Auf der Hardt

Plots are handed out by the club itself, not by the city and not by us. The usual route: contact the club, ask to be put on the waiting list, and apply to several sites at the same time. How long it takes depends heavily on the region, from a few weeks in rural areas to several years in sought-after city locations. You will find contact details for Auf der Hardt on the club website, if one is on file.

Rent is capped by law and comes to roughly 0.15 to 0.40 euros per square metre per year, depending on the federal state, Hesse included. On top of that come club fees, water, electricity and levies, together around 330 euros a year for a 300 m² plot. When you move in you pay the previous tenant a one-off transfer fee for the hut and the planting. Each club sets the exact amounts itself.

The site has 60 plots. Under the German Federal Allotment Garden Act a single plot may be no larger than 400 m², with 200 to 400 m² being usual. The hut may take up no more than 24 m².

The German Federal Allotment Garden Act requires horticultural use. The rule of thumb is the thirds rule: roughly one third of the area for fruit and vegetables, one third for recreation, one third for paths and the hut. A purely ornamental or lawn garden is not permitted. You may not live in the hut permanently.