Tag Archives: guerilla gardening

Gardening at TED!

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I was asked to speak at TedxHackney on the weekend, which was quite an honor. The theme for the event was happiness. Daniel Vais created an awesome programme of speakers which looked at ideas around happiness from all different angles.

I’ll post the podcast soon, but for now, here’s a sneak peak at my happy feet installation, and also my pothole garden in a suitcase that I used during my presentation!

I’m in Milan getting ready to garden for the opening of design week, thank you to everyone for their ideas for Italian themed gardens on facebook, I’ll post pictures shortly!

Keep an eye on my green fingered updates from Milan on Facebook, youtube and Twitter.

Gardening in India

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Most of my little gardens have sprung up around London, specifically East London. On a recent trip to India I couldn’t resist pulling out my trowel and getting my fingers dirty.

I’m not sure what the locals made of it, but it sure made them smile!

I’ve been astounded at the reaction to my little film holes of happiness, I can’t believe we’ve had over 55,000 views already on YouTube!

It’s almost springtime in London – if you’re inspired to create your own pothole garden, please do send me a photo to post here on my blog.

Keep up with my gardening antics on Facebook, youtube and Twitter.

A little spiky visitor

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I recently became aware of the charity called PTES. They have a wonderful little site full of hedgehog friendly tips, check it out http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/

I was so inspired by what they are doing, I decided to create my own hedgehog friendly pothole garden. You wont believe who stopped by and checked it out…

While my little visitor is an African variety, PTES is all about protecting local species. Here are some more snaps of my new best mate…

A big thanks to Anne and Simeon (official Hedgehog wranglers) and Cheyne for the video!

This week I also learned of this awesome pothole garden hunt in tassie – check it out!

Keep up with my gardening antics on Facebook, youtube and Twitter!

Knitting up a storm…

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Inspired by a lovely little piece of knitting sent to me recently, here’s my latest little garden, created in Moss Place East London.

Thank you so much Louise for sending me this lovely little knitted flower which now has a home outside Buckingham Palace, London.

I’d like to dedicate this post to those close to me who have suffered from the effects of cancer this year. Fingers crossed that next year is a healthy one. If you’re doing some last minute shopping for Christmas, why not consider giving in celebration? It’s a great way of giving that helps to benefit Cancer Research.

All the best for 2012.

Keep up with my gardening antics on Facebook, youtube and Twitter!

Everyone loves mail…

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Everyone loves mail, right?

Yesterday, I headed out with Zing from The East London Gardener to create a little Autumnal garden, complete with a little mailbox.

I also caught this fantastic busker at Columbia Road Markets – check him out!

Keep up with my gardening antics on Facebook, youtube and Twitter!

Getting dirty for down under…

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I blogged recently about my chat with Ryk Goddard on ABC Radio. After our discussion, I agreed to create a little garden for Ryk with an Australian theme. After some searching I managed to find some Kangaroo Paw in London…it’s harder than you might think!

Ryk also discussed Hobart’s Phantom Knitter with me, a lovely project that’s got plenty of press over the past few months.

Well The Phantom Knitter posted me the cuttest little piece of knitting, which I found a home for in Trafalgar Square this morning.

Here’s a little video we made of our antics and a couple of pics. Enjoy!

The Aussie garden…

And The Phantom Knitter goes global!

I also recently submitted a post to My City Is – check it out, it’s a great little project (even though I might be a little biased!) www.mycity.is

Keep up with my gardening antics on Facebook and Twitter!

Spring/Summer gardens

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As summer limps off and winter rolls in, I thought I’d post some of my favourite green fingered creations from the past Spring/Summer.

The garden I created for the new Westfield on the Olympic site was filmed – here’s the interview:

One of my favourites was the royal wedding garden. I was joined by Kate from I am not a celebrity -

A couple of outings with Stephanie were load of fun, here are some of her brilliant snaps -

pothole garden clothes line steve wheen

Pothole garden East London Guerilla Gardening Steve Wheen Phone Box

wall garden east london pothole gardener

There was also my most ambitious garden ever -

And some of my gardens are even starting to attract some wildlife…

Some Autumnal creations are on their way. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter, come join me!

Some reactions to my gardens…

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I think every post on this blog to date has included a garden or two. This post is a little bit different.

One of the things I really enjoy about my gardening adventures is the different reactions people have to my gardens. Most people enjoy them and take them in the way I intended, but not everyone.

Here are some fantastic shots Stephanie has captured of some reactions to a few of my gardens. Enjoy!

To follow my gardening antics, join me on facebook or twitter.

Some love for London…

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London, indeed the UK, needs some love right now. My latest little garden is my loving London garden. There are no props, no chairs, no tennis court, just some good old fashioned love.

A rather perplexed, but happy passer by.

As I was walking around looking for a suitable spot for my garden (yes walking, my replacement bike that my mate Kate gave me was stolen during the riots), I spied this new piece and thought it appropriate for this post.

I also spied some of Pablo Delgado’s street art…love it.

