The development of allotment gardens actually began as long ago as 1901

In Berlin, the development of allotment gardens actually began as long ago as 1901, when the farmers associations and the ‘gardens of the poor‘ joined together and formed an alliance. However, the concept of allotments has existed much longer than that. The first German allotment was created in Kappeln an der Schlei in Schleswig-Holstein around 170 years ago. Nowadays, an important aspect of allotments is mostly their strong social dimension since members can participate actively in the life of the association. They can relax and enjoy the beauty of the gardens, hence the low fences so that everyone can really see the flower fields of the others. Also the factor of helping those people with little money, since there are some who have to live on Harz IV or who live at the poverty level, still partially remains. And finally, the health aspect plays an important role, since the obligation to look after the garden has a positive effect on body and soul.

Peter Ehrenberg, German, chairman of Landesverband der Gartenfreunde Berlin e. V.