[Culturechat] Garden plots

[Anita Killen]

These are very popular in parts of Germany, too.  A cousin of mine has one
in Freiburg (Breisgau) and grows fabulours flowers on it.

Anita Killen

Vance Roy wrote:

> A lot of visitors to CH remark on the small plots of ground frequently
> seen near the outskirts of a town or city with small huts and beautiful
> gardens of flowers and vegetables. There is usually a hut that can be
> quite fancy with a patio, BBQ furnace, a flagpole, chairs, etc. people
> can be seen sitting out or working in the gardens. The nearest one of
> these to me is in Sarnen, so you can see that the town doesn't have to
> be too large to have one.
>
> These "Family Gardens" were the idea of a Swiss doctor in the last
> century. He felt that city people would be healthier if they had places
> to get some fresh air and exercise. From this idea came the family
> garden. There are 375 of these plots in CH. Each is about 40 feet
> square, and they are rented by going to a city official in charge of
> this. There is frequently a waiting list. It costs about 250 CHF a year
> to rent one of these plots. There is no electric power, but water and
> and toilets are available. You can outfit your garden with a hut of
> course, as well as a patio, grill, stoves, and lamps. You are not
> allowed to spend a night in these however. What you grow is your own
> business (unless it is a weed to smoke). The use of certain fertilizers
> and chemicals is controlled though.
>
> The gardens are rarely far from the city, so people can reach them
> easily. There are local clubs that oversee the activities in these
> plots, and parties and work days are held. There is even a magazine sent
> to renters of these places. Some of the garden areas are zoned
> permanently for just that, while others are used on a temporary
> (sometimes years) basis before the land is put to other use.
>
> All in all, if you are an apartment dweller in a big city, these gardens
> can be an attractive way to get some exercise and get back to nature.
>
> Some of this information came by way of "Swiss News", a periodical in
> English about life in CH. You may find these in kiosks.
>
> Vance Roy
> gigli.saw@dplanet.ch
>
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