Marienberg Community Garden Opens in Tallinn! First Workdays Lay the Foundation for Community and the Future

A new green life is sprouting on Maarjaheina Street, near Tallinn’s Song Festival Grounds – the Marienberg Community Garden. This urban gardening initiative is located on the future site of the Marienberg city park and aims to explore how much local residents are interested in community gardening.

In early May, the garden hosted its first community workdays, with participation from both new community gardeners and the Metro team. A total of 23 people took part – 18 adults and 5 children.

“We assembled 15 planting beds, lining their walls with geotextile to make them more durable,” said Herdis Pärn, Head of Marketing at Metro Capital, describing the tasks completed. The beds were filled with natural drainage and organic material – twigs and dry leaves collected from the surrounding area – and then topped with Matogard’s BIO garden soil enriched with compost.

In addition to setting up the planting areas, the adjacent beach volleyball court was cleared to prepare it for the summer season. This court, once part of the long-forgotten grounds of Eesti Näitused (Estonian Exhibition Grounds), was rediscovered and refurbished by Metro last year. “We won’t be hosting championship games here, but it’s perfect for casual play,” noted Pärn.

The Marienberg Community Garden was established in collaboration with the City of Tallinn.

First Meeting Sets Ground Rules and Brings People Together

During the workdays, the community gardeners also held their first meeting. They discussed seasonal plans, shared expectations, and introduced good gardening practices. One key principle is organic gardening – meaning no chemical fertilizers are allowed.

“We shared pizza and got to know each other,” Pärn recalled of the cheerful beginning. Participants came from around the Song Festival Grounds as well as from Pirita, Kadriorg, and the Sibulaküla area. A variety of ages and nationalities were represented – from grandparents to families with young children.

Flowers, Pumpkins, and a Sunflower Hedge

People have different motivations for joining the community garden, but one thing is clear – the community is growing. Some initial ideas have already taken root. A few gardeners suggested planting flowers around the garden and growing pumpkins on top of a nearby pile of branches. The idea of creating a sunflower hedge also came up.

“One grandmother mentioned the garden is just a short walk from her home, and it’s a lovely place to come with her grandchild to play and eat strawberries.” Meanwhile, a child from one family, about six years old, was already full of ideas on how to make the garden even better.

Future Plans: Compost, Tool Shed, and Picnics

Several training workshops are planned for the season, with composting proving to be the most popular topic. A compost bin will be built, and a small tool shed with basic tools is planned as well. There will be shared planting days – and hopefully even a picnic or two.

Marienberg is now one of nearly 50 community gardens across Tallinn, but what makes it special is its location. The garden sits in a quiet area behind Eesti Näitused, away from busy roads. “There are rabbits hopping around here, and overall it’s a peaceful and relaxing place.”

Pärn adds that the main wish is for this beautiful green space to become part of people’s daily paths rather than remain unused.

Metro Capital’s Goal Is Not Just a Garden – It’s Community

The Marienberg Community Garden is not just a place to grow plants – it’s an experiment in growing community within the city. According to Pärn, the project has several meaningful goals.

“We want this green area to become part of people’s routines – not just sit there empty,” Pärn emphasizes.

With the garden, Metro contributes to:

• building community,
• creating a more human-centered urban space, and
• enhancing biodiversity.

The garden is also a testing and development ground – a way to better understand whether and how a community garden could become a permanent feature of the future Marienberg city park. It brings together physical space, community, and the idea of sustainable urban development.

The garden is part of Metro’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the promotion of sustainable and livable cities and communities. The Marienberg Community Garden was established in collaboration with the City of Tallinn.