Anyone else a "Guerilla Gardener" plant/sow flowers & fruit & stuff in public spaces?

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horusd

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I got into this a few yrs ago. The basic idea is to plant/sow flowers & fruit or other nice stuff in public spaces. I have sown wildflowers, poppies, strawberries (wild variety is very good) and other edible berries. I'm always careful about where I sow. Some varieties are too agressive and may interfere with local flora. But a dull grey unkempt area is ideal.

A friend got me into it. He lived in the inner city and transformed a waste patch into a beautiful garden, filled with flowers, lovely smells and birds. I get a great kick from imagining the delight of kids finding strawberries, or a lovely smell wafting in the air - plant nightscented stock for this.
 
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never heard of it; sounds good though.

I'm sure someone will try to shoot you down though!
 
What a lovely thing to do and sounds like a great pastime:)
 
Strange idea but I like it !!

Have always wanted the council to plant fruit trees & bushes instead of normal stock trees in the local parks so that kids and the adults could feast for free :)
 
RonanC said:
Strange idea but I like it !!

Have always wanted the council to plant fruit trees & bushes instead of normal stock trees in the local parks so that kids and the adults could feast for free :)
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I got three backurrant & redcurrant bushes today RonanC...not for my garden either! Keep a look-out in the Clontarf/Raheny area.;)
 
horusd said:
I got three backurrant & redcurrant bushes today RonanC...not for my garden either! Keep a look-out in the Clontarf/Raheny area.;)
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Ah the birds will love you!!!!

Lidl doing great deals on these (fruit canes/bushes) at the moment too if anyone else fancies giving it a go.
 
This is starting to become like a treasure hunt, any further clues horust:D
 
I put a post up here a while back but didn't get much of a response (although those that did respond were very helpful).

Any advice you could give would be very gratefully received.

I was wondering about getting a pound or so of poppy seeds to spread over the area. Any idea where I could find some? Also, the packs of poppy seeds you buy in the supermarket/food shops for baking... are these treated or processed in anyway or will they grow just as well?

They area I am targeting is hardcored with broken rocks and has no topsoil at all. Are there any plants/flowers that will grow fairly vigorously here and then die back in the winter to start creating a hummus layer over the hardcore? I have mustard in my head for some reason but also though poppies could be good.
 
@ Petrolhead, Aldi currently have a that you just scatter over grass to give a wildflower meadow effect, I think they also have too if thats any use to you.

This has me thinking. I'm gonna go and set some various different sunflower seeds tomorro at the top of our road up against large wall and see what happens. Hope i'm not spotted
 
I wonder will birds just eat seeds. Perhaps if you mix them into damp compost first then they might not find all of them?
 
PetrolHead said:
I put a post up here a while back but didn't get much of a response (although those that did respond were very helpful).

Any advice you could give would be very gratefully received.

I was wondering about getting a pound or so of poppy seeds to spread over the area. Any idea where I could find some? Also, the packs of poppy seeds you buy in the supermarket/food shops for baking... are these treated or processed in anyway or will they grow just as well?

They area I am targeting is hardcored with broken rocks and has no topsoil at all. Are there any plants/flowers that will grow fairly vigorously here and then die back in the winter to start creating a hummus layer over the hardcore? I have mustard in my head for some reason but also though poppies could be good.
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Alpines or other plants that like rocky areas will survive in poor soil. Chives will too, and will continously self-seed, they have a lovely blue flower, and insects love them. There is also a blue wall plant that is a creeper, you see it around the place, I have it but can't remember the name of it! (help please). Poppies generally like better conditions, but they might work. Bluebells also are tough,will spread and will endure rough living.
 
Horusd

You can guerrila warfare my patch any time!

I am looking at so many dead plants/shrubs after 2 mega-freezing winters:

1 beautiful large cordyline - dead
2 tasmanian ferns - dead
1 large bay tree - dead
1 large grissilinia - dead
2 large elephant plants - dead
1 cratageus tree - dead
1 maple tree - dead
2 large tricoloreum shrubs - dead
1 blueberry high bush - dead
numerous terracotta pots totally collapsed - they were meant to be frost proof!

On the plus side all the nice japanese stuff survived as did my lavender.

I think what you are doing is fantastic. Well done!

Marion
 
We lost our Black eyed Susan and our Passion Flower. I noticed tins of wild meadow seeds in Powerscourt Gardens Enniskerry, Avoca shop.
 
cashier said:
This is starting to become like a treasure hunt, any further clues horust:D
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Well, planted some strawberries and sown some wildflowers today in Clontarf/Rahenyarea. Clues as follows:

Strawberries love sandy soil and sunnyish aspect, and a warm sea breeze helps too. But not too much sand & no salt, so that rules some things out. It helps if there is some mulch like chippings, like where there might have recently been a clearing along a road./path. Planting near car-parks is good too, so that people will walk past them.;)

Wildflowers need some sun, and good soil, but not where grass is cut, under trees,but not in full shade & near car parks.

Best of luck with the Sunflowers RonanC !
 
Thanks Woodbine, dont think its vinca major. You see it growing out of walls and rocks in lots of gardens, loves the sunny spots.
 
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