Family garden allotments

Hanna Wielgus, Family Garden Allotments

She belongs to the third generation of Warsaw allotment gardeners. She has always been involved in the garden allotment movement, and she held various positions in the gardens’ administration and commissions; she also participated in social, cultural and advocacy activities. Her allotment is part of the oldest garden in Masovia established in 1902 in Warsaw.

Flowers bloom in my garden starting in February, winter aconites are the first ones, with yellow blooms. Then scillas come out, they are the tall ones with a line pine 20 centimetres high and bell-shaped flowers – they bloom for 6 weeks on a bush. They are not suitable for a vase. Then there are tulips, and later those tiny flowers. In autumn, there are asters, short, medium and tall, and they last until winter. I also have chrysanthemums which love the frost, they bloom when there’s frost.

Our allotments were established in 1902. We grew up on an allotment. The community once used to be very family-oriented, like one big family. A lot of work in the gardens was done as community actions, and not like it is now, only for financial participation. Community action was building a warehouse by the main alley, digging ditches for electricity cables, there were events for children organised in the so-called “duck pit”, there was an allotment mutual aid society. Right now, there is no more of that family ambiance in the allotments.

As decided by the board of ROD im. Obrońców Pokoju (Family Garden Allotments) on 1 June 2021, Ms. Hanna Wielgus was deprived of the right to use the allotment no. 168. She was accused of neglecting the plot overgrown with weeds and self-seeders. Despite appeals, submitted letters and applications, the board still has not revoked its decision.

The petition for the defense of Ms. Hanna’s allotment can be signed here

You can find the history of the oldest garden allotments in the Masovia Province here (in Polish)

“Naprzód działki” is a Warsaw-based programme supporting sustainable development of gardens, allotment gardeners’ activation, as well as integration of inhabitants and supporting biodiversity of this unique urban spaces. More information here