The (Green) Hobby of… Tine van de Velde
Just across from Boerdereike, hidden behind ivy and privet hedges, lies one of the green oases of Blixembosch: Volkstuinvereniging Aanschot. On 15,000 m² of leased land from the municipality, around 100 hobby gardeners are active. Tine van de Velde has been a member for 21 years.
In 2004, she started with a small 50 m² plot, but after her retirement, she expanded it to 100 and then 200 m². “Why sit behind the geraniums?” Tine laughs. “A garden is a lot of work, but when a part is finished, I think: wow, that looks beautiful!”
As a child, Tine already loved flowers and plants. On her bike ride to work in Helmond, she passed a community garden, where she thinks the proverbial seed was planted. Over the years, the garden has become a pivotal part of her day. “When you’re working in the soil, you think of nothing else. I work for an hour in the morning and another in the afternoon.”
Tine sees the community garden as a social hub. “At the shed, you can borrow tools and buy materials like compost, bark, etc. At 10 AM, the bell rings for coffee. I learn more from the coffee-time conversations than from a book.” Tine is also part of the activities committee.
There’s always something happening. Workshops on grafting, pruning, making worm hotels, and even starting as a beginner. One of the gardeners organizes a weekly coffee round for residents of Woonzorgcentrum Eerdbrand in the summer, where the experience of flowers and plants helps evoke memories. A working group has transformed a shaded area into a woodland garden that yields herbal mixtures, quince jelly, and syrups.
As for her own harvest? Flowers, beans, leeks, and strawberries are her favorites. Tine: “But you quickly have too much, so I love giving it away. A little one who visits my garden always asks which strawberry they can pick: ‘This one, Tine? This one? So sweet!”
Tine is also part of the Groen, Speel en Milieu working group within the Leefbaarheidsteam (Livability Team) of the neighborhood, where she helps with the Zwerfafvalactie (litter campaign).
Volkstuinvereniging Aanschot
Aanschot 73, 5629 BJ Eindhoven
Text: Cora van Soerland