News

This World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is focusing on the importance of a healthy diet in ending world hunger. Here at the Azadi Community Garden in Domiz camp, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, fruit and vegetables are grown by a group of women and their families and … Continued

During this year’s Lemon Tree Trust (LTT) Garden Competition one of our gardeners, Khadeja Tahr Omer, invited LTT’s founder Stephanie Hunt in to her home to try her beloved homemade rose water. Stephanie learned that Khadeja started making rose water 15 years ago when she lived in Syria as a refreshing juice for her children. … Continued

We’re thrilled to announce the winners of the 2019 Lemon Tree Trust annual garden competitions in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Competitions took place in a record seven refugee and IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps this year, with nearly 1,500 gardens in the running for prizes. A combination of cash prizes and gifts of … Continued

The Azadi Community Garden in Domiz 1 camp is overseen by Aveen (left) and her team, pictured above. We asked them some questions to find out more about what they like doing when they’re not gardening. Q: What is your favourite plant / flower? A: Both Khadija and Fatima’s favourite is jasmine. Ahin loves tulips … Continued

Lemon Tree Trust’s Dr Sami Youssef recently led a research trip on land near Domiz camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The team were delighted to see the bright and bold colourful jewels of the Anemone coronaria. Also spotted was the delicate blossom of native Prunus, the bell-shaped flowers of Onosma, as well as the sunshine yellow … Continued

International Women’s Day, today, March 8, is a time to reflect on progress made and to celebrate the acts of courage and determination by ordinary women in their communities. The United Nations has marked this year’s theme as “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change” as an opportunity to look at innovative ways in which … Continued

We’re thrilled to welcome Rody Sher to the Lemon Tree Trust as Country Director, Iraq. Based in Erbil, Rody will work closely with both the Domiz camp gardening and operations team headed up by Aveen Ibrahem, and colleagues further afield in the USA and UK. We asked him a few questions to get to know … Continued

Lemon Tree Trust presents in Vatican City In recognition of our efforts to improve the lives of refugees through gardening initiatives, we will present our vision in Vatican City this week. We have been announced as a recipient of the 2018 Laudato Sí Challenge, an initiative inspired by Pope Francis to address the global refugee crisis, … Continued

FIELD NOTES After a recent community gathering in the Lemon Tree Trust Liberation Garden in Domiz camp, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Aveen shares her thoughts on why the garden is so important to women living in Domiz: The Liberation Garden has become part of the lives of every woman working here and is of great … Continued

One of the pomegranate (Punica granatum) trees from the Lemon Tree Trust Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 has been donated to RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, UK. The tree will form part of a new Mediterranean planting scheme inspiring visitors to try new plants in their own gardens. Peter Jones, Garden Manager for … Continued