The gardening club that meets at Versalles Park

The origin: Doña Lucía and the three neighbors who started it all

It was 1998 when Doña Lucía, an 82-year-old woman who still lives in the same house in the Versalles neighborhood since she moved in 1975, sat on a park bench with three neighbors. They talked about how dry the park looked, how the plants were dying from lack of care. Doña Lucía had been a biology teacher at Colegio Berchmans and knew about plants. "Why don't we do something ourselves?" she said that morning. Thus the Versalles Park gardening club was born, without a charter, without membership, without a fee. Just the desire to beautify the neighborhood.

What started as a group of four women watering the same crotons that line 5th Street with 34th Avenue became, over the years, an unofficial institution of the neighborhood. Today, in May 2026, the club gathers between 15 and 25 people every Saturday. Many are neighbors from Versalles, but people also come from Santa Mónica, El Ingenio, even Ciudad Jardín. The requirement is simple: have a plant to share or the desire to learn.

Where they meet: the corner of Versalles Park

The meeting point is unmistakable. Every Saturday, at 8 in the morning, at the corner of 5th Street with 34th Avenue, right where Versalles Park has a long concrete bench and a giant rubber tree that provides shade. There they set up a folding table, some plastic chairs, and a handwritten sign that says "Versalles Gardening Club – Welcome." There is no official sign or municipal permit. It's pure neighborhood management.

Versalles Park, by the way, is one of the most beloved green lungs of northern Cali. It has a multi-purpose court, playgrounds, and a gazebo where events are sometimes held. But the club's corner is sacred. There they have watched the neighbors' children grow up, celebrated plant birthdays (yes, you read that right), and resolved arguments about pests with the same passion others discuss soccer.

Plants that thrive in Versalles' climate

The Versalles neighborhood has a climate that many Cali residents envy. Being in the northern zone, a bit higher than downtown, the temperatures are slightly cooler, although the sun still beats down hard between 11 am and 3 pm. The club has an unwritten list of plants that do well here. If you go on a Saturday, you'll see that the favorites are three:

Succulents

Succulents are the queens of the club. Doña Lucía says "they are for those with a black thumb," because they withstand forgotten waterings and direct sun. In Versalles, succulents thrive in clay pots, on balcony planters, and even in recycled bottles. The club has a succulent bank: anyone can bring a cutting and take another. It works like barter, but without strict rules.

Crotons

Crotons are the ones that border the park. They are those plants with large leaves, green with yellow, red, or orange spots. The club has a special affection for them because they were the first ones Doña Lucía and her neighbors planted. Crotons grow fast, need water every two days, and withstand the breeze that sometimes comes down from the hill. If you see a really nice croton in the park, it was probably pruned by someone from the club.

Heliconias

Heliconias are the divas of the group. These tropical plants, with hanging flowers that look like birds, need more care: well-drained soil, partial shade, and fertilizer every month. But when they bloom, they are the pride of the club. In Versalles, heliconias do best in the inner gardens of houses that have a patio, but some apartment dwellers have them in large pots on the terrace. The club teaches how to prune them without killing them.

The 'secret' of community composting

If there is something that distinguishes this club from other gardening groups in Cali, it is its community composting system. About five years ago, the Cali Mayor's Office, through the Secretariat of Territorial Development, donated a large wooden box, about two meters long by one meter wide, for the club to make compost. The box is located behind the park's gazebo, half-hidden among some bushes.

The process is simple but has its science. Every Saturday, club members bring organic waste from their homes: vegetable peels, coffee grounds, dry leaves from sweeping. They do not accept meat, dairy, or excessive citrus, because that attracts flies and bad odors. Once a month, someone from the club stirs the mixture with a shovel and moistens it. The result, after three months, is a black compost, smelling of wet earth, which they use for the park's plants and to give to new members.

The curious thing is that composting has become a social ritual. While they stir the soil, people talk about their lives, their children, the neighborhood's problems. Doña Lucía says "compost unites more than a homeowners' meeting." And she is right.

How cuttings are inherited between generations

One of the most beautiful traditions of the club is the inheritance of cuttings. It is not written down, but it happens naturally. When someone dies, moves away, or simply stops coming, their plants pass to other members. This has been happening for almost 30 years.

