Community Garden
MARHABA MIDDENHOF

Located in Almere Haven, this community garden is founded in the middle of a small backyard in the centre of Almere Haven.

It now has become a place for neighbourhood barbecues, two picnic tables to sit on and chat with fellow neighbours or read a book whilst little children play safely in the enclosed space.... a willow hut, an apple tree, flowers.

Children play and even help water the garden and parents tell about it proudly via Facebook, but also local shopkeepers, such as the VLA cadoewinkel/ VLA shop to recycle presents help out with toilet and other facilities. Together the neighbours and volunteers met weekly for 3 of the winter-month every Tuesday in the local community cafe with thanks to the partnership with Doeners Dreef Zorg.

We have completed 50 workshops with a group of ca. 20 Havenaren & their friends we developed ideas about how to further shape the garden and meet the needs of the community. At present the small garden is filled with yellow flowers and the pathways are clearly shaped and covered with woodspan. Unlike before dog owners respect this little oasis.

We also decided on introducing further plant diversity, such as

• Flowers that grow every year
• Strawberries
• Autumn flowers
• Raspberries
• Boskoop Glory grape
• Ginko biloba 100 cm 
• Buddleja, butterfly bush
• Artichoke
• comfrey

We called on the expert tuition of permaculture designer Irene Moutthaan, who helped to make a design from which to implement the ideas in the coming Spring and Summer. We also worked hard on a text & design for a nice wooden board, so that more people understand how to connect to our gardens. We attended 2 social cafe's and met with representatives of the Wijkteams in Almere Haven in order to further deepen our collaboration within the area of Almere Haven and we agreed on a collaboration with the Meergronden/Wereldschool.

We also attended several meetings with respect to the Voedselbos Uithof and the partners associated with this permaculture initiative, and we presented the project in Amsterdam agreeing on a future collaboration with BuurT Bankjes in order to encourage new local partners. We are also hoping to further extend the collaboration with the shop owners from Almere Haven in support of local community cohesion. We hope you too will support our efforts to take the next step towards waste free & green neighbourhoods.