Some inspiration from down under

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I posted some pics on my facebook page from my recent shoot with Story Worldwide, here is the garden we created (the video is on its way). We had a great morning over on the Olympic site – I created a little picnic garden for all those tired shoppers when the Westfield Centre opens.

 

 

 

A few weeks ago I had a great chat with Ryk Goddard on ABC Tasmania and they’re sending me over some things for a Tasmanian themed pothole garden. I headed to the British Museum to get some inspiration from the Australian Season exhibition. Here are a couple of snaps from the wonderful Australian garden they’ve created.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone who wrote to me about my stolen bike :) I appreciate it!

To follow my gardening antics, join me on facebook or twitter.

100 little pothole gardens at Cross Bones graveyard

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Continuing my adventures south of the river with Stephanie we recently headed to Cross Bones, a post-medieval burial ground for “single women”, a little know site around the corner from Borough markets in South London.

It took quite a while to create these mini gardens, but I thought they were really quite striking!

For more information on the Graveyard, check out the website.

Don’t forget you can join me on Facebook here and I’m also tweeting here.

In memory of my stolen bike

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I had a busy Saturday in South London, first stop the New Covent Garden Market. What an amazing selection of flowers and plants they have at this time of year.

Next stop was this little pothole just around the corner from Borough markets. I created this garden in memory of my bike that was stolen a few months back.

We had some great reactions from some unsuspecting tourists! More pics to follow shortly – don’t forget you can join me on Facebook here and I’m also tweeting here.

A confused little garden…

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Here’s a short video showing how my latest little garden came about – enjoy!

 
Thanks to HUMTOO for the great music track.

I also wanted to post a link to the inspiring work of Anna Garforth who has just made a series growing tube signs – check it out here.

Don’t forget you can join me on Facebook here and I’m also tweeting here.

Confused garden…

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I was recently commissioned to create a new little garden for confused.com. I was over the moon, albeit a little intimidated by the brief – to create a little pothole garden with a road running through it with a little street sign warning of the potholes in the road!

This is by far my most ambitious garden yet.

Armed with some tiny conifers, alpine grass, a Dianthus and some others bits and pieces, I found this pothole just off Valance Road in East London, rolled up my sleeves and began gardening. Enjoy!

I did shoot a short film of the dig and I’ll post it shortly.

Don’t forget you can join me on Facebook here and I’m also tweeting here.

A and B Tyres

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On my recent outing with Stephanie, we created this little bundle of colour outside A and B Tyres, much to the amusement of the owner.

After being pestered about it for the past few months, I’ve finally got off my butt and created a Facebook page, I’m also tweeting here.

Also, thanks to Hanna Welin for this great write up about our adventures gardening. Stay tuned as I’ve some very exciting news which I’ll be announcing here on the blog shortly…

Wimbledon

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Yesterday I posted some snaps of my Wimbledon garden – as promised here is a short video that Tom and I put together featuring a squirrel and pigeon who were very interested in what we were doing!

Don’t forget to join me on Facebook here, YouTube here and Twitter here.

The pigeons of Wimbledon

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Wimbledon kicks off tomorrow. Happy memories of queuing, eating strawberries and sipping champagne spring to mind. As a big Wimbledon fan myself (I spent a day in queue a few years back) I decided to create a wee garden to celebrate the start of this fantastic tournament.

True to Wimbledon form, it started to rain as soon as we started creating this little pothole garden. We had some interesting local wildlife visit us including a squirrel and a pigeon during the dig (video to follow shortly).

We did, of course, need to mow the grass before proceedings began…

wimbledon tennis London pothole garden Lawn mower

wimbledon tennis London pothole garden

wimbledon tennis London pothole garden raquet

wimbledon tennis London pothole garden East London

wimbledon tennis London pothole garden CU raquet

 

wimbledon tennis London pothole garden pigeon

Join me on twitter.

Living Wall

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A while back I experimented with my first “wall garden“. Here’s my second attempt (pictures just in, thanks to Stephanie Wolff). A colourful array of Pansies have brightened up this little hole which has made the perfect pot. I think it works really well with the graffiti on the wall.

wall garden east london pothole gardener

wall garden east london pothole gardener pansies

Speaking of wall gardens, last night my mate Kate showed me this amazing creation outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, London. This living wall is a recreation of Van Gough’s A Wheatfield, with Cypresses. An incredible 8,000 plants make up this living wall.

If you get a chance, check it out. It is absolutely spectacular.

Living Wall Trafalgar Square London National Gallery

Living Wall Trafalgar Square London National Gallery Pothole gardener

Living Wall Trafalgar Square London National Gallery Pothole gardener CU

Living Wall Trafalgar Square London National Gallery Pothole gardener CLOSE

 

Thanks so much to Kate McAuley for introducing me to this great garden, and for these great pics.

By the way, if you’re inspired by these vertically challenged creations, Urban Allotments have vertical garden kits for sale.

Call me!

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Here’s a little garden dedicated to the humble London phone box.

 

pothole garden tower bridge london phone box

 

pothole garden tower bridge london phone box small

 

Thanks to Stephanie from London Insight for these great pics of my garden.

