Urban gardens in Ciudad Lineal – Madrid

Hello everyone! We continue with our route of urban gardens in Madrid with the gardens of Ciudad Lineal. Ciudad Lineal is the name of a district belonging to the Spanish city of Madrid and administratively organized in the neighborhoods of Ventas, Pueblo Nuevo, Quintana, Concepción, San Pascual, San Juan Bautista, Colina, Atalaya and Costillares.

This district is part of one of the main proposals for the outskirts of Madrid: that of the engineer Arturo Soria, author of the linear city project of 1886. Arturo Soria intended to ruralize the city and urbanize the countryside. The idea was to create an elongated “city” with a central axis, along which the tram ran, and on whose sides the houses and facilities were built on lots of the same size. Soria’s motto to create the houses was «for each family, a house; in each house, an orchard and a garden». So much so, that the most famous of the popular festivals in this segment of the city was the tree festival, in which the neighbors got together toplant trees with the purpose of bringing the city closer to nature.

Some changes and the convalescence due to illness of the elderly Soria caused the project to remain somewhat stagnant. Only a segment of the entire project was built, which should surround Madrid. Subsequently, urban modifications have been made in that space and only a few original chalets remain.

Today the Ciudad Lineal is engulfed by the urban complex, but that desire to ruralize the city has returned to inspire the neighbors, giving rise to the creation of different urban gardens, which we are going to discover right now, will you join me?

COMMUNITY ORCHARDS IN CIUDAD LINEAL

The Garden of Joy

This initiative came from the Popular Assembly of La Concepción, with the intention of carrying out a community garden open to the participation of the entire neighborhood, so that any neighbor can join the working group or collaborate in whatever way they can and want.

For the operation of the orchard, the working group agreed on general operating rules, which are reviewed at the regular meetings of the orchard. The work, the expenses and the production are distributed or their destiny is decided among the members of the group in the season.

If you want to come and browse or, what is even better, participate in this initiative, the orchard is located in part of the open space between C/ Torrelaguna, C/ Canal de Panamá and the Glorieta de Torrelaguna, they will surely welcome you with The open arms!

Revolt in the Garden

“Revuelta en la Huerta” is a gardening group born from a workshop that took place in the Self- Managed Squatted Social Space “La Dragona” and that had to end, so they decided to embark on this project instead.

Among the objectives of the group we find, first of all, to learn about the world of plants from practice and in a group way. To go deeper, talks or workshops are organized inviting people with more knowledge to share them with anyone who wants to learn. Also, and for the same reason, excursions to places of interest from the botanical point of view are organized.

The neighbors can go to take care of the communal urban garden, observe its development and harvest its fruits, responding to the objective of trying to somehow integrate the rural world into the urban one.

Involved in all of the above is the defense and dissemination of agroecology, through talks, dynamics or projections, as well as the self-production of commonly used goods in a natural way through workshops.
The last objective, but not least, tries to promote a form of healthy leisure, have fun, meet people from the neighborhood and share experiences.

If you want to participate, the group meets at the ESOA “El Dragón”, Avd. Daroca nº 90, next to the gate of the cemetery of La Almudena (Metro La Elipa).

SCHOOL ORCHARDS IN CIUDAD LINEAL

CEIP Gandhi

The CEIP Gandhi participates in the Orchards and School Gardens project, with the involvement of the educational community. The coordinator of the orchard is one of the teachers who is part of the Environmental Committee and the Committee has wanted the entire educational community to participate in the horticultural tasks in one way or another. The students of the Committee make visits to the classrooms to publicize the Program. To carry out the tasks of the garden, they have the «Green Patrols» of volunteers, and a weekly and monthly calendar of shifts, which allow the garden to work wonderfully!

Bishop Perello School

The Colegio Obispo Perelló has been integrating «Environmental Education for Sustainability» into all educational levels. With this, they intend to educate for sustainable development, with positive and respectful attitudes towards the environment, seeking the motivation and involvement of each and every one of the members of the Educational Community in specific ecological proposals such as energy saving, recycling and the school garden.

To do this, the school has an «Environmental Committee», «energy managers», «responsible for recycling», the «Green Group» and a teacher who coordinates the entire program.

The center is part of the Madrid City Council program: » Educate today for a more sustainable Madrid «, being considered an «Environmentally Sustainable Center» and, therefore, forming part of the Network of Sustainable Schools.

Agora School

It is a center with a long environmental education work behind it. Since 2006, which became part of the Eco-schools program, they have participated in various programs of the Madrid City Council, such as the Agenda 21 school program, together with other sustainable mobility initiatives or the Efficient use of water and energy project..

They are currently participating in the Nature and Biodiversity module of the Educar Hoy program for a more sustainable Madrid, in which the Colegio Obispo Perelló also participated. As part of this project they have set up their school garden thanks to the participation of students, teachers and families.

This is all dear Agrohuerters, I hope that if you were looking for a garden in Ciudad Lineal this article has helped you. See you at the next stop!