Allotment gardens
In addition to the parks and forests, the city of Chemnitz offers its inhabitants further leisure and recreational opportunities with 17,350 allotment gardens.
Compared to other green spaces, allotment gardens have a high individual design potential. In addition, allotment gardens also have a social, urban planning and urban hygiene significance. Allotment gardens have a long tradition in Chemnitz and are an integral part of the urban organism. A wide range of cultural and charitable activities take place in the 212 allotment garden associations.
The majority of the associations are affiliated to one of the two umbrella organisations. For example, 179 associations are organised in the Stadtverband Chemnitz der Kleingärtner e.V. and 21 Chemnitz allotment garden associations in the Verband der Kleingärtner Chemnitz Land e.V..
3rd Chemnitz allotment garden competition
"Waldesluft Grüna" is the winner of the 2023 allotment garden competition
The allotment garden association "Waldesluft Grüna" is the winner of this year's competition for the most beautiful allotment garden site in Chemnitz. The association achieved first place with 94 out of 100 points and received prize money of 1,500 euros at the award ceremony on 20 November 2023 in the city council chamber of the town hall.
The Grüna site took part in this competition between allotment garden associations for the first time and immediately came out on top with a seven-point lead over the "Sachses Ruh" allotment garden association (winner of the 2019 competition) and the "Hammerfrieden" allotment garden association with a total of 81 points. The allotment garden associations "Deutsche Scholle" and "Am Bornaer Hang" also successfully took part in this year's competition.
The runner-up received 1,000 euros and the third place 500 euros in prize money. All other participants received a prize from the Stadtverband Chemnitz der Kleingärtner e. V. and a certificate of participation, which was presented by the patron of the competition, Lord Mayor Sven Schulze.
The motto of this year's competition was "Allotment gardens - for a good climate in our city". Because allotment gardens create a good climate in Chemnitz in many different ways. In this year's competition, the judges paid particular attention to climate-friendly, near-natural and ecological gardening in addition to the experience of the sites for visitors and social interaction.
Protecting the soil, home composting, humus management, collecting and using rainwater from the roof of the arbour and creating small wetland biotopes, mulching, preserving old fruit trees to provide shade, windbreak hedges, green manure and intercropping as well as growing your own fruit and vegetables have a direct impact on the climate in the city and the microclimate in a garden site. Allotment gardens thus have a climate-improving effect in the city. In addition, allotment gardens have a high biological diversity, high biodiversity and are ecologically effective areas.
The five allotment garden associations were assessed and evaluated by the jury during an inspection in June of this year. The jury consists of members of the allotment garden advisory board, representatives of the allotment garden associations and the green space office of the city of Chemnitz.
The winning association will take part in the state competition in 2025. For the first time, the second and third place winners will also have the opportunity to take part in the state competition in 2025.
The competition for the "Most beautiful Chemnitz allotment garden site 2023" was organised by the city of Chemnitz, the Chemnitz allotment gardeners' association and the Chemnitz/Land allotment gardeners' association. Participation was open to every allotment garden association in Chemnitz.
Award
The motto of the 2023 competition was "Allotment gardens - for a good climate in our city".
The competition text can be viewed here:
2nd Chemnitz allotment garden competition
"Sachses Ruh" most beautiful allotment garden site in Chemnitz 2019
The allotment garden association "Sachses Ruh" e. V. was the winner of the 2nd Chemnitz allotment garden competition in 2019, which was held under the motto "Allotment gardens - green living spaces in the city".
The permanent allotment garden site "Sachses Ruh" with its 104 plots is located close to the city centre, directly on the Chemnitz river and is part of the "Stadtpark Teil I" development plan. In particular, the design of the individual gardens is outstanding. In addition to this, "Sachses Ruh" should be emphasised for the fact that not only is the view over the garden fence unrestricted and visitors are welcome, but there is also an intact club life where everyone makes their contribution and is seen as a whole. Integration and synergy of diversity is a top priority at "Sachses Ruh". This creates a very special atmosphere. The board sees itself as a unifying element in everything and that is the way it is.
After winning the competition in 2019, the association set itself the goal of further upgrading the site. Two communal areas have already been ecologically upgraded and the entrance area has been embellished and made barrier-free. This year, the continuous design of the riverside path was added, so that a seamless circular path through the allotment site is now possible. The site is definitely worth a visit.
Gold for Chemnitz allotment garden site
"Sonnige Höhe" took 1st place in the 24th national "Gardens in Urban Development" competition
On 1 December 2018, the award ceremony for the 24th national "Gardens in Urban Design" competition took place at the Palais am Funkturm in Berlin. This year's competition motto was "Small gardens - colourful diversity". The awards were presented by the Federal State Secretary Gunter Adler and the Vice President of the Bundesverband Deutscher Gartenfreunde e.V. Dirk Sielmann.
The Chemnitz allotment garden association "Sonnige Höhe" e. V. received a gold award. The allotment garden association, the Chemnitz city federation of allotment gardeners and the city of Chemnitz are equally delighted. No wonder, because it was the result of intensive, close and constructive co-operation between these three partners. We can be justifiably proud of the result.
Municipal allotment garden promotion
The city promotes the development of allotment garden sites within the scope of its possibilities on the basis of the allotment garden promotion guidelines of the city of Chemnitz. Allotment garden associations thus have the opportunity to make their sites even more attractive to the public with the support of the city.
Enquiries
If you have any questions, you can contact the City of Chemnitz Green Space Office directly:
Development of the allotment garden movement
The city of Chemnitz is involved in the allotment garden working group of the GALK (Gartenamtsleiterkonferenz) and is therefore not only informed about current developments in the allotment garden movement but can also contribute Chemnitz's experience to this expert committee of German cities. Among other things, the guidelines of the German Association of Cities for a sustainable development of the allotment garden movement in the cities could be co-developed.
With the city council resolution on the allotment garden concept - Chemnitz 2010 in 1997 and its first update in 2007, the city not only made a clear commitment to allotment gardens and their importance in the urban organism, but also created a technically sound basis for their further development under the changing framework conditions. The concept and its update are both specialised concepts for the land use plan and a working basis for the allotment garden associations for association-specific development concepts.
On 13 March 2013, the Chemnitz city council passed a resolution on the 2nd update of the allotment garden concept. The concept deals with demographic change and the effects on the Chemnitz allotment garden movement. Strategies are outlined to ensure the long-term development of the allotment garden sites as attractive green spaces under the changing conditions.