Neighborhood Gardens

There are 5 community and school gardens in Zoetermeer. This page provides more information about these gardens.

Nature in the neighborhood garden

In the various neighborhood gardens, efforts are being made to create a natural environment as much as possible. For example, the Noordhove, Zegwaartseweg and Rokkeveen neighborhood gardens have a nature-friendly pond. Wijktuin Rokkeveen also has a hedgehog garden, a critter garden and a low-maintenance bird garden. Several neighborhood gardens have fruit trees and small fruits such as blackberries, raspberries and berries. Jams and juices are made from fruit and sold on open evenings, for example.

All neighborhood gardens also have a herb garden with, for example, chives, parsley, celery and mint. You can pick herbs there, in consultation with the manager, free of charge.

Activities at the neighborhood gardens

At the neighborhood gardens, various activities are organized for young and old. Children can show their garden to their parents, family and friends. And during the summer vacations there are activities as part of SpeelmeerPaspoort, such as making flower arrangements and baking bread. Adults can get information on nature-friendly gardening, composting, herb gardens and fruit trees.

Volunteers

Volunteers are indispensable in the garden. They help with school garden classes, open evenings and days, activities for children and garden maintenance. New volunteers are always welcome. If you enjoy working outdoors, come check out one of the gardens. Experience and knowledge of gardening is nice but not necessary. Enthusiasm is much more important.

Renting a garden

Don't have your own garden? At a few neighborhood gardens you can rent a little garden from early April to mid-October and grow your own organic vegetables and flowers. There is also limited space for permanent gardens where you can garden year-round.

School Garden Program

Children in grade 5 follow a school garden program during a school year. They begin after summer vacation with 6 themed lessons on flowers, bees, herbs and soil animals and weather effects. Using vegetables and herbs from the garden, they will make their own soup and herb butter.

In April, they get a little garden, where they grow and harvest vegetables and flowers. They also establish a group garden for the new Group 5 after the summer vacation. In the garden we do not use chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Do you have any questions?

Contact us using the contact form or call 14 079.

Addresses and opening hours

  • Wijktuin Noordhove, Da Sangalloruimte 10
  • Wijktuin Rokkeveen, Spectrumsingel 50
  • Neighborhood Garden Zegwaartseweg, Zegwaartseweg 25b
  • District Garden De Weidemolen, Burgemeester Middelberglaan 2
  • Neighborhood garden Het Buitenbeest, Belvedere Forest 270

Please note that the opening hours of the neighborhood gardens vary by season. For complete information, please stop by one of the neighborhood gardens, or ask your question by calling 14 079.

School and community garden Het Buitenbeest

Address: Belvedere Forest 270

School and community garden Het Buitenbeest is located in the Meerzicht neighborhood, next to the play and city farm of the same name.

Gardening with school children

From spring to summer, children from grade 5/6 from area elementary schools come here to garden as part of the curriculum. On these days it is a lively place, full of children getting to work in their own little garden. Up to 300 children's gardens can find a place here - and most years they are all occupied.

Vegetables, flowers and pumpkins

In addition to the school gardens, we also grow vegetables for the animals at the city farm. In the spring we fill flower pots with colorful flowers and in the summer, once the school gardens are empty, we plant pumpkins for the Halloween event at the play farm.

Plant greenhouse and themed lessons

At the play farm there is a large cold greenhouse. In spring and summer we show how plants grow here. In the fall the greenhouse is used for themed lessons for school children.

An inspiring place for everyone

The Buitenbeest is a special place, not only for children and visitors, but also for volunteers. Here you get energy from gardening, learning and working together.

Do you have any questions?

You can reach us by calling 14 079.

Noordhove neighborhood garden

Address: Da Sangallo Room 10

Wijk- en schooltuin Noordhove may be the smallest of the 5 neighborhood gardens in Zoetermeer, but it is definitely worth a visit. Hidden between schoolyards, a flat and a parking lot, you will find a surprisingly green oasis.

