Guerilla gardener Steve Wheen would like to put a grin on your face, and he is starting in the most unlikely places — potholes varying from a 5-inch sliver on the pavement to cracks that may be seen from a professional window that’s 10 stories up.
“The connection between pothole gardening and pleasure is simple: My work makes people stop and do a double take. Most uplifted. Potholes annoy everyone, and my goal is to take something crappy and turn it into something joyful,” says Wheen.
The Pothole Gardener
Wheen, a Google imaginative daily, says that “everyone needs something from you about the way to work,” whether it’s money or a charity sign. “My gardens are giving back something to the person passing, even if it’s only a grin,” he says.
The Pothole Gardener
Virtually all of Wheen’s gardens have a theme, with the upcoming Olympic games in London being among his most popular themes. This minigarden comes with a small shrub and pearls mimicking those used in men’s gymnastics.
The Pothole Gardener
This pothole backyard has a more overt Olympic motif; it features the five rings that represent the five continents included in the matches.
The Pothole Gardener
Track and field?
The Pothole Gardener
Wheen celebrated the 60-year jubilee at June 2012 of Queen Elizabeth with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. This garden was planted beyond the Dalston curve garden.
“I’ve had some interesting men and women come together to backyard with me. I can’t believe I’ve now gardened with royalty,” says Wheen.
The Pothole Gardener
A throne-like red velvet seat anchors the backyard, with Union Jacks and a miniature member of the Queen’s Guard finishing the Britannia theme.
Since you’ll learn after seeing Wheen’s popular short movie, each garden doesn’t take too much time to make: A few handfuls of dirt, turf, shrubs or flowers, along with a miniature prop or two are sufficient to begin your pothole gardening journey.
The Pothole Gardener
Wheen’s gardens have been taken by some people as a way. However, Wheen only looks at each pothole as a creative outlet; each time he sees a crack in the pavement, his imagination goes into overdrive, and he begins searching for flowers and props to fill it.
The Pothole Gardener
Another problem highlighted by the gardens is trash: A plastic bag left at the middle of the sidewalk is only a few steps away from a backyard tableau.
The Pothole Gardener
Wheen has been occupying for years and has always believed that potholes create the ideal imperfect bud; he is all right with the concept of living with all the urban landscape’s imperfections. He says, “If there weren’t potholes, I would have no place for the little gardens.”
ers, tell us : Perhaps you have beautified potholes with your minigardens? Show us your guerilla gardening abilities by uploading pictures in the Comments section below.