Faculty of Humanities research team studies phenomenon of garden colonies












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            * Faculty of Humanities research team studies phenomenon of garden colonies
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            December 6, 2011; By: Helena Stinglová; Section: Charles University Projects and Teams

            Are gardening colonies a relic of the past or are they still an important part of today’s 
            What makes people travel to the garden areas? Will city gardens still exist in the future?
            questions are being sought by a research team headed by Mgr. et Mgr. Arnošt Novák from the

            social and cultural ecology at the Charles University Faculty of Humanities.
            “Our project was inspired by an article by sociologist Jan Keller, titled ‘In Praise of Ga
            he writes that garden colonies in big cities may offer a certain alternative to the negati

            modern development of a globalized capitalist society. Therefore we started to enquire abo
            of gardeners in the city,” Arnošt Novák says.

            Resting in a garden on Libeňský Island
            Other participants in the project “Garden Colonies – Shadows of the Future or Glimpses of 
            also Mgr. Martin Veselý, Mgr. Petr Gibas and four female final year students. The students

            outcomes of the research in their graduation theses. The team are also putting together a 
            be published next year.
            The team chose four garden colonies in and around Prague. “In the spring, the students sta

            sociological survey. Using qualitative research, interviews and participant observation th
            basic pillars – the social, environmental and economic one,” Mgr. Novák says.
            The students were interested in how people lived in the settlements, what mutual relations

            they went there and what they did there. They also studied whether people behaved ecologic
            what purpose they grew vegetables, fruits and flowers and whether they did it in order to 
            The students chose the Prague colonies of Cibulka, Jenerálka, Libeňský ostrov and the Holo

            the Prague-East district. According to the students, each colony has its specifics.
            A fancy dress party in the Libeňský Island garden colony
            Libeňský Island was hard hit by a devastating flood in 2002. Afterwards the Prague City Ha

            move the gardeners away. They fought back, founded a civic association and even staged a d
            for the preservation of the colony. They managed to save the settlement. Sticking together
            this colony. The locals also organize various cultural events during the year. “They have 

            they celebrate Children’s Days and Walpurgis Nights. In September they open their gates to
            organize a fancy dress party, which is not so typical of garden colonies,” Bc. Veronika Tv
            carried out research in the colony, says.

            The 2002 flood almost destroyed the Libeňský Island colony
            The Libeňský Island colony after the 2002 devastating flood
            According to the students, garden colonies are not a relic of the past, but on the contrar

            changing and new generations keep arriving. “Several years ago, there was a certain genera
            the average age of the gardeners started to decrease,” Bc. Eliška Rolfová, who carried out
            Jenerálka colony, says. She also looked into the phenomenon of garden colonies in an inter

            According to her, the existence of such settlements is common around Europe. “For example 
            of Paris, people wait for such a plot of land for up to ten years,” the student said comme
            situation in the French capital.

            According to Bc. Irena Valešová, who conducted research in Cibulka and the nearby Technoma
            what people share is spending their free time in the garden colony. “With their own hands 
            an environment where they feel good,” she says.

            According to Bc. Lucie Matějovská who was the only one to conduct research outside Prague,
            Holosmetky colony, every generation maintains gardens for a different reason. “The older g
            to their gardens mainly to grow vegetables for their own consumption, the middle-aged gene

            gardening as a kind of mental rest. The youngest generation have swimming pools, garden be
            lawn in their plot instead of tomatoes,” Matějovská says.
            The students are going to include their research in their graduation theses. By early spri

            should be ready describing the whole phenomenon of garden colonies. “The monograph should 
            an introductory theoretical part which we will be putting together along with Arnošt Novák
            anthropologist Petr Gibas. The theoretical part should look at what gardening is, what mot

            practice it and what meaning it has in an urban environment,” Mgr. Martin Veselý says.
            “The second, empirical part, will be based on four case studies which will concern individ
            In essays, the students will also focus on particular subject – values, land-use planning,

            development, law and international context,” Veselý says.
            From left to right: Bc. Lucie Matějovská, Bc. Eliška Rolfová, Bc. Irena Valešová, Bc. Vero
            and Mgr. Martin Veselý