Blessed Place by the Laarbeekbos
Blessed Place by the Laarbeekbos
Next to the Laarbeekbos you will find Jette's allotments: one hundred and fifty plots of land taken over by diligent vegetable gardeners, on a site larger than ten football pitches. Although the Ring is close by, the atmosphere there is extraordinarily calm and convivial. We meet garden lovers of different nationalities, all without exception equally proud of their little garden. Everyone hopes to be able to grow fresh fruit and vegetables for a long time to come in this blessed place near the Laarbeekbos.
Govanis Guerman welcomes us with open arms in his little garden where he has been growing his vegetables and herbs for eleven years. "The ecological value is very high," he says, and this is also confirmed by his neighbour Patrick Bacart. Moreover, Bacart feels that he is surrounded by helpful, sociable and friendly gardeners.
A few gardens along, we speak to Renaldo, the manager of a sector for twenty years, "If people do not have much experience, I help them on their way," he says.
A large fig tree in the middle of a little garden attracts our attention and brings us to a Syrian couple, Mariem and Musa. They have been growing their own vegetables for 35 years. "A barbecue with the whole family in which our vegetables play the leading role, makes us very happy." As Yuksel wanders through the gardens, he radiates pure tranquillity; he has had a little garden for 20 years now, "and there may be many more years to come", he says with a smile.
We meet Mirabile and Angelo. Mirabile is called 'the King of the Bean' by his neighbours, beans have no secrets from him. "Do we make a start or should we wait?" This is a question Hilde has asked himself many times over the past three years. "It’s hard to distinguish between the seasons, which sometimes makes it difficult."
We look back on an afternoon with friendly garden lovers, each with their own story.