The Power of Community Gardens

The Power of Community Gardens: 
Experiences from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

In 2020, together with Rebecca Teclemariam Mesbah, I published an article for the International Environment Forum (IEF) newsletter https://iefworld.org/newslt135 on the potential of community and school gardens, drawing on experiences in Sarajevo. Since then, the seeds planted, literally and figuratively, have continued to grow, leading to new initiatives in our neighborhood.

Growing Gardens, Growing Communities

Over the past few years, we have started several small community gardens, the latest on unused municipal land near playgrounds in Sarajevo. These spaces involve children, junior youth, parents, and even grandparents. Without formal permission, we simply marked out the plots so that city gardeners mowing the grass would avoid them. To our delight, the gardens have been left untouched, quietly flourishing in neglected corners of public land.

Sunflowers have been among our greatest successes. Their striking presence demonstrates how one seed, with just good soil, water, and sunlight, can yield up to a thousand more. In 2022, amid the global shortage of sunflower seeds due to the war in Ukraine, we were grateful to have saved seeds from the previous summer. This simple act revealed to the youth the importance of seed saving and resilience in uncertain times.

From Harvest to Celebration

The gardens have also become a hub for community life. During summer, we host neighborhood festivals by the playground, where families and visitors can explore the gardens, harvest cherry tomatoes, draw flowers, and take photographs. These moments of joy bring people together across ages and backgrounds, strengthening bonds of trust and collaboration.

A group chat keeps the community connected, sharing photos and updates on the growth of plants, and organizing times to work together. This ongoing exchange has helped nurture a culture of cooperation, care, and shared responsibility.

Lessons from the Earth

Since the beginning of civilization, farming has always been a collective endeavor. It is only in recent centuries, with the rise of tractors and industrial agriculture, that farming has become less communal in wealthier countries. Yet, across much of the world, subsistence farming remains deeply rooted in teamwork.

Urban community gardens are reviving this spirit globally. Singapore, for example, has more than 2,000 community gardens. Their impact extends far beyond food: they beautify urban spaces, attract insects and birds, and enrich biodiversity. Gardens can also help regulate water flow, reduce urban heat, and create microclimates of comfort and life.

For individuals, gardens are places of inspiration, scientific, artistic, and spiritual. They invite hands-on learning for children and youth, whether by observing insects, studying soil, or understanding the patience required for plants to grow. Gardens also strengthen intergenerational ties: the wisdom of the elderly complements the energy of the young, and families find joy in shared purpose.

The Power of Gardens

Community gardens, however small or disorganised they might seem to be, are not just about growing plants, they are about cultivating values and relationships. They help us:

• Experience the beauty of diversity and peace
• Understand ecosystems and interconnectedness
• Learn values such as patience, respect for life, and care for others
• Build community through teamwork and mutual support
• Foster intergenerational learning and exchange
• Connect more deeply with nature, both physically and spiritually

Even the simplest garden offers the chance to experience these lessons. In Sarajevo, our neighborhood garden continues to show how seeds planted in the soil can grow into seeds of unity, resilience, and hope.

— Written in Sarajevo, May–July 2025
Photo credits: Laurent Mesbah, Sarajevo, 2025