Guerrilla gardening happens when an individual or a group use a space that they don’t own, and create a garden. Usually a guerrilla gardener uses a property that has been abandoned or seems to be neglected, and grows plants for consumption or to add beauty to the neighborhood.
History of Guerrilla Gardening
The word guerrilla gardening was introduced in 1973, in reference to Liz Christy and her Green Garden Group that was active in the Bowery Houston area of New York. The group worked tirelessly to create the first community garden in New York. Today, the first documented guerrilla garden; now named the Liz Christy Garden for its founder, falls under the covering of the New York Park’s Department. Liz Christy Garden is run by volunteers and open to the public.
Although it had yet to be defined, guerrilla gardening had been taking place for years prior to Ms. Christy and the Green Guerrilla group started their community garden. Stories of Johnny Appleseed planting apple trees as he traveled in the early 1800′s are taught in elementary schools throughout the states. In England in the 1600′s, Gerrard Winstanley founded The Diggers, a group driven by religious conviction to practice community gardening that would promote financial equality.
Motivations of Guerrilla Gardening
There can be many motivations that drive guerrilla gardeners. Some may be politically motivated, driven to change land use actions or land reforms or protest other government actions. Other guerrilla gardeners simply want to bring beauty to a neglected area, and some guerrilla gardeners plants just happened grow over their property line into a public area.
Guerrilla Gardening Today
Today there are many guerrilla gardens registered at Guerrilla Gardening website. Currently over 30 countries have registered guerrilla gardens through the site, which provides encouragement, support and ideas for gardeners.
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