Guerrilla Gardening: A Manualfesto

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The term “guerrilla” may bring to mind a small band of armed soldiers, moving in the dead of night on a stealth mission. In the case of guerrilla gardening, the soldiers are planters, the weapons are shovels, and the mission is to transform an abandoned lot into a thing of beauty. Once an environmentalist’s nonviolent direct action for inner-city renewal, this movement is spreading to all types of people in cities around the world.

These modern-day Johnny Appleseeds perform random acts of gardening, often without permission. Typical targets are vacant lots, railway land, underused public squares, and back alleys. The concept is simple, whimsical, and has the cheeky appeal of being a not-quite-legal call to action. Dig in some soil, plant a few seeds, or mend a sagging fence—one good deed inspiring another, with win-win benefits all around.

Guerrilla Gardening outlines the power-to-the-people campaign for greening our cities. Tips for effective involvement include:

• Finding plants and seeds cheap (or free)
• Handling city officials
• Getting the dirt on soil
• Planting to bring back the birds
• Knowing when to ask first

Social activists, city dwellers, and longtime gardeners will delight in this fast-paced and funny call to arms.

  • [Guerrilla Gardening is a] fantastic book. Weaves ecology and politics together and has a load of fun doing it. I laughed more times reading this book than I can remember. But most of all it's inspiring. We can change the screwed-up world one seed at a time. Now I'm a guerrilla gardening too and I can hardly wait to plant something.”

    Goodreads reader review
  • Guerrilla Gardening is an awesome book for those already interested in beautifying the urban landscape but also a good book to give to friends, especially if you want to plant a seed in someone’s head.

    Erin Kobayashi – Broken Pencil Magazine
  • [Guerrilla Gardening is a] fantastic book. Weaves ecology and politics together and has a load of fun doing it. I laughed more times reading this book than I can remember. But most of all it's inspiring. We can change the screwed-up world one seed at a time. Now I'm a guerrilla gardening too and I can hardly wait to plant something.

    Goodreads reader review
  • [Guerrilla Gardening] is full of great quotes, sidebars, lists and tips. Enough to keep the most ADD of us interested and inspired. I see urban landscapes and abandoned places in a whole new light when I can imagine them becoming life-giving gardens.

    Lucas Land – Sustainable Traditions

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