Mini-documentary of London's guerrilla gardener and author Richard Reynolds
Homegrown Evolution says:
To those frustrated with national or even local politics, I say just get out there and do something. In the words of London's guerrilla gardener and author Richard Reynolds, "The point at which I became a guerrilla gardener is when I realized that I would get a lot more accomplished by just getting out there and doing it than phoning up the council and complaining about the landscape all around me." So skip those endless returns and watch a mini-doc of one of Reynold's actions.Mini-documentary of London's guerrilla gardener and author Richard Reynolds
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Nice. Pretty annoying documentary, but the subject is great. Fight the power(s of public crapness).
http://london.metblogs.com/2008/10/27/guerilla-gardenin/
I never met the guy, but he bought my flat from my brother and I a couple of years ago. (Perronet House in the Elephant & Castle, South East London.) I always remember a spot outside the main doors of the building that was a planting spot, but just collected rubbish. Residents did notice that someone had cleaned it out, dug it up and started planting stuff. Pleased some of the older residents no end as they had given up on it.
My folks got a signed copy of his book from him, "On Guerrilla Gardening: A Handbook for Gardening Without Boundaries" I read it and was fascinated by the origins of this phenomenon. From what I've been told, the guy is a real live wire and the book is a great read and an inspiration to us all. Still spooky seeing my old flat in numerous videos tho. Lazy link to corporate site below...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guerrilla-Gardening-Handbook-Without-Boundaries/dp/0747590818
I have mixed feelings about Reynolds' style of guerrilla gardening. I love the ethic and its aesthetic consequences, but take issue with his approach. He's been quoted in the New York Times as saying “We’re gentrifying the area," with no qualms about the phrase, and since he treats the action as apolitical, without concern for the political/social ramifications.
Although it's a seemingly DIY ethic, his rhetoric is tinged with the militarism of Mao and Che... strong words from someone who doesn't think he's protesting. Since when did DIY succumb to such conformism?
I got an advance copy and reviewed his book. We were supposed to interview him, but he was a no show. I'd really like to hear him respond to these issues, because I really want to love the guy for spearheading such a cool movement!
when petrol filling stations (gas stations)close - not uncommon since franchise oil company operators work on thin margins - the urban land frequently stands empty for years even since the underground fuel tanks invariably crack and leak and send toxic plumes through the sub-soil. Conventional "remediation" is vent tube wells. An ideal use for especially inner-urban property such as this is the establishment of community gardens. Impermeable plastic membrane over the paving apron followed by raised beds defined with timber edging, a bit of topsoil to create raised beds and bark mulch or sawdust paths between; voila. Shouldn't be too hard to set up with the property owner as a green initiative since it comes undone quickly come time to develop.
We have to abandon traditional agrarian sentimental attachment to producing land, at least in the urban context, and create a mentality of flexible, timely, and fleeting best use of resources. Much of the landowner resistance to community use of fallow ground is rooted in traditional common law experience of creation of commons and easements through established use.`They fear once use is granted they will be stuck.
Further, a mentality of transience must be inculcated within the growers. I wonder how Bucky would have phrased it in lifeboat terms?
It's Richard here, the guerrilla gardener who is the subject of the short film featured here. I'm glad to see the debate and thought I should add a few words.
Firstly, let's have the discussion about the guerrilla gardening approach, the gentrification conundrum and the language of war.
My apologies to James David who writes about an interview I never gave. Let's correct that. I don't remember what happened, I virtually always say yes, perhaps your request got lost in the deluge of interest last spring or somewhere in the publisher's inbox? Do get in touch if you want to continue the debate.
In terms of gentrification, well it's funny that the vendor of my flat also comments on the film, because he knows some of this story too! Bilgez your parents were lovely, I've been here a year and a bit now and still love this flat (I bought it last September, not two years ago as you say, though time flies!) and you did well from the sale, I paid a record breaking price for a two bedder in this place... and I'm sure some of your profit came from the improved value my gentrifying gardening around the building. But that's OK! For three years prior to the purchase, as a tenant in a flat downstairs, I'd gardened the beds as a guerrilla (and more recently as a legitimate) gardener. I am now paying for the pleasure I got (and continue to get) on my mortgage! Had I been a home owner to start with my motivations might have been more questionably mercenary. Long term leaseholders here are delighted I think.
The gentrification guerrilla gardening can have is certainly a problem for some of those who guerrilla garden. I've meant others like me, including New York guerrilla gardeners, who feel their efforts priced them out of the very neighbourhoods they were living in and at worst the gardening ultimately made these areas sufficiently desirable for the land they were tending to be worth building on. Woops. Not the desired outcome.
The location featured in the film was chosen by the director who lives in the neighbouring street. Regan Way in Hackney is a frontier between a younger more affluent inner city dwellers and a more elderly less affluent people who have been there longer. For David the opportunity to both make a short film and get help kick starting a physical improvement in his neighbourhood was a neatly convenient. The film is fun, but compared with my usual 'digs' it's a bit on the silly side. We felt this was necessary if people were to click and watch it. Never before or since have I packed flowers under the bonnet of my car! Perhaps I shouldn't have done that. For other films about guerrilla gardening check out my postings as TheGuerrillaGardener on YouTube, some are quick edits I've made others are TV news reports.
Anyway, I've probably written too much, I'm at work late and a little bored from what I should be doing, but I'll get back to that now.
I like the idea, but how do you finance this? I'd really enjoy doing something like this, but plants don't come cheap and making ends meet can be hard enough as it is for some.