Friday, May 2, 2008

International Guerrilla Sunflower Day!

We kicked off our venture in Guerrilla Gardening by breaking ground on International Guerrilla Sunflower Day. Several weeks ago we selected this spot to begin:




Now I didn't have seeds but I do have hundreds of seedlings sprouting up everywhere so we dug them up and transplanted them in that fresh poison-ivy-free dirt right near the utility pole.


Since the morning glories seeded themselves too, we brought some of those along as well an put them in right near the sunflowers. I was a bit nervous as we don't go anywhere unnoticed. Right next to this spot is a historic hotel turned apartment building -- George Washinton is said to have slept there. We were not there five minute when the first tenant appeared, a young Phillipino family whom we had met them several weeks earlier while on a walk. I felt I needed to explain what we were doing so I told them we were planting flowers. They were thrilled. Then a few moments later another tennant appears and asks, "No dogs today?" See we do NOT travel incognito with this many people. So he comes over and introduces himself as I stand there, shovel in hand, again feeling compelled to explain what we are doing. I tell him too that we plan to put pots of plants up on the cement landing once we get the decayed leaves, poison ivy and garbage cleared off. I inquire about a barrel lying on the side of his builing (thinking some squash or tomatoes would grow great in there) and he pull it out of the weeds for me AND cuts it! Who would have thought -- the first day and already people are getting involved. I am encouraged and excited and I am thinking how many people could I really feed if I were to obtain enough pots to really fill this area? Could this be the start of a community garden? There is a lot to be said for loving your neighbor.