Author Topic: Allotments in Germany  (Read 1852 times)

davee52uk

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Allotments in Germany
« on: January 23, 2008, 21:16:42 »
Went to Germany on weekend on the Eurostar so got plenty of time to look out the window. Saw loads of allotments/leisure gardens in the cities. They all have small, permanent houses on them rather like very large beach huts.

The are allowed to stay in these houses a certain number of days each year. I have no idea of rents.

The gardens  sometimes had veg but often had lawns, barbecues, swings etc.

asbean

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Re: Allotments in Germany
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2008, 22:53:40 »
Appaarently they're called Schrebergarten.  From what I remember I was told the idea was devised by a chap called Schreber for city dwellers in large blocks of flats to have somewhere green and sort of private to escape to. I saw quite a few in Dusseldorf when I was there on business a few years ago and it seemed to me that they were more in the style of little cabins (like beach huts here) with little gardens, lawns etc. It was December when I was there, so not too many people using them. I wasn't told howmuch time they were allowed to stay in the houses (def not permanently, tho)
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ruud

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Re: Allotments in Germany
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2008, 18:41:52 »
In russia they are called daishas.They live there in the weekends to fled out of town.

Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Allotments in Germany
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2008, 19:11:54 »
They're very similar to what my site was before the summerhouses were demolished in the 1970's.

BAK

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Re: Allotments in Germany
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2008, 07:43:43 »
The Dutch have a similar system to the Germans. The link below gives some background info, including rents, for the Amsterdam area.

http://www.bondvanvolkstuinders.nl/index.php?menu=4&stijl=2&id=350

Busby

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Re: Allotments in Germany
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2008, 09:59:00 »
It's the same here in Switzerland where allotments or 'Schrebergarten' tend to take on the form of a small community. In my own case the land we are on is common land and was handed over to the then newly founded local allotment society by the local council. The rest was up to us, we turned this land into what is is today - about 150 allotments all with adjoining main and auxiliary paths, access to water, general upkeep and so on. The only thing the council did for us was to erect the surrounding wire fence - something we need otherwise the plots would be visited daily by deer, foxes, rabbits and lynx.

Things are pretty strict and we have a set of regulations as guide lines. For instance no working on Sundays - although light garden work is allowed; no fires; sleeping overnight is allowed but only for one night at a time, no watering with hoses - although there is plenty of water;no radios and no fixed huts, houses or frames above a certain height without planning permission.  According to our statutes we each have to do ten hours general work annually to do the upkeep, for the hours you don't work you have to pay 10 Francs per hour - this goes into the general kitty for expenses accrued and to pay the water bill.

We have a president - a woman at the moment - a vice-president, a treasurer and an actuary, all voted for and of course an AGM every November.

It all works, we have few problems, people who don't pull their weight have to leave if they don't take the chances offered and we all love it. 

I'm one of the oldest and longest members - thirtyseven years now!!!!

 

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