Guerilla Gardening - what's your view?

[Plocket]

There's more and more in the news these days about Guerilla Gardening and I wondered what your views were. Do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing?

Personally I'm all for Guerilla Gardening, and think that as long as people improve unused areas of land there's absolutely no harm in it at all, and in fact I'd go so far as to say that I think it's a good thing. It's not as though these gardeners are damaging property, vandalising things or the like. They are simply trying to improve what is often just a wasteland of weeds.

Please discuss!

[Ruthie]

Can you fill me in a bit more on the meaning of Guerilla gardening. I'm either behind the times or have a very sheltered life as I've not heard of it. Presumably it means sort of taking over bits of land and growing things on them?

[Plocket]

This should give you a bit of an outline Supa: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerilla_gardening

[Amo]

www.guerrillagardening.org/ is one site Ruthie. It's realy rather good It think. The times I've wanted to weed a municiple neglected bed!!! It's how all those wonderful comminuty garden spaces started in New York too.

[Deleted]

May 6, 2008 18:31:13 GMT Plocket said:

There's more and more in the news these days about Guerilla Gardening and I wondered what your views were. Do you think it's a good thing or a bad thing?

Personally I'm all for Guerilla Gardening, and think that as long as people improve unused areas of land there's absolutely no harm in it at all, and in fact I'd go so far as to say that I think it's a good thing. It's not as though these gardeners are damaging property, vandalising things or the like. They are simply trying to improve what is often just a wasteland of weeds.

Please discuss!

I think it's brilliant that they transform neglected areas - it must surely shame local councils or landowners though, and if it doesn't then it should!

[JennyWrenn]

I'm all for it Plocket - have been for a while - think its a wonderful idea

[Shrubrose]

I have absolutely no objection to it - anything to beautify the environment and make it productive is ok in my book. And I've just realised my mother is a guerilla gardener ;D

[Plocket]

So is anyone here a Guerilla Gardener? Or a wannabe Guerilla Gardener? I'm starting to think that perhaps I should carry a packet of "throw to sow" seeds in my handbag just in case I see an unloved patch of land!

[Barbara]

it has to be good, its a pity there's not more of it, it would make the towns look much better. and we could all chuck seeds on to the motorway verges

[Dutchy]

Been doing the throw to sow with poppies for ages.
They stop coming up when people do attend to the green space so more of a do something than a permanent influence.
You have to becarefull not to introduce things where they don't belong.

So I am for doing lost spaces but against taking charge of bits of nature around you.
( Noticed a lovely bit of wildflower area mowed by the person living next to it.
Reason? She/he thought it looked better that way. Not to me though )

[Deleted]

I read about this fairly recently and think it's a fab idea for people to enhance otherwise neglected and unattractive bits of ground.

In the village where I keep my horse, they do all sorts of things as a community ... there are a couple of big planters in a few places that are planted up with all manner of odds & sods. Various people mow/strim the grass verges. They litter pick too.

In fact, there is a small bit of grass verge in the lane opposite my house. There were various works going on last year there, and at the end of it a few shrubs were planted. Anyway - I noticed the other day that it could go with a strim to get rid of some of the long grass and nettles growing there and thought about taking my strimmer over there and giving it a haircut.

Having read this thread, I think I might just do that!

[Tig]

Anything that makes inner-city areas look 'cared for' must be good and may improve attitudes, I reckon people see litter strewn wasteland and think they are good places to dump rubbish, just adding to the human created mess. I do think that some areas should be left to nature though, as so much wildlife depends on the 'weeds' and scrubland, like everything, it is finding the right balance.
x Tig

[4pygmies]

Well, I'll own up to it then.......I have done my fair share of underhand seed sowing ( always in daylight though....) I have lived in small towns where I have tried to introduce a bit of colour and plantlife in odd spots where there is nothing but neglected scrub - seeds usually, of native flowers or naturalised ones - and I have seen the results. It's good to do it I think.
I have tried to beautify places like bare verges and barren land since I was a student when I started off by clearing the rubbish and litter along the side of my student flats and grew Marigolds and Cornflowers - but then the other students used it to park their bikes once the nettles had gone So I went a bit further afield in the town ;D
I know the purists frown but I can't see the harm myself. I really admire the city guerilla gardeners and applaud their efforts. There is so much land that could be used to enhance people's lives and to give wildlife a helping hand by cultivating it instead of leaving it as a litter dump. Roundabouts are a wonderful resource and opportunity as are all those little spaces people walk past everyday and don't even notice eventually - we should all try and spread a bit of happiness and beauty I think! I am fortunate enough to live in rural Norfolk now which is gorgeous enough but I am still involved in planting up the village verges etc by supplying plants to our local group.
Go on - I dares you.......

[Auricula]

I too am a surreptitious seed thrower.Even though I live in the country,there are lots of neglected patches around the place and I love it when I see something growing from the seeds or bulbs I've donated