This is the 41st anniversary of the Day of the Garden!
At the instigation of the Bundesverband der Kleingartenvereine Deutschlands e. V. (formerly BDG), the Day of the Garden has been celebrated on the second Sunday in June since 1984 and raises awareness of the importance of the allotment garden movement for the well-being of people and nature in town and country.
A good opportunity to open up allotment gardens and sites throughout Germany to interested parties and invite them to take part in activities, visit the gardens and exchange ideas!
Central festive event 2025 in Schleswig-Holstein
In 2025, the central kick-off event will take place in the GOLD award-winning allotment garden site of the Friedrichsgabe association in Norderstedt. Exceptionally, as the Whitsun weekend is in the way, the Landesverband der Kleingartenvereine Schleswig-Holsteins e. V. will hold the festival on Saturday, 14 June 2025.
The Minister President Daniel Günther has taken over the patronage and thus expresses his benevolence towards our members and our hobby. It is particularly important to us to celebrate this special garden festival where it belongs - with the allotment gardeners. The Friedrichsgabe association, our participant in the last national competition ‘Gardens in urban development’, has agreed to sweep the ‘Pilzhagen 3’ site once again and prepare it for guests from near and far. The modern design is well worth seeing. It is located in a local recreation area, not far from housing and industry. Once you have passed through the garden gate, you will quickly forget the unsettled surroundings. Come and see for yourself!
‘Allotment gardens - We know how green works!’
The motto for 2025 is ‘Allotment gardens - We know how green works!’, which emphasises the importance of greenery for the neighbourhood and at the same time the allotment gardeners' expertise in green and environmental issues. On 14 June 2025, we will focus on specialist advice. Our volunteers will present their knowledge on the topics of specialist advice in a wide variety of ways. In addition to the classic areas, the ‘new’ fields of action will also be presented. Drought, heat, heavy rainfall and the loss of biodiversity can be demonstrably mitigated with the possibilities of our areas and the commitment of our members. We want to show how.
Allotment gardens offer recreation, education and community for people from different social and cultural backgrounds. They are open to all, including non-members, and often serve as venues for training and conservation activities. The allotment garden associations are heavily involved in fairs, festivals and charity events in their communities and towns. They do a lot for the integration of newcomers and gardens quickly become a piece of home. Association means society, society unites! Club-based gardening has been a successful concept for over 200 years. We want to showcase this on the Day of the Garden.
For the nationwide kick-off event for the Day of the Garden, we will be organising a festival not only for local gardening enthusiasts - we will be welcoming guests from all over Germany. We want to offer a colourful programme for young and old. Food and drink will be catered for and there will always be enough space to chat both professionally and privately.
https://kleingarten-bund.de/veranstaltungen/wettbewerbe/tag-des-gartens/
Author: Thomas Kleinworth, federal advisor of the BKD and managing director of the regional federation of allotment garden associations in Schleswig-Holstein
Allotments may sound more like parish council subject matter than something for the corridors of power in Whitehall. But it would wrong to make that assumption when Rotherham MP Sarah Champion is around.
She has tabled an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill - which is part of Government planning reforms - which could see more land for allotments and community gardens being made available.
There is a national shortage of allotments, which have bounced back into fashion after decades in the doldrums. It is estimated there are 90,000 wanting to sign up for a plot, nationally.
She has been working with Mike Farrell, a Rotherham resident and Chair of the National Allotment Society (NAS), to campaign for the changes. Labour’s manifesto committed to promote nature recovery, through large-scale projects like riverwalks and national forests.
Sarah’s amendment seeks to leverage the opportunity on offer in smaller-scale nature recovery projects. Allotments and community gardens are rich in biodiversity, creating green spaces for wildlife and pollinators.
There is also a growing awareness of the role that these sits play in improving physical and mental health, as well as tackling loneliness, as allotment sites frequently have strong communities of gardeners willing to share their skills and help others.
Ms Champion said: “The creation of more allotments and community gardens would generate biodiversity benefits across the country, at relative ease and low cost to the taxpayer.”
“Allotments aren’t just about vegetables, they are about community. They create space for educational and social projects. In Rotherham, the South Yorkshire WH Community use their allotment to host a weekly Cook and Share Luncheon using allotment grown fruit and veg, for new and old residents alike.”
“With so many people on allotment waiting lists across the country, alongside a desperate need for nature recovery, my amendment represents a win-win for the Government.”
Mike Farrell added: “The waiting lists for allotments are a direct reflection of the lack of available land. With more people recognising the health and environmental benefits of growing their own food, it's vital that we expand access to these vital green spaces to ensure that no one is left waiting.”
