Oldal 286 [286]
284 JUDIT FARKAS
become the “green cultural” center of a town or neighborhood, as proved by the
case of the Green Spot Community Garden in Pécs.
GREEN SPOT COMMUNITY GARDEN, PECS
The Green Spot community garden was founded in September 2018 by an informal
group of young people associated with the University of Pécs. The inhabitants’ vision
of a gardening community and the foundation of the garden had earlier roots, but that
year several favorable factors aligned, e.g. the agreement between the founders and
municipal property utilization management and OFFI about the location and a positive
response to the competitive tender for the necessary financial resources.
The community garden is at no. 7, Király street in Pécs, on a property of undivided
joint ownership, precisely on its northern plot bordered by the walls of public institutions
(a secondary school and a library) and a time-honored inner city hotel. The oblong
vacant plot of 370 m2 is enclosed by buildings and has a single access from Király street,
which reinforces its isolated oasis-like character.
The majority owner of the plot is the municipal property managing firm PVH. In
return for performing the necessary renovating and maintenance jobs, the council lets
the inner plot of the property to the garden community rent free, together with a
building section of two rooms used for communal purposes. One can find individual
patches of land for hardy plants on the terraced part of the garden and, in the area
along the entrance, a collectively cultivated spice and herb spiral, flower beds and raised
garden beds. The majority of the produce are vegetables and herbs, including considerable
amounts of tomatoes and peppers, spinach, sorrel, Swiss chard, strawberries, lavender,
mint, and sage. The group cultivates several special heat-tolerant plants no longer
deemed exotic.
There is composting, utilization of coffee-grounds, and collection of rainwater,
although the summer water needs of the garden are met by the mains through an
irrigation system.
The community is 39 strong. Most of them are interested urban residents who have
no gardens to produce their own food and are open to becoming acquainted and working
together via gardening. As for social composition, ideological conviction, and social
position, the membership is diverse; their age ranges from the very young to pensioners.
The garden community is a loose leisure-time network of people for whom responsible
and chemical-free food production, the strengthening and manifestation of communal
existence, and in general the protection of the pattern of trust inside the community
and outside it are important values. There are frequent collective events (a composting
workshop and general assemblies every half year, collective wall decoration, creative
workshops, garden birthdays, ad hoc gatherings, etc.), and also organized events for
outsiders: concerts, electronic music nights, slam poetry club, community garden nights,
foundation events, etc.
1 February 2023. Gergő Hajba, one of the founders of the Green Spot Community
Garden