Guerilla Gardening: How to green-up your city

There’s a new breed of gardener in town. Lack of space and too much asphalt and concrete has led urban gardeners on a far more radical path. Now guerilla gardeners aim to beautify the city and utilize every inch of space for flowers, herbs and veggies.

If you see flowers springing up in cracks in the pavement, on islands between highways, in the dirt around city trees or even in the trunk of an abandoned car, chances are you’ve had a visitation from the guerilla gardeners.

The chief weapon in the guerilla gardener’s arsenal is the seed bomb. Here seeds are encased in a ball of clay and soil. You can toss a seed bomb in any nook or cranny, just add water and Kabloom!

The influence of guerilla gardeners is spreading. Have you noticed more herbs and veggies in traditional flower gardens? That’s because more gardeners are seeing the value of using their time, land, water and resources to grow things they can eat. Veggies and herbs can make gorgeous displays while providing a healthy, organic, carbon-neutral source of nutrition.

You can help to make your urban environment more beautiful by becoming a guerilla gardener too. Plant some flowers in your local park, place a window box in a drab area or fill abandoned cars with soil and flowers. You can also work with your local municipality to turn abandoned lots and public spaces into community gardens.

Studies show that connecting the end user directly to their food production helps promote healthy eating and gets people interested in eating fruits and veggies. This is especially effective with children who are far more likely to eat veggies that they have grown themselves.

Eat better and beautify your environment with a couple of seeds and a watering can. It takes very little effort, you don’t have to know anything about gardening and there are incredible rewards.