Sunday, October 7, 2012

Guerrilla gardening

I keep forgetting to check in with Brenda Beust Smith and her Blog in the Houston Chronicle. Ah! So much to remember. Thanks for the heads-up, D.

The Lazy Gardener

Gardening with Brenda Beust Smith

Guerrilla Gardening

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Guerrilla gardening?

When I read about this in the upcoming HUG (Houston Urban Gardeners) meeting announcements, I thought they were talking about my fight with ruellia!

But no, seems this is a world-wide movement to, as some advocates say, “fight filth with forks & flowers.”

Guerrilla gardeners take urban blighted spots — thanks to the neglect of uncaring absentee property owners — and turn each into an oasis of beauty with plantings.

If this catches your eye, drop by the free and open to the public HUG (Houston Urban Gardeners) meeting Monday, Oct. 8, 6:45 PM at the Houston Garden Center, 1500 Hermann Dr. in Hermann Park, Houston (713-284-1989).

Master Naturalist and Permaculture Designer Jan VanLiere, an artist and passionate gardener, has been looking for ways to feed more creatures in our ever changing environment. She will offer insights into growing things, both edible and beautiful, or both, in unexpected spaces that may surprise and inspire!

This is the art of Guerilla Gardening.

Another bonus at this particular meeting:

Before the program they will have supplies to make seed dirt balls. Never heard of these?

Fun children’s project. The Lady Bird Wildflower Center offers these tips (and this is the best time to plant wildflower seed).

You can make them as complicated or as simple as you wish. Basically they’re just a bunch of seeds rolled into a ball of dirt and then packed with a coating of red clay. But, of course, you need really healthy dirt, or soil, if you prefer. The best is soil from compost.

There’s a connection here. The Guerrilla Gardeners would throw their “seed grenades” into these blighted lots in an attempt to starts some beneficial plants.

Drop by the HUG meeting to learn firsthand, or google “seed balls” for more details.

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UPDATE! The Woodlands Wildflower Festival will be Saturday, October 20 from 10 am – 2 pm at Rob Fleming Park in The Woodlands’ Village of Creekside Park. There will be 18 varieties of free wildflower seed packets given away to guests plus numerous booths to visit along with free entertainment. For more information, visithttp://www.thewoodlands.net.

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