Zagreb offers 85 free garden plots to residents

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

ZAGREB, 26 August 2026 — Residents of Zagreb can apply for one of 85 free garden plots being offered by the city as part of its long-running City Gardens (Gradski vrtovi) project.

Applications opened on Monday, 24 August, with the latest plots available across five areas of the Croatian capital: Novi Zagreb – zapad, Novi Zagreb – istok, Peščenica – Žitnjak, Stenjevec and Sesvete.

Each plot covers 50 square metres and will be provided for two years at no charge, with the possibility of extending the period of use.

The scheme is open to people with permanent residence in Zagreb who do not own, co-own, lease or otherwise use other cultivable land.

Applications must be submitted within 15 days of the publication of the public call. Details on eligibility requirements, selection criteria, required documents and the application procedure are available with the public call published on the City of Zagreb’s official website.

The City Gardens project was launched in 2013 and has since expanded to 16 locations, with more than 2,250 garden plots covering approximately 24.5 hectares of cultivable land.

Residents use the plots to grow vegetables, berries, herbs and flowers. The city also promotes the gardens as places where people can spend time outdoors, socialise and connect with nature.

For residents without access to private land, the programme provides an opportunity to grow fresh produce while making use of designated green spaces within the city.

Urban gardening programmes are increasingly relevant as cities look for ways to preserve green areas, encourage local food growing and provide residents with greater access to outdoor spaces. Zagreb’s established network, now covering dozens of hectares, shows how unused or designated urban land can also serve a practical community purpose.

With another 85 plots now available, the latest call gives more Zagreb residents an opportunity to take part in the city’s urban gardening network.