Panneau 3 The Development of Allotment Gardens

Panneau 3

The Development of Allotment Gardens

The idea of providing workers with a small garden, both for relaxation and for growing vegetables and flowers, originated in France. It was Marie-Félicie Hervieu, the widow of a cloth manufacturer in Sedan, who first brought this concept to life in 1889 with her project Reconstitution de la Famille.

As early as 1886, Luxembourg’s first Verband für Obst- und Gartenbau was founded in Rollingergrund. Local gardeners donated new seeds to the population, and in return, people had to share information on their cultivation results. This initiative is probably linked to the foundation established by the Boch-Buschmann family, owners of the Villeroy & Boch ceramics factory, who gradually provided land to the municipality of Rollingergrund for the construction and maintenance of a school with teaching staff, as well as vegetable gardens.

Education was also a key focus here. The association organized lectures on vegetable cultivation, tree pruning, and fertilization, targeting „all enthusiasts who dedicate their leisure time to gardening“ (Luxemburger Wort, March 14, 1888). The texts from that time clearly indicate that gardening was an alternative to alcoholism.

In 1894, jardins ouvriers were established in Saint-Étienne under the leadership of Jesuit priest Félix Volpette. In 1896, the Ligue française du Coin de Terre et du Foyer was founded at the initiative of priest and politician Jules-Auguste Lemire. In 1899, the publication of Louis Rivière’s Les jardins ouvriers en France et à l’étranger : la réforme sociale pratique attracted significant attention.