Greening accidental cities through sustainable gardening

Refugee and IDP (internally displaced people) camps are created quickly, out of urgent need. But many become long-term homes for the people who live there. Over time, these settlements evolve into what we might call accidental cities – dense, complex urban environments that are rarely planned for the long term.

As Earth Day approaches, we’re taking a few moments to share where we are in our journey towards sustainable gardening practices in displaced communities and where we still hope to grow. While this year’s Earth Day global theme is renewable energy, our work focuses on something more immediate and accessible in the camp environment: using land, water and plant life wisely to create healthier, more liveable spaces for people and nature.

Our approach supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals, from food security and well-being to sustainable urban environments and resilient, inclusive communities. Because we believe that people and wildlife can, and should, thrive side by side.

Welcoming wildlife

In our flagship community garden, Azadî, bees and butterflies dance between the fragrant roses and vibrant sunflowers. We regularly see ladybirds and many other insects. And over the years, we’ve had the joy of spotting hedgehogs and hoglets nesting in leaf piles, a slow-moving tortoise exploring the undergrowth and even a praying mantis pausing among the plants as if inspecting the gardeners’ work. We’ve put up bird boxes and welcome various species including Delicate Prinia, European Greenfinch, European Robin, Eurasian Blackbird, Common Chiffchaffs, House Sparrows, Eurasian Collared Doves, Common Raven and Rock Pigeons.

In the Hevî Community Garden, established just last year (2024), we have already seen many different bee and butterfly species and other insects that include the Blue-tailed Damselfly, American Cockroach, Almond Stink Bug, Lesser Emperor Dragonfly, Egyptian Locust and European Mantis. We’ve seen the same bird species as in the Azadî garden.

But nature isn’t returning – it never left. Many refugee and IDP camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq were established near or on existing green spaces. The Azadî garden, for example, sits within Domiz 1 camp, just a short distance from the Bekhair mountains. In these nearby hills, our team has spotted the vibrant jewels of Anemone coronaria (poppy anemone), the delicate, almond-scented blossom of native Prunus and the cheerful, sunshine yellow Gagea. A reminder of the biodiversity that surrounds us.

Domiz 1 is the largest refugee camp in the region, home to around 32,000 people within just 1.2 km. In such dense, human-made environments, we believe our role is to create space where people and nature can coexist and thrive. Nature always finds a way. And we’re here, wherever possible, to help it along.

“My motivation for starting gardening here is that it’s living within me, moving in my blood. Wherever I go, I don’t feel comfortable until I plant something and take care of it.”

|| This contributes to Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Growing more than gardens

Since 2016, we’ve planted or distributed over 300,000 trees and plants, bringing colour, scent and shade into spaces that were once dry, dusty and bare. From lemon and olive trees to zinnias, aubergines and lavender, each one helps make the camp a greener, more hopeful place for both humans and animals.

We love trees. In the hot, dusty camp environments, they offer more than just beauty, they create pockets of shade, restore degraded soil and support the kind of biodiversity that’s often squeezed out of densely populated areas. Trees are the starting point of an ecosystem.

“This garden gives people a reason to live. It cleans the air and gives people hope. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard I could have a garden here. We’ve all been displaced and are suddenly living in a desert without trees. If I start a garden, then other people will too. And Domiz camp will be a more beautiful place. It will be a nicer place for children, but it will also make the adults happy and relaxed.“

|| This supports Goal 15: Life on Land – protecting ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss.

What we’ve learned about growing in difficult places

Gardening in displaced communities requires a flexible, low-tech and resourceful approach.

In our newest space, Hêvî Community Garden, in Gawilan camp, we used horse manure to fertilise 52 raised growing beds and we planted 435 trees and plants. These were all grown with care by the Azadî garden team and included Acacia dealbata (mimosa), Melia azedarach (chinaberry), Pelargonium graveolens (sweet-scented geranium), Barbados aloe (aloe vera), Vitis (grapevine), Ficus carica (fig), Lavandula (lavender), Santolina chamaecyparissus (santolina) and Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary).

We believe that when biodiversity improves, so does life for people. And in areas where green space is often erased to make way for camps, it’s vital we protect what’s left and rebuild. We’re honest about the journey – we’re still learning. We’re working with limited resources and in fragile environments. But every season, every garden and every gardener teaches us something new.

“Gardening is in my blood. When I arrive somewhere, I don’t feel comfortable until I am able to plant something.”

“The greening has helped people feel happy, to see greenery near their home – they love it.”

|| This advances Goal 2: Zero Hunger and Goal 15: Life on Land.

Water and sustainable gardening

In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, access to water is relatively good. In Domiz 1, most shelters have running water for sanitation and drinking. While supply can be limited during the hot summer months, where temperatures often reach 45 °C, we generally find that people have enough for their needs and are usually able to irrigate their gardens.

We advocate the safe use of greywater (household water from washing and bathing) to water ornamental plants, helping to make gardening more sustainable in camp environments.

“I dream that I will be able to go back to my country, but while I am here I want to improve my situation – especially by growing plants, because plants are alive for everybody.”

|| This reflects Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, by supporting resilient infrastructure.

Food, culture and community

What our gardeners grow is shaped by culture, climate and seed availability. Syrians have told us how important flowers are, not just for beauty, but for memory and identity. Others prioritise herbs, vegetables or fruit trees. Common favourites include tomatoes, courgettes, broad beans, salad greens, radish, rocket, sweetcorn, carrots and leafy herbs like parsley and coriander. On the ornamental side, you’ll find everything from geraniums and petunias to snapdragons and lavender.

Encouraging biodiversity is key to all of this. We encourage planting for pollinators and natural pest control, and our education workshops cover everything from composting and mulching, seed-saving to natural pest control and water irrigation, and pollinator care.

“My garden helps me forget I am a refugee.”

|| These efforts support Goal 2: Zero Hunger and Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by fostering food security and wellbeing.

Greening as a long-term solution

At its heart, our work is about helping displaced people reclaim their dignity and agency. Greening innovation and urban agriculture are powerful tools, not just for food production but for healing, empowerment and rebuilding lives.

We see every garden as a small act of resilience against the harsh conditions of displacement. Refugees are often left out of the planning of the spaces they live in, but when given the chance, they create beauty, order and life.

“We were hugely surprised when we arrived in the camp. It was like being given an electric shock. There was no tent for us. Some days, all we had to eat were crackers and biscuits. Then I decided: I’m going to create something beautiful here. The camp is closed like a shell, but in my garden I feel like I’m in my kingdom. My garden is proof that I still have something to give, that I’m still creative.”

|| This touches all four goals: Goal 2, Goal 11, Goal 15 and Goal 16.

Support greener camps

We invite you to support our efforts to green refugee and IDP camps and promote more sustainable gardening practices.

Your donation will help us:

• Distribute trees and seeds to households
• Train communities in composting, natural pest control and planting for pollinators
• Build more community gardens and wildlife-friendly spaces
• Support biodiversity in some of the most challenging environments

🌱 Donate today and help us grow hope, dignity and biodiversity in displaced communities 🌱

Let’s make refugee and IDP camps not just survivable, but liveable. Together, we can transform accidental cities into thriving, green communities, where flowers brighten doorways, nourishing food is always within reach and trees take root, offering shade, beauty and environmental benefits. Thank you.