Adopting a tree mirror or removing a few tiles to make the street greener is already common in Haarlem. But more and more local residents are now taking over entire public gardens. “It was green, but a bit one-sided,” said Sandra Schoonhoven and her neighbors at Veenbergplein. With a subsidy from the municipality, they are now organizing it the way they want.
A crane truck has already pulled the simple bushes out of the ground this week. This weekend the neighbors are busy with rakes, hoes and shovels. Paths are being laid, garden beds are being laid out and stone walls are being built to turn the square into a real community garden.
Neighbors are also showing their green fingers on the Mrs. Vospleintje. Professional help has been called in for both squares. Anniek Herder calls herself a gardener, neighborhood greener or highwayman. She knows which plants look best in the neighborhood gardens. She is happy with the growing enthusiasm among Haarlem residents to turn those boring public gardens into an oasis in the petrified city.
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Create your own community garden from a boring park – NH News / Geja Sikma
Vandal-proof
“We also have a learning garden here with lots of edible flowers, herbs and berries.” Neighbor Sandra Vos from Veenbergplein sees a long-cherished wish of hers and her neighbors come true. But do know that there are concerns about how the garden can continue to look good or whether their hard work will be destroyed.
“It has to be vandal-proof.” According to her neighbor Sandra Vos, this was also taken into account in Anniek Herder’s design. “People are indeed sometimes afraid of that,” says the gardener. “But I see a lot of enthusiastic people here. And someone is always keeping an eye on things here.” Neighbors Sandra and Sandra are already full of ideas to hold sowing and harvest parties in their own neighborhood garden. “So we’ll keep the vibe going.”