Guerillas on notice
Sunanda Creagh picked up the Guerrilla Gardeners story today in the SMH, mentioning for the first time (I think) that Channel 10 is behind the mysterious gardens that have appeared at sites in Ashfield, Killara, Bankstown, Canterbury, as well as Surry Hills and one site we’ve been keeping an eye on in Woolloomoolloo.
The development covered in today’s Herald features a bandstand, new turf, chairs and plants in Australia Park, next to the Newtown neighbourhood centre. It was erected without a DA; it would hardly be guerilla if they were applying, right?
I don’t know that if we put a DA in on land that’s not ours that it would get through.
But the magic of guerilla gardening, as I get it, is about planting gardens in forgotten bits of dirt in urban areas. The Guerilla Gardeners’ projects have deployed a bandstand, a recommissioned VW car and a Hills Hoist for visual effect. And while the plants used have been pretty, they seem to lack the long term garden (/community) development.
That Ch. 10 project is quite showy but hopefully it inspires residents to reclaim unused bits of land either to plant vegetables, or just for a bit of old fashioned beautification.
That sawn-in-half VW full of birds of paradise at Cleveland street is cool but not really within reach of your average recreational gardener
Still, I think guerilla gardening in all forms is to be applauded. It’s kind of like The Cave Clan meets The Weather Underground. Except… less likely to result in prosecution.
Blake
4 Dec 08 at 2:20 pm
I know what you mean, I really like the new one they’ve done at Palmer and Cathedral.
ml
4 Dec 08 at 7:09 pm