Spending time in green spaces or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. Something I was seeking out when I moved from Bangkok to Barcelona last November. Initially I thought I wanted to get an allotment for myself, but realised especially after Covid 19 that I needed the social factor as well, connecting with people who understand the meaning of living with nature in the city.
Barcelona’s community gardens tend to be found in the quiet corners and marginal spaces of the city. You find them at the edge of a public square, on a disused piece of land where a building has been demolished or on the very outskirts of town.
No two gardens are the same, but all are run by a community group of one sort or another. Some are ‘occupied’ and others are officially approved. I was introduced to an officially approved community garden by my friend Juan, whom I had met when moving to Barcelona last November.