North Rhine-Westphalia is looking for the most beautiful allotment gardens: competition started!

North Rhine-Westphalia is looking for the most beautiful allotment gardens: competition started!

Exciting events are taking place in North Rhine-Westphalia this week! The program includes a trip to the state competition “Allotment Gardens NRW”, an event that honors the best allotment garden associations in the state every four years. Under the motto “Allotment garden happiness – where people and nature come together”, a total of 14 clubs from different regions applied to present their green oases in urban spaces. This event is not only proof of the popularity of allotment gardens in urban environments, but also an important step towards promoting leisure and recreation in densely populated areas, as the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia emphasizes.

The participating allotment garden associations are spread across North Rhine-Westphalia - from East Westphalia to the Dutch border and from Münsterland to the Bergisches Land. “Allotment gardens are cities’ green retreats and make a decisive contribution to improving the urban climate and adapting to climate change,” said Minister Gorißen. The competition not only recognizes urban development achievements, but also promotes social interaction and the sustainable use of space.

Applicants and evaluation criteria

The participating associations include the allotment gardening association Böhlerfeld e.V. from Wuppertal, the KGV Horst-Emscher from Gelsenkirchen and the allotment garden community “FriedlicherNeighbor” e.V. from Minden. You can view the full list of applicants on the ministry's website.

• Kleingärtnerverein Böhlerfeld e.V., Wuppertal
• KGV Horst-Emscher, Gelsenkirchen
• Kleingartenverein „Friedlicher Nachbar“ e.V., Minden
• GV Bolmketal e.V., Dortmund
• KGV „Neue Erde“ Neuss e.V., Neuss
• KGV Erholung-Buer e.V., Gelsenkirchen
• KGV Ahlen Süd e.V., Ahlen
• Wettringen-Selbst-Bewusst e.V., Wettringen
• Kleingärtner und Gartenbauverein Liesborn e.V., Liesborn (Gemeinde Wadersloh)
• KGV Lünen Mitte e.V., Lünen
• KGV der Kriegsbeschädigten Düsseldorf Oberbilk 1920 e.V., Düsseldorf
• Kleingärtnerverein „Zur Rose“ e.V., Sendenhorst
• Gartenverein Zur Sonnenseite 1926 e.V., Dortmund
• Dauerkleingartenanlage Soldatengasse 1905 e.V., Aachen

The evaluation is carried out by an independent commission that assesses the beauty of the gardens as well as their social and ecological functions. Aspects such as urban planning and the creativity of the design are also taken into account in the evaluation. The registration deadline for participation was March 31, 2025, and the competition is also a kind of preparation for the national “Gardens in Urban Development” competition next year 2026.

An unforgettable finale

The excitement is rising because the winners of the competition will be announced on November 15, 2025 in Dortmund. All participating clubs and municipalities are invited to the big final event at the Hansa coking plant, where the best projects will be presented and duly recognized.

Allotments are more than just a way to grow fresh vegetables. They are a key element of urban culture, encourage people to meet each other and play a crucial role in climate protection. So it will be exciting to see which club can assert itself as the best allotment club in the country. Cheers to the green oases in our cities!

Further information and details about the competition can be found at country.nrw as well as Kleingarten.de.