Hêvî Community Garden unveils eye catching lemon sculpture
A bold new feature now stands in the Hêvî Community Garden in Gawilan refugee camp: a giant lemon sculpture designed by the Garden Manager Othman and brought to life with support from Rûken. Built from repurposed materials, the vibrant yellow sculpture measures 167cm long and 235cm wide, and weighs 50kg. It can be seen from all areas of the garden and is already adding a lively focal point to the space.
The idea for a lemon came from our organisation’s name and logo, which Othman wanted to turn into a feature that people could see and recognise in the garden. The sculpture reflects the skill and resourcefulness of the local garden team, all displaced from Syria, who are steadily improving the community garden through practical work. They have also built features such as the decorative well, upcycled car tyres into planters and helped advance larger projects like the new polytunnel.
To create the sculpture, Othman began by sketching a small lemon on paper, then enlarged the design and transferred it onto four sheets of polystyrene. Each sheet was cut, shaped and assembled to form the three-dimensional lemon structure, secured tightly and filled with old plastic bags and expanding foam for stability. The surface was then built up with fabric soaked in cement, reinforced with wire mesh and finished with a final layer of cement. Once dry, the sculpture was spray painted yellow and mounted on a bespoke metal base set into the ground.
Othman says, “This sculpture gives a visible face to the work we do every day in the garden. It shows what we can achieve with practical thinking and creativity, and it adds a new cheerful feature for everyone to enjoy.”
The sculpture reflects the energy and skill of the local team who continue to bring new ideas and practical skills to the community garden. Each initiative, from planting beds and polytunnels to artworks like this, helps make the garden a space of hope, nourishment and connection for the local community.
Share your thoughts and support the garden
Donate today to help the Hêvî Community Garden continue growing food, flowers and creative projects that improve life in Gawilan camp and beyond.
We would also love to hear from you. Share what you think about the lemon sculpture or send a message of encouragement to Othman, Rûken and the team via email, Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky.
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