Yolanda, a 40-year-old woman who works as a graphic designer from her home in Versalles, tells how she inherited her grandmother's bougainvillea. "My grandmother was one of the first in the club, back in the 2000s. She had a purple bougainvillea that she planted when my mom was born. When my grandmother passed away in 2015, I didn't know what to do with the plant. Doña Lucía told me: 'bring it to the club, we'll teach you how to take care of it.' So I did. I learned to prune it, to water it only when the soil is dry, to repot it. Now that bougainvillea is on my terrace and every time it blooms, I feel like my grandmother is greeting me."

Yolanda is not the only one. There are succulent cuttings that have traveled from house to house, from one generation to another. A 70-year-old woman, Doña Aura, has a croton that her mother planted in 1985. "When my mother went to live with my sister in Bogotá, she left me the croton. I brought it to the club so they could help me revive it, because it was drying out. They put new soil on it, pruned it, and now it's beautiful. That croton is over 40 years old."

The club even has a "cutting bank," a cardboard box where people leave twigs wrapped in damp newspaper, with the plant's name and a brief instruction. New members can take one for free. It's like a library, but of plants.

What else the club does

Beyond watering and pruning, the club organizes activities that rotate according to the time of year. In January, when the sun is strongest, they hold workshops on how to protect plants from heat stress. In April, with the rains, they teach how to control fungi with home remedies (cinnamon powder, diluted milk). In October, they have a decorated pot exchange.

They also have a WhatsApp group, although Doña Lucía doesn't use it. "That's too complicated for me," she says laughing. But the younger members, like Yolanda, keep it active. There they share plant photos, ask for advice, and coordinate who brings the coffee on Saturdays (because, of course, the club wouldn't be the same without a cup of black coffee to liven things up).

Where to eat or drink after the club

After the gardening session, which usually lasts until 10:30 or 11 am, many members go for breakfast or a drink nearby. The Versalles neighborhood has options for all tastes.

• Panadería Versalles: on 5th Street with 35th Avenue, half a block from the park. They sell pandebonos, almojábanas, and coffee. It's the most common meeting point after the club. Popular prices: a pandebono costs around $1,500 COP.
• La Casa del Pan: on 34th Avenue with 4th Street. They have artisan bread, natural juices, and gluten-free options. Ideal for those who prefer something healthier. A large juice costs about $5,000 COP.
• Heladería El Parque: right in front of the park, on the corner of 5th Street with 34th Avenue. They sell ice cream and popsicles. On hot days, it's a must-stop. A water popsicle costs $2,000 COP.

If someone wants lunch, there are several home-cooking restaurants in the neighborhood, such as Comedor de la Abuela (33rd Avenue with 5th Street), where for $12,000 COP they serve bandeja paisa or chicken sancocho on Saturdays.

How to get there and transportation

Getting to Versalles Park is easy, whether you come from other parts of Cali or from the south of the city.

• By MIO: the nearest station is "Versalles," which is on 5th Street, two blocks from the park. The routes that pass by there are T31 (coming from downtown) and P21 (connecting with the south). The fare is $2,800 COP.
• By car: if coming from the south, take the Autopista Sur to 5th Street, turn right and go straight to 34th Avenue. There is street parking, but on Saturday mornings there is usually space. There is also a private parking lot on 33rd Avenue with 5th Street, which charges $3,000 COP per hour.
• By bicycle: 5th Street has a bike path from 3rd Avenue to 50th Avenue. It is safe and flat. The park has a public bicycle parking lot.
• On foot: if you are in the Versalles neighborhood or Santa Mónica, you can walk. The park is the heart of the neighborhood, so just ask for "Versalles Park."

Local tips

If you are going to visit the club for the first time, here are some tips that club members will appreciate:

• Arrive on time: at 8 am everyone is already there. If you arrive after 9, you miss the most fun part, which is when they decide which plants need water and which ones will be pruned.
• Bring a cutting: it's not mandatory, but it's the best way to break the ice. It doesn't matter if it's a sprig of mint or a succulent leaf. Everything is received with pleasure.
• Bring a bag of black soil: the club has a soil exchange. If you bring a bag of black soil (the kind sold at nurseries on 3rd Avenue, for about $5,000 COP), you can take cuttings, pots, or compost from the community compost.
• Wear comfortable clothes: you are going to get your hands dirty. No problem, but it's better to wear clothes you don't mind staining. Bringing gardening gloves is also a good idea.
• Don't be afraid to ask: Doña Lucía and the other members are very open. If you don't know how to prune a croton or why your succulent is turning yellow, ask. They will give you advice even for your mother-in-law's plants.
• Bring your own coffee: if you are a big coffee drinker, it's better to bring your thermos. The club sometimes has black coffee, but not always. And in Versalles, the bakery coffee is good, but it closes at 10 am on Saturdays.

