THIS week Belfast residents are invited to visit their local community gardens to find out more about what they are achieving across the city for people and the environment.
Across eight days 20 gardens will open their gates wide for Belfast’s third annual community garden open week. This event is organised to raise the profile of community growing in the city, and help people find out more about their local facilities. From alleyway gardens to large scale community gardens, from North, South, East and West, find out more about what is happening in our growing movement. Participating organisations include Ulster Wildlife, TCV, GroundworkNI, Belfast City Council, Grow, and a host of independent community gardens across the City.
“Community gardens are a great way to connect with your local community” says Martina O’Toole of Eden Alley garden, off the Cavehill Road. “Knowing your neighbours can bring you a lot of love and laughter and can provide you with a support system. Gardening with my neighbours in the alleyway has helped me get to know them, and we have developed friendships over the years”.
Louise Ferguson from the Larder East off Mersey Street said: "Many problems can be eased by getting your hands into dirt, having a chat and a cup of tea in nature. It can be hard to feel worried about the state of the world but not know what to do about it. Coming together with neighbours to make small changes to the local environment can help to make you feel better. ”
Brenda Gough from the Three Sisters Gardening Community off the Springfield Road says, "Community gardening isn't just about flowers, vegetables, and herbs. You grow a place, too. It's standing beside someone, planting seeds you'll eventually harvest and eat, laughing and talking about life, over coffee or wine. It's about not being alone in a world, learning new skills, or just having a place to sit in the sun."
Many people in our city are looking for ways to connect, to get involved and to learn to grow. Community gardens in Belfast are involved in environmentally friendly activities, like organic food growing, gardening for wildlife, rainwater collection and composting. Some gardens specialise in medicinal herbs, outdoor cooking, gardening for the partially sighted, food security, seed saving and art. The inclusion this year of a neurodivergent friendly session at Gairdín an Phobail off the Whiterock Road is especially welcome. Whether you are looking for a gardening opportunity, already a seasoned gardener or just garden curious, this event is for everyone.
This week Belfast gardens will be offering garden tours, and a cuppa, with many gardens offering activities like gardening, plant swops and nature crafts for those attending.
Miriam Turley of Community Garden Support, the charity coordinating the week’s events, said: “This is a great opportunity for our city to appreciate all the wonderful volunteer efforts that go into creating and maintaining these spaces which do so much for community cohesion and wellbeing in the city. It’s also a chance to take a second to appreciate nature in a quiet way, to stop and smell the flowers.
“I hope the event continues to go from strength to strength, and everyone gets out to at least one garden next week.”
