Tuesday, June 1, 2010

31 New Things: Partake in Guerrilla Gardening

A delicious truffle with undertones of dirt, clay and seeds. Nom nom!

Every day on my walk to work I pass over Interstate 94. When I'm not busy wishing I had worn more comfortable shoes, I'm looking at the scrubby, weedy embankments that line the highway and thinking how damn unattractive they are. If I was stuck in traffic for half an hour everyday, I'd like to look at something other than Christmas tree skeletons and a rusted out bumper.

Luckily, seed bombs exist! They are the perfect way to secretly, sneakily beautify all those empty lots and highway embankments that are part of the urban landscape. And they're crazy easy to make!

I followed the directions that I found here. Alls you need is dirt, some hardy, native seeds and some air-dry clay (which is available in the craft aisle of any big discount or craft store). If you've ever made dumplings, raviolis or truffles, you'll be a seed bomb master. And if not? No worries! It's a pretty low learning curve.

Now that I've got twenty five of these little beauties drying on my kitchen table, I can't stop thinking of all the places that I'm going to throw them. The vacant lot near my school! Into the yard of that abandoned house! Through your open window and into your soup!

I'm preeeetty sure that within a month, it's going to go from this:

to this:

Because, flowers can overcome razor-topped, chain-link fences, right?

I would so, so highly encourage you to give this a try. But you'd better hurry - it's almost the end of planting season!

Are there any spaces near you that need to be beautified? Would you give guerrilla gardening a go?

22 comments:

Sarah_J_Evans said...

I LOVE this idea. I would loove to do this - I can certainly think of a few places I could prettify.

I am also completely certain that your proposed transformation will be a success. Down to the very last detail!!

Sarah.

http://thesecretistobelieve.blogspot.com/

Pony said...

wow, i've never done it with seed bombs! i'll have to give it a go! i usually plant small cuttings of geranium and rosemary and so on.

Anonymous said...

if you're into the idea but don't have much of a green thumb, you can also buy these pre-made. There are even ones shaped like hand gernades, so cute!

Elle Sees said...

Yes and yes to this idea!!!

Cowbark said...

WOohoo! Please post after pictures once you've got them - would LOVE to see the change. Seedbombing a vacant lot is on my life list. :)

Helen said...

Ooh I might stick this on my list! Though I don't know where I'd throw mine - everything's quite green around here. Damn you city council!

Nicole said...

I've been wanting to do this for a while now. However I want to find and do this with a guerrilla gardening group. Just a bunch of strangers united in the desire to beautify. Sounds dreamy.

Erin said...

Read "The World Without Us." Flowers *do* have the power to topple civilization! Or uncivilization, as it were.

Vanessa said...

I would love to try this!

penn said...

at my nature center, we do this all the time, but we don't even bother with clay. We just put the seeds in a ball of mud. if you want to carry them in your pocket, I think this would make them a bit cleaner. But you can put your seeds on the outside bit of a mud ball, let that dry, and then throw it.

Be sure to read seed directions carefully, as some seeds only get planted under 1/4 inch of soil. I worry that they wouldn't germinate in a seed bomb. Also, it is super key that you pick native flowers so you don't plant something that spreads like crazy.

definitely a neat idea. Yes, Sarah, please beautify commuting roads!

Miss Anne said...

i'm totally gonna make some seed bombs!!!

p.s. i ordered some cards and got them and have already started passing them out!

:)

Raquel said...

Yay! I can't wait to do this - it's on my list of 21 things to do before I turn 21. I'm planning to do my gardening in October sometime. Haven't figured out exactly where, yet.

Awesome idea!

Natasha said...

Hahaha! I am so going to try this on my way to college. Thanks! :D xxx

Julie said...

I like the idea of seed bombs. My dad and sister and I got up at 4 AM to secretly plant sunflowers along the middle of the highway when I was in ninth grade. It was great. But they (whoever did maintenance in the area at the time, this was semi-rural Norway) cut them all down with a lawn mower shortly afterwards.

Elly said...

Oh hurrah - LOVE this idea! Can't wait to see the results :)

bananas. said...

genius idea!!!

it's too bad i had a broken green thumb. swear i'd probably do more damage than what's already done.

Cassie said...

This is AWESOME! I would love to give this a go. Hmm...where is the question?

Aury said...

Good luck Sarah Von! I absolutely adore this idea!!!

A-C said...

that picture of you is too cute and funny. good luck and I hope it works!

Anastasia said...

man, I love this idea!

besswess said...

This made me laugh and gave me warm and fuzzies. I love that you are waging war with flowers. You go girl!

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere a good idea of when you go shopping you can put seeds in pants pockets! And maybe it will inspire the buyer to grow them!

Or how about when you are driving somewhere you let them fly out of your hand!