Fun fact: the club's oldest plant

There is a fact that few know. In Versalles Park, right next to the bench where they meet, there is a mango tree that Doña Lucía planted in 1999. That plant, which today produces small but sweet mangoes every June, was the club's first project. When they planted it, neighbors complained, saying the roots would lift the sidewalk. Doña Lucía told them no, that she had studied that. And she was right: the tree grew without damaging anything. Today, that mango tree is the symbol of the club. Every year, when the fruits ripen, the members organize a "mango party," where they share juice, ice cream, and even homemade mango wine.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay to join the club?

No. The club is completely free. There are no membership fees or registration costs. The only thing asked is that if you take a cutting, try to bring a new one in the future, or at least contribute with a bag of soil or organic waste for the compost. It's a barter of good will.

Can I come if I know nothing about gardening?

Of course. In fact, most members learned at the club. Doña Lucía and the more experienced ones give practical advice from the first Saturday. There is no boring theory or manuals. You learn by doing: pruning, watering, transplanting. The best way to start is to bring a plant that is dying and ask what to do.

What if I don't have a cutting to trade?

Don't worry. You can bring a bag of black soil, organic waste for the compost, or simply your time and willingness to help. The club always needs hands to water, sweep leaves, or stir the compost. If you have nothing material, you can offer to take photos for the WhatsApp group or bring the coffee one morning. Everything counts.

Is there an age limit?

No. The club has children as young as 8 who come with their grandparents to people over 80. The majority are women over 55, but more and more young professionals aged 30 to 45 who live in apartments and want to learn about vertical gardens or potted plants are arriving. There are also amateur landscapers who come to share techniques. Everyone is welcome.

Does the club meet all year round?

Yes, every Saturday of the year, except if December 24th or 31st fall on a Saturday, in which case it is suspended. During heavy rainy season, outdoor meetings are sometimes canceled, but they notify via the WhatsApp group. In general, Cali's climate allows outdoor meetings almost always.

CTA: Bring your cutting this Saturday

If after reading this you feel like joining, know that this Saturday the club awaits you at the corner of Versalles Park (5th Street with 34th Avenue) at 8 in the morning. You don't need experience, just curiosity and a plant to share. Bring a bag of black soil to trade and you'll see how in half an hour you'll already be getting your hands dirty and laughing at Doña Lucía's stories. The club is not just about gardening: it's about friendship, memory, and neighborhood. And in Cali, that is priceless.

Historical or contextual introduction

Versalles Park, located in one of the most traditional neighborhoods of Cali, has been a meeting point not only for gardening enthusiasts but also for those seeking a space for community gathering. Since its creation in the 1970s, this park has evolved, becoming a symbol of the neighborhood's social life. The story of Doña Lucía and her gardening group is a reflection of how a love for plants can unite people and strengthen community bonds.

In its early days, the park was a simple plot without many amenities, but over the years, thanks to the initiative of the residents, improvements have been implemented that make it more welcoming. Community gardening not only beautifies the space but also fosters a sense of belonging among neighbors. It is a place where generations share knowledge, experiences, and, above all, their passion for nature.

Today, Versalles Park is not only a place for growing plants but also a site where cultural and recreational activities take place. It is common to see families enjoying a day outdoors, children playing, and elders sharing stories.

For those who wish to visit the park and better understand the dynamics of the gardening club, here are some practical tips:

What to do

Visit Versalles Park

Versalles Park is an ideal place to enjoy nature and participate in outdoor activities. The community gathers here not only for gardening but also to enjoy a good book or practice yoga. You can bring your own blanket and have a picnic while watching the club members care for their plants.

Join the gardening club

If you are interested in gardening, consider joining the club that meets in the park. Here you can learn about native plants and share tips with people who have a lot of experience. The camaraderie is strong and many members are willing to share their knowledge about growing different species.

Explore the Versalles neighborhood

In addition to enjoying the park, strolling through the Versalles neighborhood will allow you to admire the colorful houses and murals that reflect the local culture. Don't forget to bring your camera, as there are many opportunities to capture the essence of the neighborhood.

Visit Doña Lucía's plant shop

Doña Lucía, mentioned in the club's story, has a plant shop near the park. It is the perfect place to find plants you won't see elsewhere, and you can also listen to fascinating stories about the neighborhood and gardening, told by her.