Community garden built ‘by the children for the children’

Urban space featuring giant sunflowers and vegetable patch takes pride of place in Navan estate

NAVAN residents who came together to create a community garden in their housing estate say the project has instilled a “new pride of place” in the area.

The unique urban garden in Old Balreask Woods was set up “by the children for the children” who built, grew and now maintain the vegetable patch that’s according to resident’s association chairman Michael McCann who said:

“We came together and decided to create a project that would benefit the community and the children really made it their own from there, it has really captured their imagination.

“Back in Easter the kids planted spuds, peas, runner beans, green and red cabbage and onions and tomatoes.

“They also sowed pumpkins so they could harvest them at Halloween and bulbs like daffodils and tulips.

“What was a drab unused laneway has been reclaimed to become a eco-friendly colourful space the whole community can enjoy.”

As well as an opportunity for the residents to grow their own food, it has also been an educational experience as Michael explains:

“We give the kids little seeds and they bring them home and nurture them and then we organise for them to plant them.

“It has been a real opener for the children to be able to take what they have planted out of the ground, bring them home and be able to cook them.

“It has brought the community together, it has created awareness and it teaches the children where food comes from.”

The local children have also grown prize winning worthy sunflowers according to the resident’s association chairman.

“All the kids in the estate got little sunflower seedlings which they nourished and cared for before planting them in the community garden.

“We now have two walls full of sunflowers some of which are over four metres or thirteen feet tall!”

The project has all been self funded by the community but they hope to receive support next year to further grow their garden.

“It started out as a small project but hopefully we will be able to get funding for it and we will be able to develop the garden further.

“All it takes is a little bit of imagination and we hope to make it a little more accessible next year and have a proper raised garden with stones in between so the kids can get right in at the plants at be hands on.

“We hope to get some funding through community grants or would welcome any sponsors.”