My secret garden

Last month I bought an apartment in my favorite part of Berlin, just around the corner from Urbanhafen. One of the best features is the private backyard. I see it as a way to put my ideas about sustainability into action, so of course I want it to become a thriving organic vegetable garden. The only problem: as it's between a bunch of tall buildings, the garden gets very little sun. What to do?

My plan is to find out what will thrive in the moist, shady environment I've been given and stick to that. To that end, I met with a Pflanzendoktor yesterday to get tips on what to plant. She told me to stick to local varieties and shade-friendly sorts. I'm thinking mushrooms, blackberries, and maybe some tomatoes.

Urban farming in Berlin: Prinzessinnengärten

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a giant open space on Moritzplatz that I always remembered as an abandoned lot. This time the gates where open and the place was sprawling with sacks, crates, and bags of soil, most of which had plants popping out. They were labeled with their name and many had a little description. It looked almost like a gardening store, but there were no prices on anything. In the back, people were lounging on benches, eating and drinking at a café of some sort. Welcome to Prinzessinnengärten.

British magazine Monocle made a short video report about the project, which calls itself a "mobile urban farm." Some guys thought the previously wasted space was a great opportunity to grow heirloom organic food. So they grabbed their friends and started to work last year. The place is already thriving, and I can't wait to go to one of their work days on Thursdays.