Meet Ismail and Shalal, our gardeners in the Azadi Community Garden
The Azadi Community Garden in Domiz 1 camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, is run by a small team of gardeners headed up Aveen, our Operations Manager.
We asked team members Ismail and Shalal (pictured below) some questions about their work in the garden and their favourite plants.
Ismail
“I’m Ismail, a Syrian refugee. I live with my family in Domiz 1 camp in Kurdistan.
I love the people who work in the Azadi Community Garden because we have become like a family here. Every day in the garden is interesting and full of activity and vitality. It’s a place where people can relax and I enjoy every single day I work here.
I love to grow everything! While there is little water, we have recently planted a pine tree and I like gori (rose) flowers because they smell beautiful.”
انا اسماعيل, لاجىء سوري اعيش مع عائلتي في مخيم دوميز 1 في دهوك.
انا احب الأشخاص الموجودين في الحديقة ازادي لاننا صرنا مثل عائلة و انا استمتع كل يوم في هذه الحديقة.
يومي في حديقه ازادي ممتع ومليء بالنشاط وحيويه وايضآ الحديقة تعطينا الراحة.
احب ان ازرع كل شيء, لكن الماء قليل, برغم من هذا هناك شجرة صنوبر زرعناها! احب أزهار الجوري لأن رائحتها جميله جدا.
Shalal
“My name is Shalal. I’m originally from Syria and now I live in Domiz 2 camp with my wife and daughter.
The thing I enjoy most about my work is pruning plants in the Azadi Community Garden and taking care of them until they grow and become ready to be distributed to our beneficiaries. I also enjoy watering the garden.
Starting my day with gardening activity gives me vitality. I like growing indoor plants at home and taking care of them with my family.
My favourite plant is the gori (rose), because it is successful when pruned and cultivated, and it has medicinal benefits.”
انا شلال لاجىء من سوريا, اعيش في دوميز 2 مع زوجتي وابنتي .اكثر شيء استمتع به في عملي تقليم النباتات الموجوده في الحديقه والاعتناء بها لتصبح نبته ناجحه وتوزيعها على المستفيدين .ابدا يومي في الحديقه بنشاط وحيويه واستمتاع بسقايه الحديقه .زراعه النباتات الداخليه في المنزل والاعتناء بها مع العائله .نباتي المفضل هو الجوري لانه نبات ناجح عند اثناء تقليمه وزراعته وله فواءد طبيه
Meet our other team members
Lemon Tree Trust supporter Katie Cox recently raised £1,000 for our work, plus £250 in Gift Aid, by organising an arts and crafts fundraising event at her home and in her garden. Katie is pictured above wearing a rather fabulous green shirt covered in lemons. Katie’s donation was made during our Tree & Plant Appeal, … Continued
This spring, we launched our 2026 Tree & Plant Appeal with a target of £30,000 / $39,500 USD to help us grow and distribute trees and plants, both ornamental and productive, to families and communities living in refugee and internally displaced people’s camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Thanks to the incredible generosity of … Continued
We are pleased to share an update on our work during the first eight months of 2026, with a special focus on our work with children across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Syria. This year, we have placed a particular focus on the next generation of gardeners, creating more opportunities for children and young … Continued