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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
