Löwenzahn Community Garden

Gardening Above the Subway

It couldn’t be more urban: In the middle of the 20th district, on top of a subway tunnel and directly beside the S-Bahn railway, a garden sprouted up on a 300 m2, previously unused grassland with around 30 beds for the garden-loving locals.

The neighborhood garden Löwenzahn (Dandelion) was planned in 2012 by a group of engaged local residents in close collaboration with GB 2*20 (one of the City of Vienna’s urban renewal offices). The group became an association, and finally the garden – with the financial support of the City of Vienna – could be built.

Since then up to 30 individuals and their families have been planting fruit and vegetables in their own 4 m2 beds. Great value is placed on community spirit as the garden should also be a “place of encounters” always open for guests and visitors. Hence, there are also beds available for “foreign harvesters”, and berries can always be gathered. By the way: The beds are passed on after two seasons. But they are highly coveted and the waiting list is long.