A neglected 1,000-square-metre area on the outskirts of San Ġwann has been transformed into a public garden focusing on the importance of pollination and the Maltese honeybee.
Spearheaded by the San Ġwann council and Project Green, Ġnien id-Dakkara (Pollinator Garden) is off Tal-Balal road.
The government says it is a short walk from the homes of some 570 families who live in the area.
First announced in May 2021, the garden was opened on Friday by Environment Minister Miriam Dalli, San Ġwann mayor Trevor Fenech and Project Green CEO Joseph Cuschieri.
Ġnien id-Dakkara includes high-pollen trees and shrubs that encourage bee pollination, as well as a sanctuary for bees in honeybee enclosures. It also offers an environmental education experience for visitors, raising awareness of the importance of the Maltese honeybee.
The garden includes 92 trees and 276 shrubs, including cypress, carob, chaste, fan palms, oak, and jacaranda trees, along with aromatic herbs selected to promote pollination.
A bee enclosure at the garden. Photo: Pierre Sammut, DOIPollinators are essential contributors to local biodiversity, fostering the growth of diverse plants, enabling cross-pollination, and serving as educational tools for understanding their pivotal role in ecosystems.
Through this investment, Project Green helped the San Ġwann council transform a neglected field situated alongside an arterial road into a secure and accessible public space.
The garden’s layout follows a hexagonal design, integrating wooden platforms to create an organic and easily accessible pathway with benches and other outdoor furniture.
Dalli referred to a public consultation process launched last week to eventually declare the Maltese honeybee Malta’s national insect.
Fenech said that the transformation of derelict land into a new green garden reflected a commitment to create open and sustainable spaces within the neighbourhood.