Shared gardens

The big garden

We are working together to create a biodiversity paradise in the neighborhood: an edible garden rich in flowers and food for animals and humans. A garden that offers delight to all our senses and invites one to observe nature, a garden where everyone can get their hands dirty and participate, where one can stroll along, pick some berries or a rosemary twig while admiring butterflies, bumblebees and other animals.

We are honored that we can count on the generosity of the Bois-Cerf clinic. They agreed to let us transform part of their park into a garden. Now, it is up to us to invent the future garden.

The next steps

1. Taking measures: We map the park by measuring the space, identifying the position of paths, trees, estimating the size of the tree shadows and combining the information into a paper sketch.
2. Imagining the future: We draw the future garden, its paths through space, its plants, be they small or big, annual or long-lasting, the desired mix between flower and kitchen garden and convert this information into several garden proposals.
3. Defining the frame: We elaborate a set of guidelines that enable a relaxed functioning in this garden and highlight that we are visitors of the Bois-Cerf clinic.
4. Sitting down: We decide together with the Bois-Cerf clinic which garden proposal and guidelines fulfill best the needs and desires of the clinic and us.
5. Making the shopping list: We list our material needs (soil, plants, wood, twigs, tools, etc. ), identify sources and estimate the purchase cost if necessary.
6. Locating treasures:
   We
   search for financial aid to cover the costs that are not yet covered by funds we obtained already.
7. Getting hands dirty: We dig, build, plant to create our garden and make the dream become reality.

The school garden