Glasgow Guerrilla Gardening

Blogger James is a self-employed artist based in South West Scotland and is the latest donor to our plant fund. His blog Small Garden Zone not only documents his attempts to get the most out of a small space but is an interesting garden diary with a particular emphasis on growing fruit, veggies and herbs. Small Garden Zone has only been online for a few months but is already promising to be a valuable resource for anyone growing in a real, less than ideal garden with all the challenges that entails. You’ll also find links to garden supplies used and recommended by James. The blog really is worth a look for anyone interested in real gardening in an authentic setting.

Thanks again to James for his kind donation.

Tags: 2011, Blogs, fund raising, Small Garden Zone

Streetland will join in the National Guerilla Gardening Sunflower Day by planting sunflowers in the Westmoreland Street area of Govanhill including the Govanhill Baths Peace Garden and Westmorland Street Community Garden.

More info at : http://www.streetland.net/

Tags: international sunflower guerrilla day, streetland

It might not feel like it but spring is almost here and we’re beginning to see the benefit of all our hard work between August and December last year as the first bulbs come up.  There’s still lots more to come through and lots more land for us to cover.  Since the last dig my attention has turned to the Wilson Street site which is now home to a host of golden daffodils, lavender and various seedlings including my favourite Nigella. It’s still very much a work in progress but it’s hard to believe that in September it was home to an out of control butterfly bush, weeds, fag ends and broken glass.

I had hoped to get out for a spot of gardening today but the wind, rain and snow were enough to convince me that a morning at the garden centre might be more appropriate. Setting myself a strict budget of twenty pounds I stocked up seeds, plants and a bit of storage for my gardening stuff. The bill came to £42.39! So much for strict budgets. It does however mean that we’re well stocked up for the next dig and of course our very own Nasturtium Day and Sunflower Day.  

We have roughly 300+ bulbs to go in up at Townhead so your help will be appreciated in getting them in. My mother has also kindly donated a few plants which will be making their way to Townhead. We next meet at Townhead on 28/03/09 at 11:30am. If you’d like to join us, just turn up on the day. First person to arrive will receive a copy of The City Gardener by Matt James.

The big tasks facing us at Townhead are keeping on top of the litter, bulb planting a seed sowing.  So there’s plenty to do.

On 04/04/09 we have a few events planned for Nasturtium Day at 10am I’ll be at Wilson St planting my Nasturtium Seeds, at 11:15 am we’ll meet up a Townhead to plant a few seeds before heading off down the High Street scattering seeds as we go before retiring to Mono for lunch and ale! Photos etc will be added after the event but feel free to join us or better still have your own event. If you are organising anything please let us know and we’ll feature it here.    

If you’re new to Guerrilla Gardening planting a few Nasturtiums is one of the easiest ways to get started. Nasturtium seeds are dirt cheap and thrive on neglect. Their bright flowers and kidney shaped leaves are edible as are the seeds and they’ll bring a bit of summer cheer to even the most hopeless patch of earth.  Oh and if you are impatient like me then you’ll be pleased to hear that these are a very fast growing plant which also makes them ideal for children.

Finally the snap at the top is not a spectacular display of guerrilla gardening but is a fine but of good old municipal gardening in Istanbul. From my travels in a tiny part of this vast city it’s hard to see much scope for budding Turkish guerrillas. Full marks to the Turkish parks department.

Hope to see you all and maybe a few new faces on the 28th.

A short post just to keep folks abreast of things. Clairwil might go into more depth later, but she’s having PC problems at the moment.

At Cowcaddens, I sowed some wildflower seeds (not too early apparently. The packet said February to May) Clairwil bunged a few plants in on the embankment and down at the fence near the school pitches. I have a rose bush that I’m going to put in once the wet weather eases up. Will take photos next time and give you all a better idea of the site. It has potential, but we need to tidy it up a bit and maybe work on the areas that get a bit more natural light.

With Clairwil briefly out of the loop and me being a forgetful sod, there was no reminder of the monthly Townhead dig. Sorry if anyone missed it for this reason. Clairwil’s ‘Plans For 2009′ post has all the Townhead fixtures though.

In a display of heroic devotion, Clairwil was out at Townhead for 10am on Saturday, tending to various things in the plot, namely excavating dozens of sprouting bulbs from the raised bed. I came along at about 11.45 wth a mild hangover and an apple tree. I planted it in the lower half of the south plot, where you can at least get some depth in the soil. We’ll see how it goes. The north plot got some seeds in it and it’s monthly ‘de-buckiefication’.

To be honest, I can barely remember what day it is mostof the time, so I have no chance of remembering what Clairwil put in on Saturday. Once she’s back on-line, she can let you all know what exactly is pushing it’s way through and what has been newly planted this month.

The place looks grand though. This time next year and it’ll be a real treat for the eyes.

Tags: cowcaddens, Spring, townhead

There I was strutting about the internet in the name of gardening research when I chanced upon this old article on allotments.

In particular I was struck by this quote;

‘That means people are waiting six years for a place, and Judy admitted….We have had people crying because they really do want a garden.’

Normally I’d be head of the queue to administer a good slap and a stern ticking off to the crybabies. Oh come on! What a lack of imagination! Crying over an allotment waiting list.

Anyway with it being the season of goodwill I would like to offer the crybabies an opportunity to garden by joining our little troop of guerrilla gardeners. We have no waiting list and plenty of gardening that needs doing (four sites and counting).

Who knows if you lay off the tantrums we might all get along famously.

Interested gardeners can email me at clairwil123AThotmailDOTcom.

Tags: allotments, crybabies, glasgow, guerrilla gardening, recruitment