2022 - ongoing

Garden with plants and ceramic wooden tiles

16mm film (work in progress)

 

playgarden/speeltuin/jardin a jouer is the laboratorium of the ongoing research project ‘onkruid vergaat niet’ (weeds won’t perish). The research project experiments with old rituals and uses of indigenous plants in Belgium. The playgarden specifically focuses on plants with which you can play. Daisies (madeliefjes) are planted for counting petals and making daisy chains, cow parsley (fluitkruid) is for making whistles and poppies (klaproos) can turn into dolls. Currently the garden is growing Antirrhinum majus, Anthriscus sylvestris, Lamium album, Papaver rhoeas, Gallium aparine, Trifolium sp., Sambucus nigra, Taraxacum officinale, Bellis perrenis, Althaea officinalis, Arctium lappa. 

 

The garden is situated in social housing complex Huileries. Erien invites the young neighbors and other gardeners to help care for and play in the garden. In July 2023 she organized a play event and filmed people and children playing in the garden. Below are some stills of this film.

​

The garden space is kindly offered by Leefmilieu Brussels and the municipality of Forest. This project is financed by the Vlaamse Overheid.