1st Dig — The Pothole Gardener

The Pothole Gardener project is all about creating unexpected moments of happiness. My little gardens are a respite from the greyness of London. People read all sorts of things into my gardens when they try and rationalise them - something I'm fascinated with, and I've made various films about that.

I don't generally garden on the road, only on the footpaths (I'm not completely mad) and apart from keeping safe, the only rule of pothole gardening is I don't ever use figures in my gardens. I use a lot of miniatures as part of the project, and as a big part of my work is inspiring peoples imaginations and I find leaving scenes helps provoke the audience.

The project all started as part of my Masters in Design at Central Saint Martins and my first book, The Little Book of Little Gardens, was published by Dokument Press late in 2012. I've had a lot written about my work and I've put together a little press page here.

People from all around the world have created pothole gardens, and I post them on the blog. I've now had so many submissions, I've started a dedicated page with some of my favourite submitted gardens.

You can find more of my work at www.stevewheen.com - I'm also the Master Distiller at The Distillery - www.thedistillery.tv where I produce social video content.

If you want to get in touch, drop me a mail: thepotholegardener@yahoo.com

September 2018
- Sep 20, 2018 Heart and Soil Day 2018! Sep 20, 2018
June 2017
- Jun 20, 2017 Help me spread the happiness... Jun 20, 2017
December 2016
- Dec 23, 2016 Rethink and 2016 Dec 23, 2016
August 2016
- Aug 20, 2016 Getting #GardenHappy... Aug 20, 2016
July 2016
- Jul 10, 2016 From Chelsea to Wimbledon... Jul 10, 2016
June 2016
- Jun 25, 2016 Fit for a queen... Jun 25, 2016
- Jun 9, 2016 Brixton and Bowie Jun 9, 2016
- Jun 6, 2016 Bristol --> Birmingham and beyond... Jun 6, 2016
April 2016
- Apr 3, 2016 Sharing the pothole love around the UK... Apr 3, 2016
February 2016
- Feb 2, 2016 Hurry up spring... Feb 2, 2016
May 2015
- May 16, 2015 A Pothole Garden for Nepal May 16, 2015
November 2014
- Nov 10, 2014 Water My Pothole Gardens... Nov 10, 2014
- Nov 7, 2014 Peace and Love... Nov 7, 2014
- Nov 6, 2014 A little wonder all the way from Ghent... Nov 6, 2014
July 2014
- Jul 27, 2014 A Feast of Pothole Gardens Jul 27, 2014
June 2014
- Jun 28, 2014 Instagardens... Jun 28, 2014
May 2014
- May 6, 2014 A lovely day for a bike ride... May 6, 2014
March 2014
- Mar 28, 2014 Adding some pinks to Redchurch Street... Mar 28, 2014
- Mar 26, 2014 A little kitchen garden... Mar 26, 2014
- Mar 24, 2014 Did someone say spring? Mar 24, 2014
February 2014
- Feb 14, 2014 The little things on Valentine's Day... Feb 14, 2014
November 2013
- Nov 2, 2013 Autumnal happenings Nov 2, 2013
October 2013
- Oct 2, 2013 A Little Colombian Colour... Oct 2, 2013
August 2013
- Aug 31, 2013 A twin and a tractor... Aug 31, 2013
- Aug 22, 2013 The biggest pothole garden ever? Aug 22, 2013
June 2013
- Jun 17, 2013 Czech-ing out the potholes in Prague... Jun 17, 2013
- Jun 16, 2013 German and Canadian Pothole Gardens... Jun 16, 2013
May 2013
- May 23, 2013 From Battersea Power Station to New Zealand... May 23, 2013
- May 19, 2013 Our roads are crumbling. So we let them flourish … May 19, 2013