In this cozy garden you can enjoy a herb garden, beautiful old fruit trees and a small selection of year-round rental gardens. In addition, Noordhove also offers school gardens where children playfully learn about nature and sustainability. The garden is also a meeting place thanks to the additional location of Piëzo, where neighborhood activities and workshops are organized.

Do you have any questions?

You can reach us by calling 14 079.

Rokkeveen neighborhood garden

District garden Rokkeveen: the green heart of the neighborhood

At Spectrumsingel 50 in Zoetermeer lies wijktuin Rokkeveen, a thriving meeting place for local residents and nature lovers. Managed by the Stichting Vrienden van wijktuin Rokkeveen, in cooperation with the municipality of Zoetermeer, this garden offers a range of activities and facilities for young and old.

What makes neighborhood garden Rokkeveen special?

Green Education and Workshops: The neighborhood garden hosts regular workshops and events to share knowledge about gardening and sustainability.
Activities: Every first Saturday of the month there is an "Open Green Hand Day," where volunteers come together to maintain the garden and enjoy each other's company. These days promote social connection and provide an opportunity to actively contribute to the neighborhood.
Selling Local Products: Visitors can buy fresh produce from the garden, such as herbs and seasonal vegetables, at the sales stall. A delicious way to bring locally and sustainably grown goods into your home.

Opening hours

Wednesday: 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. (April to mid-September)
Every first Saturday of the month: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Stop by and join us!

Whether you have green fingers, want to participate in a workshop or just enjoy the green surroundings, neighborhood garden Rokkeveen welcomes you.

More information and an overview of activities can be found on the Foundation Wijktuin Rokkeveen page .

School Garden De Weidemolen

School garden De Weidemolen: learning and growing at city farm

Address: Burgemeester Middelberglaan 2

At city farm De Weidemolen in Oosterheem lies school garden De Weidemolen, a unique place where children from grade 5 can playfully learn about nature, sustainability and healthy food. The garden is spread over 4 plots of land and offers students an inspiring environment to get their hands dirty in the earth.

What makes the school garden special?

  • Learning about biodiversity: The school garden is a living example of biodiversity, with flower gardens that attract bees and butterflies, a berry garden and an orchard. Children discover how plants grow and why healthy nature is important.
  • Connecting with the city farm: The cooperation with city farm De Weidemolen makes gardening even more special. Children not only get lessons in gardening, but also learn how nature and animals form an ecosystem together.
  • Hands-on learning: Groups 5 of elementary schools in Oosterheem have their own gardens, where they grow vegetables and flowers. It's a place where they can proudly harvest what they have grown themselves and where curiosity and creativity are sparked.

For elementary schools in Oosterheem

School Garden De Weidemolen is designed to give schools the opportunity for grade 5 students to learn outside the classroom. To let them learn about nature and experience how fun and valuable gardening can be.

Do you have any questions?

You can reach us by calling 14 079.

Neighborhood garden Zegwaartseweg

Address: Zegwaartseweg 25b

District garden Zegwaartseweg, a place where nature and residents come together. Here we garden with care and love, as much as possible organically and always without pesticides. It is a green oasis where children and adults can discover the fun and value of gardening.

What can you do here?

  • School Gardens: Grade 5 students grow vegetables and flowers in their own little garden. With their hands in the soil, they learn about sustainability, healthy eating and taking pride in their own harvest. Think crisp lettuce or bright orange marigolds - all homegrown!
  • Rental Gardens: For local residents who do not have their own garden, the neighborhood garden offers the opportunity to rent a piece of green space. Whether you want a small summer garden or year-round gardening - here you can grow your own vegetables, fruits and flowers and enjoy the tranquility of nature.
  • Local goodies: Buy delicious honey from the in-house beekeeper, fresh fruit or homemade jam.

Stop by

When the gate of the neighborhood garden is open, you are welcome to walk around and explore the garden. Just be sure to check in with the neighborhood garden manager or one of the volunteers.

Help

The neighborhood garden runs on an enthusiastic group of volunteers, and new faces are always welcome. Whether you have green fingers or just enjoy being outdoors, there is always something to do. Your enthusiasm for working with others to make the garden flourish is most important!

Do you have any questions?

You can reach us by calling 14 079.