Cornelia Brelowski: Common ground – wild gardening in Berlin

As I walked by the Spree river the other day with friends in Moabit, a sign caught my eye. It is guarding a little flower bed by the roadside and says, in gist version: “If you like this garden, feel free to water it.”

The sign then directs you across the street to one of the historical Berlin water pumps from the 19th century. They still serve the more muscled residents among us citywide with fresh water on demand (or by vigorous pump). By the side of the pump: a watering can.

In between the official community gardens and random flower or seed bombing of public spaces, wild gardening is widely practiced and accepted across town, with the authorities gladly turning a blind eye.

I know of a street in Prenzlauer Berg, where almost every city tree has a little tended plant or flower bed around it. This is made possible by the fact that the pavement usually leaves a stretch of unpaved earth around each of Berlin’s around 430,000 city trees. On this open gap, many residents like to plant and water their own little mini garden – well, technically it is not their own but common property. The trees themselves profit from the extra watering, especially in summer. Obviously, the dogs like those spots too, so some micro gardens feature pleading signs to drag them away before any unwanted fertilizing affects the growth.

Urban wilderness. Photo: Jacqui Taggart on Unsplash

Many of the micro gardens pop up practically overnight – and some of them turn into decade-lasting neighbourhood features, prompting a smile on the passers-by. They act as small gestures of defiance, creating a little colour in the urban sludge. Sometimes, the bigger plots eventually turn into official community gardens and become neighbourhood meeting points
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I asked a volunteer gardener what is motivating her to take part in urban gardening projects and she said, it’s all good until the rules come in. If things get too organised and strict, she moves on. I asked her, what she was looking for and she simply said: “A little more green in the city, and the sense that others want that, too.” She also told me about a micro plot that an old woman is keeping in green shape in her neighbourhood – right in the middle of flocks of drinking and smoking local youth. Wild gardening is not a far cry from community gardens, however it probably mirrors best what’s at the heart of the Berlin soul: expressive, independent and free improvisation. It means spotting a little plot that you can change for the better, and just do it.

For all the much quoted signature grime of the city, wild gardening thus literally speaks of the down-to-earth willingness of Berlin residents to roll up their sleeves and make their local Kiez a little more jolly and welcoming – against all odds if necessary. Because, just as the above-mentioned sign in Moabit says: “This too is Berlin!”

Photo: Coline Mattée