megram - Index

megram - magazine - Index

beautifying their neighbourhoods by
planting everything from trees to vegetables
in unused, abandoned and
overgrown corners of their city, bringing
nature back into the urban setting.
There are books, blogs and websites
available to aid and abet the mission —
and certainly no shortage of neglected
sites that have green potential.
Traditionally, guerrilla gardening takes
place under the cover of darkness, with
“horticultural hoodlums” brandishing
shovels, plants and even “seed bombs”
to quickly transform urban wastelands
TAKING THE GUERRILA
CONCEPT MAINSTREAM
The issue of permission and legalities
is a major concern for most citizens,
but we can still apply some of the
principles of guerrilla gardening to
activities that are lawful. The goal is to
clean and green our city streets and
neighbourhoods, be creative, be ecologically
wise and have fun.
One of the first things to consider
doing is to join the local horticultural
society. Many societies have civic beautification
programs that involve taking
on the challenge of planting in local
parks, along main streets, at the town
library and on school grounds. This is
organized guerrilla gardening at its
finest.
Don’t forget to involve the youngsters.
With their abundant curiosity
and penchant for getting messy digging
in the dirt, kids are natural gardeners.
Some societies offer junior gar-
Books, Blogs and Websites
Guerrilla Gardening: A Manualfesto by David Tracey
Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
How to Make a Garden by Marjorie Harris
www.guerillagardening.org
www.communitygarden.org
www.flora.org/cgn-rgc
www.gardenontario.org
www.ottawa.ca
dener programs to teach the basics
about planting and caring for flowers,
vegetables and our environment.
Participating with your family in
the annual spring and fall “Clean the
Capital Campaign” is a great way to
teach civic pride and have a family volunteer
activity. It can’t always be the
other guy who is picking up the windblown
trash in the park. When a group
of volunteers shows that it cares about
the neighbourhood, this act hopefully
inspires others to be generous with
their time and energy.
Think about developing a community
garden with your neighbours.
Unused plots of land at schools, community
centers and even nursing
homes can be converted into urban
agricultural zones. These gardens
become a way to connect, learn and
grow with others, and the benefits go
far beyond putting nutritious food on
your dinner plate. It takes very little
space to grow crops for your summer
salad — less than a square metre.
Speak to your local councillor or
go online to find out about programs
offered by the city to assist residents in
greening their spaces. The City of
Ottawa’s TREE program encourages
city residents to register for a free tree
to plant in their own yards or to organize
a community tree distribution
drive. One can also suggest a location
where new trees can be planted or volunteer
to help plant at a community
planting event. The Community Tree
Planting Grant program is available to
community groups to encourage plantings
in parks, schoolyards and green
spaces. The City of Ottawa also sponsors
the Adopt a Park or Roadway program
to encourage citizens and civic
groups to take an active role in maintaining
the city landscape. Get involved
when your opinion is solicited at city
planning proposal meetings, which are
open to the public and where feedback
is requested about how developments
may affect quality of life. Speak up;
you’re probably not the only one with
concerns about the lack of spaces for
greenery to thrive.
There are many creative ways for
us to green our city and care for our
planet. If you are feeling like being a
rebel, bend down and pick out that
weed growing in the sidewalk, water
the boulevard tree during the summer
drought or plant a perennial in the
back lane. In his book Guerrilla
Gardening, David Tracey writs that that
“people care more for a place they
plant themselves” and “the public creates
the best public spaces.” After all,
the people are the city; we can garden
for the greater good of everyone.
Cindy VanderTol enjoys collaborating with
nature in her own garden and in community
projects with the Stittsville-Goulbourn
Horticultural Society. She volunteers with
the Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton,
a group that helps home gardeners by providing
clinics and lectures and answering
questions by phone (613 236-0034) or email
mgoc_helpline@yahoo.ca.
Ottawa Page 23 Due West/Due East Magazine • Fall 2008