6 February 2008

Sick of crap parks and gardens? Try Guerrilla Gardening!

| S4anta
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Having moved recently moved to the temoperate climes of Hobart, I have had the chance to meet with some rather intersting folks spruiking the most fascinating of ideas in the prusuit of public service glory. One of my favourites to date, and one that I thought would appeal to the more Machiavellian RiotACT minds is Guerrila Gardening.

The concept itself is quite simple, find a plant you like, or several, identify an area that you think it would best suit it (Read up on its likes and dislike, turn the label over at the nursery or hit this link for a bunch of help. At this point, I think it best to point out that using native plants for Australia, and the Canberra Region specifically would be smarter option, take a picture of it and post on the afforementined GG website.

I can attest that areas around here have come up, literally smelling of bottle brushes through clever, innovative, community minded folk spending a bit of time, researching what best goes where and poking it in.

After all, the bueaty of a democractic process is that if you don’t like the way the system, or environment currently is, pull your finger out and have a go.

Go Get ’em Tigers!

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“wonder how long before we see dope in Commonwealth Park.”

Yeah I just got back from India and especially in the north you see it growing along the side of the roads. Its funny I was working in Gujarat state over near the Pakistan side of India and its the only dry state in India ie no alcohol as its predominately Muslim. But they sure as hell like smoking hash.

Ingeegoodbee6:12 pm 06 Feb 08

Remember that native Australian plant dosn’t always mean native Canberra region plant – choose somthing useful to the local wildlife.

On the other hand you could join one of the numerous Parkcare groups and get involved in planting, weeding and generall looking after your local bush reserve.

Holden Caulfield4:58 pm 06 Feb 08

Don’t people read this site any more! Why bother planting plants like this?! Don’t you know that the bored Gen-Y kids will just remove them all at the blink of an eye!

It must be true. I read it on RiotACT!

Guerilla Gardening is just unguarded potential Holt Garden Shopping.

Truly save the environment by just dropping off the plants at the top of Drake Brockman Drive, thus reducing the amount of driving they have to do to find plants.

Its all about carbon credits people.

i have some land just at the front (and back) of my house, if you guys need somewhere to plant.

beer for el torbido!
nacho libre!

Not dogs, its Gorilla Gardening.

Why would TaMS want to bury my dog?

la mente torbida2:11 pm 06 Feb 08

@S4anta
Hat being the pedant, but I think you meant to plant flora (not fauna)…then again maybe a couple of wallabies planted knee-deep could look kinda cool

There’s a huge amount of Daturas growing all along the Murrumbidgee at the moment… Local, native, and highly psychoactive.
But also quite deadly.

Don’t plant those ones. 🙂

The is a memorial register ran by TaMS, where by you can apply for fauna to be planted by TaMS, and where citizens can care for them. However, applications were rarely given, as this was a hangover from Deparment of Territories days (think pre-cambrian era of ACT govt admin).

Hey lets go plant some nice shady trees in that Linear Park in Gungahlin! oh wait…they paved the bloody place. Maybe next time folks.

It would be frustrating though to go put in the effort only to have TaMS rip it out.

I sometimes see neighbours planting natives in the reserve across the road. Good on them – it makes the reserve a much nicer place than if it’s just full of weeds and bare earth.

neanderthalsis1:50 pm 06 Feb 08

There are some nicely manicured lawns around Parkes that could do with some shade trees and maybe a smattering of prickly pear and lantana across the road from OPH.

I wonder how long before we see dope in Commonwealth Park.

There is a random rose plant surrounded by flowers on Gundaroo Drive. Its even enclosed within a little wooden fence. I doubt this is a work of the council. Probably a memorial of some type but it is quite nice. This sounds like an interesting idea.

Jonathon Reynolds1:31 pm 06 Feb 08

I remember reading somewhere recently (and I can’t remember where I saw it – probably the Chronicle) that a Canberra resident had sought permission to plant in a public area and she had received absolutely no response from TaMS in regard to approval despite her attempts to do all the right things.

Also there used to be a formal (government supported) program to beautify roundabouts and nature strips, that too seems to have fallen by the wayside. From memory the requirements for insurance was a huge impediment on that one.

In terms of the Guerrilla Gardening concept, I guess the worse that the authorities can do is pull out what has been put in.

yeppers. Just down the road from this.

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