Permacultuur Meppel: starting a educative community garden in a small town in the Netherlands

I wasn't the one who started this project. But as soon as I heard of it, I joined. Then these two ladies, Gea and Irma, only had some papers with description of their ideas. They were busy contacting authorities to get permission.
Now we (nearly ... ) have the permission to start the permaculture garden in a corner of the park. The 'wijkplatform' (neighbourhood platform) likes our plans, is very cooperative. The town council representative came to look at the spot and talk about our ideas, he listened carefully. Probably we only have to make some changes, f.e. not plant any high trees, not make a building (a shed for garden tools).
The most important facts, for us as well as this town, are: work together with the people living here and educate (them and others).
Photo: Gea taking some soil samples.

Permacultuur Meppel is doing well! Yesterday we had a meeting with some people of the Town and a lot of permaculture enthousiasts. The Town really wants us to start, even though they'll have to change laws to make it possible. Changing laws takes a lot of time, we can't wait for that. They allow us to start, 'see it through their fingers'.

Probably this Friday we'll be on our 'spot', take the needed materials there (stones, brick, tiles, soil, composting stuff and plants). We will build a Strawberry Tower, right in the middle. That's our starting point. From there paths between garden beds with fan out like sunrays That's the plan. Then we'll see in which direction the project will 'evolve' (depending on the people joining).

That is an absolutely beautiful spot you guys got there! Success and show more pictures of the process in the coming months!

Thank you Rene. Yes, the spot looks beautiful. We'll do our best to make it look even better (change the lawn into an edible community garden). Sure we'll show more photos.
This time it's sketch, my 'design idea' for the Strawberry Tower.

Great day today! We made the Strawberry Tower. So the project had its start!
See more (photos) at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PermacultuurMeppel/

Hi Inge, congratulations on making a start. I counted 8 people on the picture I saw on Facebook! (Please do remember not everybody uses Facebook, so maybe you can post some pictures here too?)

I hope you (all of you) can now keep it going. You have a nice spot to work on. I'm looking forward to seeing it transferred into a nice example of what can be done using permaculture!

You're right Rene. So I'll show a photo here. Yesterday (Friday) we were with 8 people, but the total group has 32 now.

'Permacultuur Meppel' goes so well! At the fixed 'work at the garden'-days (Monday afternoon and Friday morning) there's always an active group of about 6 persons. Next to the Strawberry-tower we made some beds, with cardboard and compost. We planted all kind of seeds, veggies and herbs there (donated by interested neighbours, including ourselves). See photo.
We have two sponsors now, one sold us the compost-soil (organic) for reduced price and we can use all kind of garden tools for free from the other.
We'll make some small 'insect-hotels' now. This activity will be organised as 'social permaculture'.

Our garden is going so very well! Here are some recent photos.

Part of the garden. See how everything grows!

Some veggies and fruits I harvested at the garden of Permacultuur Meppel.

The 'insect hotel' (with room for a hedgehog in the basement) we made as a social activity with children (and parents) of the neighbourhood.

Do you have educational signs up to explain everything to the public? Ie the hotel and what permaculture is .. In brief. Lol.

Giselle Burningham wrote:Do you have educational signs up to explain everything to the public? Ie the hotel and what permaculture is .. In brief. Lol.

We have this information board. People walking on the public path along the garden can read the papers on the board. At the moment there is a paper which explains 'in brief' what is permaculture and some illustrated papers on insects.

As you see the board has two small 'tables' to put 'free veggies to take away' on