solarpunk-aesthetic:

my-minds-matters:

solarpunk-aesthetic:

Guerrilla Gardening

Guerrilla Gardening is the act of illegally gardening in spaces that are not technically yours to garden, to make subversive statements, protests, or as a form of direct action. The idea goes all the way back to 1973!

In other words, guerrilla gardeners take unloved or neglected land and assign it a new purpose – to make things pretty or useful. Cities are full of waste land and unused public spaces which people walk past every day without noticing. Spaces which would look a lot better if they were green!

Some guerrilla gardeners prefer to work at night when they can be more discreet. Others are activists who’ll do so in broad daylight, when everyone can see what they’re doing. Some choose to grow flowers to make places brighter. Others choose to grow fruit or vegetables (though care should be taken not to grow anything edible in places where plants might absorb toxins).

I don’t know why I haven’t posted any guerrilla gardening things on this blog yet, and I think I should change that. 

In the meantime, here are some links!

• GuerrillaGardening.org
  
• Guerrilla gardening: a report from the frontline
• How to Start Guerrilla Gardening
• Ron Finley: The Gangsta Gardener
• What is guerrilla gardening?

To reiterate others, when gardening make sure to keep accessibility, invasive species, and potential poisons in mind. 

Possible (and incomplete) list of things to keep in mind

1. Does it get it the way of paths or walkways? Consider what it would be like for someone walking, or with a wheelchair, stroller, white cane…

2. Check the species isn’t invasive in your area. If you’re in north america here’s a useful wikipedia page 

3. Try to avoid plants that have allergenic pollen. Here’s another list of plants to avoid

4. You might want to avoid poisonous plants. Of course, a lot of plants are poisonous in large quantities so this isn’t always of the utmost priority to completely avoid all of them. Here’s another list. 

5. Does the block access to or view of important information? For example, can people still read directions or access water fountains? Consider people at all different heights from little kids to tall people. 

Anything else people can think of?

Y’all are really great, you know that? @gayingupspace too, I saw your post.

Even while writing that, I was thinking about writing out some advice about how to be responsible about this, but it was late and I was tired. This is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind!

Anyone else have any thoughts?