Social interaction

Monglong Park was rehabilitated in 2012 with the explicit aim of strengthening social ties. The site is a wooded area of 4 hectares to the south of the Bellefontaine district. Unknown until its redevelopment, it constitutes a true ecological niche for the city and has great biological richness and landscape. The associations of gardeners and the gardeners of the Bellefontaine neighborhood, including the Maghreb and Mong communities, were involved throughout the construction of the park (Ref. 2).

The Park Killesberg serves as the green centre of the newly constructed district in Stuttgart and continues the long history of the area as a garden show site with a contemporary expression of landscape architecture and as a model for interconnected green spaces. The design is the result of a collaborative process with the local authorities, citizens and neighbours (1).

The Gar'den is a Provencal garden and a vegetable garden of permaculture, both a relaxing space and a participatory garden. Indeed, everyone will be invited to participate in the life of this Gar'den, common good to protect. Young and older will be able to discover the Provencal vegetable treasures and relax in a space devoted to the sharing of goods and knowledge. (Ref. 11)

The garden was designed by landscapers Michèle Orliac and Miquel Battle and realized for a cost of 3 million euros. This "new green lung", as presented by the City Hall of Toulouse, is part of a major urban project that provides for the creation of 500 housing units in the Niel District (Ref. 1). The project involved creating vegetation enmeshed benches (Ref. 7) and using permeable flooring materials that prevent water loss and reduce the potential of flooding (Ref. 8).

Derelict flats are replaced by an oasis (including flowers and fine art) on the Aysgarth estate, creating a "long-waited community haven". A community garden was officially opened to "create an area of much-needed green space". (Ref. 1) The project aimed to create a garden that the whole community could enjoy. (Ref. 1)

The project introduces an urban park in the place of a formerly derelict area and a landfill, located by the river valley of Bystrzyca. The park would increase access to the green recreational area in the city, which is a part of a longer-term plan to make the river’s banks citizen-friendly and easily accessible. The initiative includes: clearing the land and planting greenery, construction of the 'sensory' garden for the youngest users, building walking and cycling paths and infrastructure adjusted to people with disabilities, as well as installation of the nesting boxes, feeders and insect hotels [1].

Community Garden Trompenburg was initiated by one citizen who mobilized his neighbours to create a garden in which organic crops can grow. The garden promotes social cohesion and equity within the neighbourhood because citizens, as well as disadvantaged groups and children, work together on the maintenance of the garden. Furthermore, sustainable food production is promoted and taught to interested parties in the form of workshops. (1,3,7)

PopinnPark claimed to be the first indoor park of Europe and was created in an abandoned store, aiming at improving the quality of the neighbourhood and bringing nature closer to people. It became a meeting spot for communities, artists, businesses and citizens for exchanging knowledge on social/sustainability issues or for recreation. Popinn Park contained plants that improved air quality, local businesses that provide fair foods and drinks and nature-based art. (1)
After running for two years, Popinn Park closed and was transformed into an art gallery under the name of Popinn Art. Since 2018, Popinnart is an artist-run nomadic collective with over 25 contemporary artists. The art on offer is varied and qualitatively and conceptually challenging. There is a choice of spatial work, figurative and abstract, collages, photography, paintings, drawings, textiles and video. (5)

The initiative involves establishing beehives on the roofs of the Catholic University of Lublin and the Centre for the Meetings of Cultures. It seeks to provide the habitat for the bees in the city, help in pollination, educate the society about the bees and shape more ecologically-friendly attitudes among the students, faculty and visitors. It should also produce honey that can be sold or distributed free of charge, which can serve in a promotional tool of the two institutions. The Centre for the Meetings of Cultures has additionally opened a garden to provide food for the pollinators [1,2,3,4,6]. In 2020, the initiative is still ongoing and expanding. Every year, the university organizes a competition about the life of bees for various age groups [7].

In 2008, the wilderness experience garden and laboratory was founded on 2,500 sqm of nature area in Münster by Annika and Olaf Bader, two pedagogues. With grasslands, hedges, fruit trees, a treehouse, beehives, a yurt, a fireplace and many more elements it’s a place for nature experience and exploration for children and adults. Guests are encouraged to engage with nature scientifically, via play, arts or manually. Based on a hands-on approach, there are also vocational trainings for extracurricular education providers offered (ref. 1 and 3).