Have you guys ever gardened somewhere without permission? There are a few neglected, weed-covered places in our town that I am very tempted to plant something pretty...
Guerrilla Gardening
I haven't, but in Boston I knew people who had. Sometimes, apparently, it was a big success, and sometimes it just kept being deserted. I don't remember any of them saying they'd gotten in trouble, I say go for it and more power to you!
I've been tempted too... in fact my son & wife are going to be out of town for a week and I have a small surprise planned for them while they are gone! Their house always looks abandoned its so bad. Weeds, lack of watering, whatever has blown in piled against the fence.
I have a neighbor with an attractive home but a fine crop of cheat grass! The place is so attractive but the weeds are so distracting that I am sorely tempted.
LONG time ago one of my sons had speech therapy at a different school so I had to take him & then return him. I used to routinely weed at the school while I was waiting for him. One time while I was doing that the maintenance / gardening lady stopped by to see me. She requested I focus my attention specially on certain weeds that were more difficult for her to get to!
Haha that's so funny, psychw2! Our neighborhood has a back road that is bordered by a fence, and on the other side of it is a dirt road and then farmland. The farmer doesn't seem to care about the neighborhood side of the fence, which I believe is probably city land. The other day I planted a Black Eyed Susan Vine to climb the fence, and now I spend a little time watering and weeding there each day (to try to make sure that the city doesn't spray it for weeds and kill my plants). One of my gardening neighbors "caught" me gardening there, and after some good-natured ribbing, agreed that she'd help bring a few transplants over there herself. I can just see this becoming a very pretty neighborhood gardening project!
Oh, go wifeygirl go!
That's great Wifey! Something to beautify your world.
I drove by & watered the son & wife's tomatoes to night after work and I hope to get there Thursday to start my clean up project. (I have commitments Tues & Wed after work).
Psych - that is so cool! What a kind gift to give your son and DIL. =)
What is your relationship with your daughter-in-law like? Will she take it as the sweet gift it is? Just checking, because if my MIL felt the need to weed at my house I'd be embarrassed!
But that may be just me - my parents visited the other day and my dad took one look at my overflowing laundry room and offered to do laundry for me. I was mortified! LOL
LOL, nah she is not an outdoor person and I am soooooo grateful she & I have a good relationship. I had talked to here before about the landscaping because before she entered son's life he had told me that he would give me a budget and I could do anything I wanted. Out of respect for DDIL I have consulted with her and she just doesn't care. She'd like it nice but does not have any ideas/ desires for what she'd like. I will keep it VERY low maintenance. I'll see if I can remember to take a before & after picture.
One year for my Dad's birthday my sister had Mom & Dad to their house for dinner (she was recovering from a surgery and could not help with the physical work we had planned). The rest of us all got together, kids, grandkids, niece nephew and anyone else we could strong arm, and we worked our bunnies off on the landscaping. Reedged yard, cleaned and weeded all flower beds and around all trees, mowed the back 1/2 acre that was not planted in grass, moved a wood pile, etc, etc. For up to a month later Dad was still discovering things he hadn't noticed before that we had done. It was one of the BEST gifts we ever gave them. My Dad had been so busy (much of it helping one of us! like dry-rot under a house etc..) that he fell behind in all his own yard work.
I love gifts of service.
Wow, that is so special, Psych! What a wonderful gift you gave your Dad. And that's so cool that your relationship with your DIL is so secure. Obviously she is a more confident person that I am! LOL. My MIL was super-housewife when my hubby was growing up. I work from home, which means that I give the illusion of being a housewife without the actual time to do a good job at keeping house! The garden, on the other hand, is my escape, and I wonder how people can ignore their landscaping so grievously. But then, people probably wonder that about me with the laundry! ;-P
PLEASE do before and after pics!!! I wanna see! =)
This message was edited May 21, 2014 6:01 AM
So I had transplanted a baby Black Eyed Susan Vine to climb a nearby chain link fence (where weeds abound) and had started clearing the area so no one would spray. It grew happily and unmolested for at least a month, and it had finally sprouted its growing tip, and I had moved it to touch the chain link fence - the next day the plant was gone. So someone removed it. Weird, though, because all the other surrounding weeds stayed intact! Why would someone remove the one real, viable plant in the whole place (which was not yet blooming in any way to attract attention)?
I guess that's a hazard of Guerrilla Gardening! Disappearing plants! I admit that it has taken a bit of the wind out of my sails. Now I'm wondering if someone in the neighborhood noticed and doesn't like me doing it? Or maybe the farmer on the other side of the fence pulled it? But then why wouldn't he pull the other plants I planted and the weeds all around it? Dunno.
My little ole' dark mind says someone stole it because they WANTED it. Saw a wonderful, unattended plant and "poof" gone!
Haha. My hubby thinks the same thing, Psych. But people who love plants are usually so NICE, I have trouble thinking that of a fellow gardener!!
How did your surprise for your son and DIL go? Any pics for us? =)
I had the same thought, WG. You know, maybe they thought they were 'rescuing' a lone survivor. Not wanting it to perish too.
I'd plant the same thing again, see what happens, then plant a whole row.
Either that or plant a beautiful thistle.
:~)
They LOVED it and in fact, they have since hired someone to take out the trash tree that was next to the house, trim out the dead stuff out of the backyard tree AND rip out the old rose! That's quite an accomplishment for my son who normally could care less! LOL
They have gotten a bid for a new roof. I have been encouraging them to DECIDE on house paint, even if they don't paint this year, so they are more happy with overall results and not regret the roof color later! They even shopped for ground cover material and got a bid for putting down rock.
I think that's scored a great big success to you, Pat.
Turtles, I like the way you think! Yes, someone adopted it. That's what I'm choosing to believe!
Psych, that is so great. It's sounds like you really got them kick-started! Pics? It didn't happen without a picture...;-)
I know... hanging head in shame. I am so bad about NOT taking pictures but I really am getting better at it! My camera was not available. I'm going back over tomorrow most likely, I'll try to remember camera for that trip.
I do not yet have the rock cover on the ground yet but it's coming along. I have the mess shoveled out and cleared. I'm going to give it a dose of chemicals to reduce the likelihood of the weeds overtaking the area again. I wish I had the money for really cool basalt landscaping column or water feature but you know the saying... if wishes were horses, beggars would ride!
I'm following up on a listing in Craigslist for free river rock.
Good job, Psych! Are your son and DIL thrilled? I would be!
Yes, they are very pleased. It was not without it's problems. I had shoveled the rock, weeds and excess dirt into the garbage can the garbage company refused to take it! I had to shovel it OUT into our pickup and will have to find a place to dump it. Just 2 more times I had to shovel the SAME dirt! (out of the can, into the truck and then BACK out of the truck!) Oh well... it's coming along and looking good.
PIC!!! =D