Integration through (and for) horticulture
Our action « Huerta de Montecarmelo », a shared garden for everyone to use, held by disabled people.
Disabled people in charge of a garden
Horticulture as a social path
We like to think of plants for their beauty, not so much for their social benefits. But what if they could help people find their way in life? Such is the case for the mentally disabled people who work at the Huerta de Montecarmelo garden and make it a haven for everyone in the heart of the city.
Klorane Botanical Foundation has chosen to support A LA PAR, the foundation in charge of this beautiful program in Madrid.
Training comes first
The urban vegetable garden welcomes a happy crowd: gardeners, foodies, families and nature lovers… They can choose among the 200 patches available and make the best of them with the help of the disabled people running the place.
The latter are indeed responsible for helping out those urban gardeners, but also making sure the garden stays in good shape and remains plentiful. The team counts 20 members, each a real keeper for the place.
Through the foundation, they receive a training in horticulture and gardening in order to become strong links in the larger scheme of botanical transmission.
A large ecosystem takes place
Gathering souls around greens
The garden is more than just an opportunity to get in touch with nature. It is also a place for everyone to meet disability and get to understand it better, when life tends to keep their worlds apart.
Courses & animations
From learning more on gardening to preparing preserves all the way to making your own compost, there is so much you can learn at the Huerta de Montecarmelo. Indeed, the garden is not just about growing vegetables and fruits; it is also about taking part in all aspects of their cycles and learning how to put them in your plate!
Once a month, the garden welcomes a market where you can get your hands on house-made products and vegetables coming from the surrounding kitchen gardens.
The program is expanding!
The mission of the disabled people in charge of the garden has been such a success that it has spread to other green areas around the foundation.
©A LA PAR
So, what do we grow?
Cauliflowers, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, chili peppers… More than 100 varieties for the 4 different seasons!
Klorane Botanical Foundation & A LA PAR
The Spanish foundation A LA PAR is our partner on this project. The public is extremely found of this organisation that makes integration easier for disabled people in order to improve their situation in society. To do so, A LA PAR runs countless programs, including a specialised school, sports clubs, a research center, medical care or even specialised jobs…