Also, a big thank you to Kate from I am not a celebrity for my brand-new-hand-me-down bike.

I’m tweeting from @potholegardener please do get in touch!

A little clothes line…

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Growing up in Australia, my childhood memories are chock full of adventures at the clothes line.

On my recent outing with Stephanie Wolff, I created this little clothes line garden complete with pegs, clothes basket, a fork and a spade.
pothole garden clothes line steve wheen
pothole garden clothes line steve wheen
pothole garden clothes line steve wheen
pothole garden clothes line steve wheen

 

Thanks again to Stephanie for these fab pics! You can read her blog, London Insight here.

Todd Bieber recently sent me this video, which documents his vigilante garden in Brooklyn. It reminded me of the vegetable pothole garden I recently blogged about.

Enjoy!

Some more little gardens…

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While Chelsea flower show might be in full swing (my invite is obviously still in the mail…) so are my little gardens. I headed out today with my friend Stephanie Wolff from London Insight, to create some little beauties. I thought I’d post a few – more are on the way shortly.

As you can see the gardens at Chelsea aren’t the only gardens in London that are having issues with the wind…

Pothole garden East London Guerilla Gardening Steve Wheen Chelsea Flower Show

Pothole garden East London Guerilla Gardening Steve Wheen Chelsea

Pothole garden East London Guerilla Gardening Steve Wheen Phone Box

Pothole garden East London Guerilla Gardening Steve Wheen Clothes Line

Pothole garden East London Guerilla Gardening Steve Wheen All garden

OK so this last one isn’t a pothole garden, more of a wall garden :)

The very kind folks over at PG Tips have given me some tickets (two pairs) to BBC Gardeners’ World Live, which is taking place from the 15th – 19th June at Birmingham NEC. It’s all sponsored by PG Tips in aid of their new range of New Ones.

If you’re keen for these tickets, just drop me an email – thepotholegardener@yahoo.com with PG Tips in the subject line, along with your name and I’ll randomly choose two winners on the 9th of June.

Good luck!

A little pothole veggie garden…

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Here’s my latest little garden. It’s a little bit different to my other Garden’s as there’s no mini-furniture, or even flowers (I know it’s not the prettiest but it has a purpose!).

I’ve been inspired by recent projects such as The Green Line and Landshare, and so decided to create a mini-vegetable patch.

The kind folk over at Urban-Allotments posted me some bits and pieces (I’ve never received plants in the mail, but why not!) and here is my mini-veggie patch with lettuce. I’ll keep you updated on how it goes :)

Hopefully I’ll be eating a salad with lettuce leaves from my pothole garden later this summer!

Pothole veggie garden

Oh, and to whoever stole my bike a few weeks back, I hope you’re taking good care of her.

A new garden

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I headed out last weekend for some more gardening – this time with journalist Hanna Welin.

Here are the results, enjoy!


And, yes I’m addicted to the Hipstamatic app on my iphone :)

A pothole garden fit for a king (to be)

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This morning I headed over to Pimlico. Now for those of you who know me, to date my pothole gardens have mainly been around East London. So why Pimlico I hear you ask…

Well I headed over to the Queen’s postcode to meet Kate McAuley, of I am not a celebrity and Weather to Wear, to create a little garden to celebrate the royal wedding!

Here is my little garden. Good luck to Will and Kate (my invite must have been lost in the mail…).

Royal Pothole garden

Royal Pothole garden

Royal Pothole garden

Royal Pothole garden

Royal Pothole garden

I will post the video when it’s finished.

Oh, and I’m on twitter too!

A pothole from Mexico

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I was recently sent this picture along with the note:

Whilst driving on Mexico’s Yucatan highway 261 between Dzibalchen and Xpuhil in the Campeche region we hit this massive pothole.  As a result we lost our hub cap which after a bit of searching we managed to retreive (along with two others found only metres apart).  I thought this would be a great addition for your site.  I think the pot holes here are more enormous than London can produce.  We were fortunate some of the 3 wheel bikes that are used by the locals to get between their crops / farms and home were not in the oncoming path of our hub cap missile.

Now that is a pothole (with a very artistic head). Thanks so much for sending that to me, I do love getting mail!

Speaking of getting stuff in the mail I was stoked to get a copy of this book recently, and was even more delighted to read a section on my pothole gardening!

The book, Growing Vegetables, Flowers, Fruits, and Herbs From Containers is available from Atlantic publishing.

Ranunculus in shoreditch

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The sunny weekend in London inspired me to head up to Columbia road markets and do some gardening. I found a nice new home for these ranunculus just near Arnold Circus in Shoreditch.

Thanks to Tom my new gardening buddy for his help!

Enjoy :)

 

 

A Winter Garden

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I recently headed out on a dig with a French TV crew for some guerilla gardening…it was load of fun – they sure were up for an adventure.

I snapped my latest little garden right before it was rundown :(

(I’m totally addicted to the hipstamatic app on my iphone!)

A winter garden

Here’s an excerpt from my recent interview for a German TV channel that I did earlier in the year…