Pictured here is Philippe from the jardin partagé Choisi (sic) in the parc de Choisy, 4 rue Eastmann in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. The shared garden in the municipal park was set up by local resident Chantal Chauchot some years ago. It was a godsend for members during the first Covid lockdown when parks were closed to anyone except garden members, who therefore had the surreal experience of having the whole park to themselves, and not only their little vegetable patch. Interest in becoming a member rose meteorically at that time, but Philippe has the feeling that as of summer 2022 things have gone back to pre-pandemic levels of interest ("Les gens oublient": people forget, he mused). However, in nearby apartment blocks shared gardens are definitely on the rise.
A particularly fine jardin partagé is to be found also in the 13th arrondissement, at square René Le Gall, Le Jardin d’Abel, which is named after a deceased keen gardener. There are more shared gardens at the monumental high-rise complex of Les Olympiades which houses largely Chinese and South East Asian communities. Those gardens are on the esplanade (la grande dalle) and by the Casino supermarket.
Challenges in the jardin partagé in the Parc de Choisy include keeping the produce safe from local children, who have been known to trample on the seedlings, mess with the labels and even to lift the protective netting on the raspberries to filch the berries. Adult pilferers often steal a leaf or two of the herbs, perhaps not realising that they are not public goods, hence the polite notice stating that these are available in the supermarket! Perhaps in light of this (so that the garden will keep at least some greenery during the growing season), ornamental non-edibles are mixed in with the edible plants.
Aromatic and drought-tolerant herbs such as savory (sariette), rosemary, and oregano do particularly well in the soil and circumstance of the garden, where watering is not always possible during the summer months due to members’ holiday plans.
This jardin partagé has a drinking water fountain nearby but the water used in the gardeners’ hoses comes in ecologically sound manner directly from the Seine via a dedicated tap. In the last 25 years, the Seine water has improved dramatically, according to Philippe, which is a boon for the plants as well as for the fish of the river! Bravo and Chapeau to the committed workers in this garden, which brings joy to the gardeners and shows passers by what plants look like growing in the ground - if the local kids don't steal the labels!
All of the pictures here are from the jardin partagé du parc de Choisy.
