Who are we?

The German Leisure Garden federation is the parent organization and interest representation of the allotment and leisure gardeners associations.

19 regional organizations (Landesverbände) regrouping 15.200 local leisure gardeners associations are affiliated to the German leisure garden federation. At present times there exist in Germany 957.000 allotment gardens. They cover a surface of 46.640 hectares and are used intensively by more than 4.000.000 persons

Allotment gardens exist since the creation of the first allotment garden association (Schreberverein) in Leipzig in 1864. For many leisure gardeners this is the origin of the German allotment and leisure garden movement. A survey of the history of the German leisure garden movement as well as interesting exhibition objects can be seen in the German leisure garden museum in Leipzig opened in 1996.

The leisure gardens have an important function as recovery and green zone within the cities and this particularly in the densely populated Germany. They represent an important balance for people that live in apartment houses. However all take advantage of the existing leisure gardens: the leisure garden sites constitute an important part of the green lungs in the urban concentrations. They bring live, light and air into the areas covered this constructions, equilibrate the increasing sealing of our landscapes and contribute to a better urban climate.

The German leisure garden federation provides training courses on subjects as for example gardening that is respectful of the environment, selection of suitable plants for the planting position as well as legal questions. In every association you find a technical adviser that informs the members of the associations.

As well we are the consulting partner for all questions dealing with (allotment) gardens and advice cities and municipalities when it comes to the creation and registration of allotment garden sites.