Zero Waste Day is a global day of action that draws attention to the importance of reducing waste and conserving the earth's resources. The focus is on integrating the principle of "zero waste" into everyday life and promoting alternative lifestyles that are less harmful to the environment. This not only means avoiding plastic waste, but also a more conscious approach to consumption, packaging and waste. Zero Waste Day encourages people to make more sustainable choices, such as avoiding single-use products and striving to recycle and reuse.
One aspect of the zero waste concept is realised in our allotment gardens, which not only offer the opportunity to grow your own fruit and vegetables, but also contribute to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. In allotment gardens, the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is avoided in favour of natural methods and organic cultivation. This promotes biodiversity and helps to reduce the ecological footprint.
Allotment gardens also offer a valuable opportunity to produce food locally and sustainably, reducing long transport distances and the associated CO2 emissions. Having your own garden not only promotes the idea of zero waste by avoiding packaged food, but also contributes to a healthier lifestyle, as you can grow fruit and vegetables in a self-determined way without industrial intervention.
To summarise, Zero Waste Day and allotment gardening go hand in hand when it comes to protecting the environment and making everyday life more sustainable. Both promote a life with less waste, more mindfulness and a close connection to nature.
Let's take the International Day of Zero Waste as an opportunity to remind ourselves of this so that we can leave a world worth living in for our children and grandchildren.
Further links:
https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/international-day-zero-waste-2025
https://unhabitat.org/international-day-of-zero-waste-2025
Weed Day, celebrated every year on 28th March, is a rather unusual way to engage with the flora of our environment. The day reminds us of the importance of appreciating the plants that are often considered bothersome or unwanted. Weeds play a dual role in many cultures and walks of life – they are both a symbol of resilience and adaptability and a challenge for us allotment gardeners.
Weeds are plants that spread into areas where they have not been intentionally grown, often outcompeting crop plants. Their ability to grow quickly, adapt to a wide range of conditions and thrive in almost any environment makes them true survivors. However, some weeds, such as dandelions or nettles, also have a positive side: they are not only useful in medicine and cooking but also provide habitats for insects and other small animals.
Weed Day also invites us allotment gardeners to question what is supposedly useless and to understand its role in the ecological system. This day can also be used as an opportunity to think about the sustainable use of natural resources and to reflect on our attitude towards nature. Perhaps in the future weeds will no longer be just a nuisance, but a valuable part of our gardens and nature.
The conscious handling of so-called weeds also leads to a reduction in the use of pesticides. Every year, the ‘Pesticide Action Week’ takes place from 20 to 30 March. Further information can be found at:
https://www.semaine-sans-pesticides.fr/decouvrir-levenement/pesticide-action-week/
The federal center of the Bundesverband der Kleingartenvereine e.V. in Berlin will once again be the venue for numerous events on the subject of allotment gardening this year. The target group for the training courses are multipliers from associations and federations of the allotment garden movement organized by the BKD. In contrast to many other forms of urban gardening, the allotment garden movement with its organizational structure offers the guarantee of having real multipliers as participants in the training courses. They provide advice and support to the allotment gardeners inside and outside the associations and thus contribute to the welfare of society within the framework of civic engagement.
On April 25 and 26, 2025, representatives of the regional associations will meet at the Federal Center in Berlin-Neukölln to discuss current political issues and association topics at regional association level.
The BKD invites you to the seminar "Expert advice I" entitled "Designing living areas in allotment gardens" from May 16-18, 2025. The seminar is intended to provide suggestions and basic knowledge for the sustainable design of allotment gardens and allotment garden sites and to show how all areas of an allotment garden can be used, upgraded, designed and maintained in an ecological, sustainable and climate-friendly manner in the interests of promoting biodiversity and diversity.
The seminar Law I, from June 27-29, 2025 will focus on "The social and ecological importance of allotment gardening and its reflection in law".
The seminar Fachberatung II 2025 entitled "Allotment garden sites - values and functions for our society" will focus on the diverse social benefits that radiate from allotment gardening into society. The seminar will take place from July 04 to 06, 2025.
From October 10-12, 2025, the BKD and its guests will devote themselves to the "Fundamental court decisions on allotment gardening" in the seminar Law II for a better understanding of the legal basis.
The seminar on the environment entitled "Allotment gardens and health", which will take place from October 24-26, 2025, is intended to help promote health in and through allotment garden sites throughout Germany. In particular, it will strengthen the skills of board members, those responsible for specialist advice and valuation in environmentally and health-conscious federation and association management.
The BKD also offers regular online training courses, such as the online legal series for club chairpersons and, from fall 2025, an online training course for specialist advisors from clubs, district and city associations.
Sandra von Rekowski, BKD
Picture: BKD