- May 13, 2013 Some happy little gardens from Happy Valley! May 13, 2013
April 2013
- Apr 24, 2013 ANZAC day garden Apr 24, 2013
- Apr 15, 2013 A wee washing line in New Zealand! Apr 15, 2013
- Apr 2, 2013 A new little garden in Stockholm Apr 2, 2013
January 2013
- Jan 21, 2013 Blue Monday... Jan 21, 2013
December 2012
- Dec 17, 2012 Merry Christmas! Dec 17, 2012
- Dec 17, 2012 A year of little gardens Dec 17, 2012
- Dec 11, 2012 In the shadow of the Barbican Dec 11, 2012
November 2012
- Nov 27, 2012 Gardening next to Boxpark Nov 27, 2012
- Nov 21, 2012 A Little Book Launch... Nov 21, 2012
- Nov 18, 2012 The Little Book of Little Gardens Nov 18, 2012
- Nov 13, 2012 From Germany to the Netherlands... Nov 13, 2012
- Nov 9, 2012 A little trailer for a little book... Nov 9, 2012
- Nov 3, 2012 Unestablishment gardening Nov 3, 2012
October 2012
- Oct 24, 2012 Blooming Bristol Oct 24, 2012
- Oct 7, 2012 Columbia Road Flower Market meets Cologne! Oct 7, 2012
September 2012
- Sep 26, 2012 More of your pothole gardens... Sep 26, 2012
- Sep 14, 2012 Your pothole gardens Sep 14, 2012
July 2012
- Jul 27, 2012 An Olympic Series Of Pothole Gardens Jul 27, 2012
- Jul 26, 2012 Pothole Gardening in New York City, the Cycle-Powered-Cinema and a Jardin-De-Poule! Jul 26, 2012
- Jul 16, 2012 The Little Book Of Little Gardens Jul 16, 2012
June 2012
- Jun 6, 2012 A pothole garden fit for a queen (or duchess...) Jun 6, 2012
April 2012
- Apr 24, 2012 6 shoes, a handbag, 9 cars, a swing, a piano and a map... Apr 24, 2012
- Apr 22, 2012 Pothole gardening at Milan Design Week Apr 22, 2012
- Apr 16, 2012 Gardening at TED! Apr 16, 2012
March 2012
- Mar 20, 2012 Spring has sprung Mar 20, 2012
- Mar 5, 2012 Gardening in India Mar 5, 2012
February 2012
- Feb 20, 2012 A fashionable little garden Feb 20, 2012
- Feb 19, 2012 A little spiky visitor Feb 19, 2012
- Feb 5, 2012 Let it snow! Feb 5, 2012
January 2012
- Jan 27, 2012 Holes Of Happiness Jan 27, 2012
December 2011
- Dec 20, 2011 Knitting up a storm... Dec 20, 2011
- Dec 19, 2011 A few bricks short in Brick Lane... Dec 19, 2011
November 2011
- Nov 23, 2011 Little moments of happiness... Nov 23, 2011
- Nov 7, 2011 Everyone loves mail... Nov 7, 2011
October 2011
- Oct 20, 2011 A royal visitor... Oct 20, 2011
- Oct 9, 2011 Floating Filipino government officials in one of my gardens! Oct 9, 2011
September 2011
- Sep 27, 2011 Getting dirty for down under... Sep 27, 2011
- Sep 15, 2011 Spring/Summer gardens Sep 15, 2011
- Sep 8, 2011 I do like to be beside the seaside (make that the Thames) Sep 8, 2011
- Sep 5, 2011 Some reactions to my gardens... Sep 5, 2011
August 2011
- Aug 23, 2011 Golf anyone? Aug 23, 2011
- Aug 17, 2011 Some love for London... Aug 17, 2011
- Aug 8, 2011 Some inspiration from down under Aug 8, 2011
- Aug 3, 2011 100 little pothole gardens at Cross Bones graveyard Aug 3, 2011
July 2011
- Jul 25, 2011 In memory of my stolen bike Jul 25, 2011
- Jul 13, 2011 A confused little garden... Jul 13, 2011
June 2011
- Jun 27, 2011 Confused garden... Jun 27, 2011
- Jun 23, 2011 A and B Tyres Jun 23, 2011
- Jun 20, 2011 Wimbledon Jun 20, 2011
- Jun 19, 2011 The pigeons of Wimbledon Jun 19, 2011
- Jun 9, 2011 Living Wall Jun 9, 2011
- Jun 6, 2011 Call me! Jun 6, 2011
