Weeks with weather like we’re having now are considered AWESOME by those of us who practice a type of Tactical Urbanism called “Guerrilla Gardening“. This involves private individuals and small groups taking action to covertly re-green and add value to spaces and places in a community by planting fruiting shrubs, flowers, or herbs… as much as possible with plants native to the area, and usually with secondary purposes such as medicinal or pollinator-attractors.

“Heaven-sent” weather for Guerrilla Gardeners!

Sometimes it is as simple as lobbing some “seed bombs” (a mix of compost, seeds for local wildflowers, and clay) onto a vacant lot, median, or endless lawn in an industrial/corporate park. Adds color, variety, and supports pollinators.

Other times it increases the productivity of ornamental-only fruit trees (like “flowering pears”) by grafting branches from fruiting varieties. As disconnected as we’ve becoming by “zoning” food production away from our homes, this can be a great way (and sometimes the only way) to give suburban kids some connection to where fruit really comes from.

What we especially like is “Edible Landscaping” with perennials like berries. A dozen thorn-less blackberry or raspberry starts easily fit in a shoulder bag. Taking a walk or bike ride around the villages to scout-out good spots; what looks like someone stopping to tie their shoes is really a quick scoop with a hand trowel, planting the start along with a handful of compost, a firming of the soil with a footstep, and the “walk” resumes.

In a year or two, kids playing in that corner of the park or walking to school, or a family gathering to watch fireworks, or cycling around the village, or commuters waiting for their train make the happy discovery of a handful of fresh berries.

When the pendulum swings some more in the current direction, as we come down from the “high” of excess consumerism and waste and return more to a “middle ground”, we’ll see more actions like these become common (and sometimes incorporated into code).

Food has to come from somewhere… why not our own community? Our own lots?