Centre for Minorities Research Podcast
Thank you to Rachael Jefferies for inviting us on to the Centre for Minorities Research Podcast to talk about our work.
The Centre for Minorities Research is based at the University of St Andrews, St Andrews in Scotland, UK. And the centre’s student-led podcast provides a space for students to creatively explore their research interests.
We’re delighted to feature on the first episode of season 2.
“Growing Flowers in the Desert: A Conversation with the Lemon Tree Trust will reveal how one packet of seeds can bring hope to even the most desolate of situations. In this podcast, Rachael Jefferies, a Master of Arts (Honours) student in French and German, explores the power of gardening with Jennie Spears from the Lemon Tree Trust. Discover stories of displaced individuals and see how the act of gardening becomes a common language of dignity between people and a bridge to build community.”
In the 30 minute episode, we answer questions, such as:
- How did it all start? What was the founder’s inspiration for creating the Lemon Tree Trust?
- What plants do people like to grow?
- How can people that have been displaced use their garden space to move on from their previous lives but also to bridge the link between their previous lives and their current situation?
- Would you say you have come across people who are new to gardening, as well as people who have always enjoyed it?
- Is there anything that we can do as listeners to support the vision of the Lemon Tree Trust?
Listen to the podcast episode.
Photo: Roadside Plant Store flowers, Kurdistan Region of Iraq © Britt Willoughby Dyer
Bringing together residents to celebrate the home gardens they have grown, tended and transformed over the past year, Lemon Tree Trust’s 2026 Annual Garden Competitions have taken place across nine refugee and IDP (internally displaced people) camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This year’s competitions introduced a greater emphasis on welcoming new participants alongside … Continued
Girls and boys living in Gawilan refugee camp have come together for child-focused environmental workshops at the Hêvî Community Garden, brought to life by Lemon Tree Trust and the General Directorate of Social Care in Duhok (DoLSA). The workshops form part of the Child Protection and Climate Change Campaign, through which UNICEF supports DoLSA in … Continued
Many thanks to Megan Davis at Perennial Gatherings for her generous donation this May, the latest in a series of kind contributions to Lemon Tree Trust over the years. Perennial Gatherings is a Vancouver-based floral studio and social enterprise, specialising in thoughtfully curated arrangements made with locally grown, seasonal blooms. Profits from floral sales are … Continued