De Vredestuin

Or rather: the Peace Garden.

A week ago i walked home from the Central Station. Passing the garden, i saw some people working. I leaned on the railing and watched for a while. One of the guys working waved at me. I decided to go down and talk for a bit.

It turned out the garden is connected to the Gandhigarden. The last time i went there is over a year ago. Some people from the Peace Garden also work at the Gandhi. The Peace Garden has a more open layout and is very close to the centre of the city. The Hofplein, the Coolsingel, the Weena are all very close to this park, along the side of the train.

Last Friday i went there for the first time. I helped out planting seeds. I took home some spinach, lettuce and parsnips. This evening i cooked the spinach, boiled some potatoes and had some cottage cheese. Good.

Today, Sunday, it was a lot colder. I arrived there around a two fifteen. Some people were walking around and looking at the plants. They turned out to be German visitors. We talked a bit and i explained what the purpose is of the garden, that it is a communal garden and yes, freely accessible.

Today i had some vegetable waste with me for the compost heap. Lat Friday i was told paper waste is good: egg boxes, toilet paper inner rolls and such. Egg shells are good too. When i went to the compost box to turn it in, i got a bit of a shock by the rat running around in the heap and desperately trying to find a way out. I walked back to the small sitting area, where three other people were sitting. We all had stare at the rat. I was sorry to see him so scared. We did try to get him out, but he dived under the compost. Later on another person arrived. He wasn’t surprised by it.

It was cold. Or as i called it, fresh. But still, around three, three thirty we were working weeding the place. I had already given the seedlings a bit of water. I got a bit of explanation about the different sort of weeds there are: some bad, some good, some very bad. I took out a couple of weeds.

I’ll be going there more. I do like to learn more about gardening, the weeds, where to plant different vegetables. I had seen a layout on paper with names of the vegetables on them last Friday. I do know you need to switch them around. But i have no idea what vegetable uses what nutrient, what vegetables go well together. I wouldn’t know where to start if i had my own garden. Well.. ok… that is not right. I would start with herbs and some vegetables i really enjoy. I would start slow.

But, this year i will plant some herbs on my one square meter balcony. Once the railing is on there. I don’t think i have talked about this: my balcony is closed because there is work being done to it. The railing is gone and we will get new ones soon. I hope.

Some photos of the Vredestuin. It is still early in the year. But left over from last year some leeks, parsnips. Also lettuce, chard to be harvested. Newly planted are around 3 rows of potatoes. Many onions. There are also some wild garlic plants in the garden. One guy showed me them. He gave me a leaf to eat. It tasted great!