‘Ecology is an integral part of culture and should become our everyday life. The pandemic caused a social distance, but we should not distance ourselves from nature’, said Sara Pavkov from the ‘Zeleni Sad’ environmental association.

After the quarantine, they return to their activities in a symbolic way with the ‘Don’t be at the ECO-distance’ action, with which they wanted to renew ‘Our Vertical Garden’ in Detelinara.
‘Our Vertical Garden’ is one of the chosen projects within the first call for improvement of small public surfaces ‘New Places – Microgranting’, within which the ‘Zeleni Sad’ association wanted to revive dr Svetislava Kasapinovića Street and give the neighbourhood the authentic little garden.

‘The idea of ​​renovating the vertical garden, which we set up two years ago with the help of the ‘Novi Sad 2021 –  European Capital of Culture’ Foundation, aims to include our neighbours to water the plants and take care of them, because they are planted for them and because of them. Over 60 seedlings have been provided, the plants are mostly perennial and require watering once every four to five days’, Sara told us.

Some of the planted plants are ivy, rabbit ears, bluegrass, lavender, mint…

The ‘Zeleni Sad’ association is already considering new locations where they would implement their creative and ecological solutions, and they think that the ‘Nova Mesta-Mikrogranting’ call is a great opportunity for that.
‘This is an ideal opportunity for citizens’ associations that are active on the territory of the entire city of Novi Sad to show what they have at their disposal, both in terms of expertise and in terms of creative ideas. In 2018, we also had very creative ideas that were successful, and I hope that, when the situation returns to normal, we will be able to continue it during the next call’, said Sara.