- Jun 5, 2011 A little clothes line... Jun 5, 2011
May 2011
- May 25, 2011 Some more little gardens... May 25, 2011
- May 23, 2011 A little pothole veggie garden... May 23, 2011
- May 17, 2011 A new garden May 17, 2011
April 2011
- Apr 19, 2011 A Royal Wedding garden part 2 Apr 19, 2011
- Apr 18, 2011 A pothole garden fit for a king (to be) Apr 18, 2011
- Apr 17, 2011 A pothole from Mexico Apr 17, 2011
- Apr 17, 2011 My biggest one yet... Apr 17, 2011
- Apr 10, 2011 Ranunculus in shoreditch Apr 10, 2011
March 2011
- Mar 30, 2011 Congratulations! Mar 30, 2011
February 2011
- Feb 28, 2011 A little bloom to brighten up the gloom... Feb 28, 2011
- Feb 18, 2011 Spring is in the air! Feb 18, 2011
January 2011
- Jan 11, 2011 A pothole from France Jan 11, 2011
December 2010
- Dec 17, 2010 Season's Greetings! Dec 17, 2010
- Dec 10, 2010 Living Graffiti... Dec 10, 2010
November 2010
- Nov 19, 2010 A Winter Garden Nov 19, 2010
August 2010
- Aug 27, 2010 A spot of reading anyone? Aug 27, 2010
- Aug 24, 2010 Summer, come back! Aug 24, 2010
- Aug 16, 2010 New dig, on a new bike! Aug 16, 2010
July 2010
- Jul 19, 2010 A pothole from Dili... Jul 19, 2010
June 2010
- Jun 28, 2010 Pothole gardens have sprung up around Alnwick! Jun 28, 2010
- Jun 23, 2010 Whitechapel is sporting a new little garden! Jun 23, 2010
- Jun 21, 2010 The First day of 'summer' Jun 21, 2010
May 2010
- May 28, 2010 Sunshine! May 28, 2010
April 2010
- Apr 28, 2010 Living Streets Apr 28, 2010
- Apr 24, 2010 Guerrilla Gardening heros... Apr 24, 2010
- Apr 23, 2010 2 new digs, 8 & 9! Apr 23, 2010
- Apr 22, 2010 Thank you for your kind words! Apr 22, 2010
- Apr 21, 2010 Dig 7 Apr 21, 2010
- Apr 18, 2010 Dig 6 Apr 18, 2010
- Apr 18, 2010 "Sexy Geraniums" Apr 18, 2010
- Apr 2, 2010 Amateur Gardener Magazine! Apr 2, 2010
March 2010
- Mar 17, 2010 5th Dig - North View Road Mar 17, 2010
- Mar 16, 2010 4th Dig... Mar 16, 2010
- Mar 16, 2010 3rd dig Mar 16, 2010
- Mar 15, 2010 A Sneak Preview Mar 15, 2010
- Mar 15, 2010 2nd Dig Mar 15, 2010
- Mar 12, 2010 1st Dig Mar 12, 2010
- Mar 10, 2010 Check list... Mar 10, 2010
- Mar 7, 2010 My partners in crime. Mar 7, 2010
- Mar 7, 2010 The seeds have been planted! Mar 7, 2010

Mar 12

Mar 12 1st Dig

The offending pothole

This morning, I completed my first dig, what a rush! I decided that Davenant St. was an appropriate target. There is a small pothole on the road there I regularly walk past that I figured I could spruce up.

I decided that I'd create a mini-garden consisting of a little white Primlet, and a pink Dianthus. Nice and simple. I thought the white would look good against the black tar (and be easily seen by motorists) and the pink would spruce it up.

The reult!

finished pothole garden

It went well, very well. It was a huge rush. I was lucky in the fact that no cars came past until after I'd finished and I managed to get a couple of quick snaps...

The vital stats for the dig: 2 plants, 7 cars and 9 strange looks and 1 beautiful pothole.One guy came out of his flat as I was finishing and it made him smile, which indeed made me smile.

My first dig was a success, I'm hooked! It's just a pity I have to head off to work now...

Until next time!

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