czech Republic and they also hold community barbecues. The only problems that the garden faces are uninvited visitors and petty theft. While these problems continue to be a challenge, they have not diminished the group’s spirit and they have big plans looking forward. They would like to run educational workshops about sustainable, chemical-free gardening, fermentation, kimchi production and long-term crop preservation, and are even considering raising chickens. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for them!
We’ve supported 48 community gardens so far
Community gardens are a great way to turn neglected spaces into places full of life. Since 2022, we have supported 48 community gardens in the Already Growing, Already Sprouting program funded by Kaufland. Both new and existing gardens are supported through the program, which is enabling vibrant hubs of community life to flourish, providing inspiration for other active people who want to change their surroundings for the better.
