Guerrilla gardening is the global movement of people planting in public places. From scattering wildflower seeds onto road verges to building community allotments on vacant lots, these peaceful acts of rebellion are where flower power meets people power.
Join us for an exclusive book launch of Get Guerrilla Gardening, published by DK in June, where Ellen will be joined by some of the book’s contributors to discuss content from the publication.
Activist and guerrilla gardener Ellen Miles has developed a guide to help others become green-fingered vigilantes – helping people to transform their neighbourhood’s neglected corners into bright pockets of plant life.
With no prior knowledge of gardening or activism needed, this 360° handbook contains all the information and inspiration you need to start greening your streets. Not sure how to pick the right plants, gather a gang, or protect your patch? This guide’s got you covered. Follow the 7-step action plan, packed with expert advice, illustrated how-to’s, and tales of ‘how we did it’ from around the world.
Speakers
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Ellen Miles
Ellen Miles
Ellen Miles is a writer and activist who roots for nature in urban neighbourhoods. She founded the Nature is a Human Right campaign and guerrilla gardening social enterprise, Dream Green. Her work reaches millions online and has been featured by BBC Earth, Big Issue, and the Evening Standard, among others. Get Guerrilla Gardening is her second book.
@octaviachill -
Seng Cheong
Seng Cheong
Seng Cheong has always been keen on Regenerative Agriculture, Permaculture and Carpentry so when the opportunity came to join in the creation of The Garden of Earthly Delights, he dove right in, becoming a key coordinator who helps run outreach and finances. What started as a guerrilla garden soon became a project supported by the local council. Seng also co-founded the Woodshop of Recycled Delights (WoRD), a project funded by the North London Waste Authority to upskill and empower communities to make and build with reclaimed materials. Being able to connect and share knowledge and experiences is one of his favourite things about being involved with community projects.
@gardenearthlydelights and @woodshop_of_recycled_delights -
Paul Harfleet
Paul Harfleet
Paul Harfleet describes himself as an ‘accidental activist’ and is an award-winning London based interdisciplinary artist. He has exhibited internationally since graduating from an Ma in Fine Art at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2004. His work has appeared on film and in multiple publications.
In 2005 Harfleet began The Pansy Project, the artist plants pansies at sites of homophobic and transphobic abuse. The flower is documented and entitled after the abuse then added to this website, www.thepansyproject.com. This ongoing project reveals a frequent reality of LGBTQ+ experience, which often goes unreported to authorities. This simple action operates as a gesture of quiet resistance, Harfleet has planted more than 300 pansies around the world from London to New York. He wrote and illustrated ‘Pansy Boy’, a children’s book that was short-listed for the Polari First Book Prize in 2018. In 2022 The Pansy Project was showcased by Cheddar Gorgeous on Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK, highlighting his work to a new global audience.
During the pandemic in 2020 Harfleet began Birds Can Fly, a queer exploration of ornithology. This ongoing project is a manifestation of Paul’s life-long love of birds and reflects a resurgence in the cultural appreciation of the natural world, post-pandemic. The artist draws, then ‘gently references’ the birds he’s drawn, using his make-up, styling and prop making skills to echo the plumage and character of the birds he illustrates. Through drawing, research and writing, he intends to reveal the hidden colonial history of ornithology. In 2022 Harfleet’s work was featured in ‘Into The Red’ a book highlighting endangered birds, published by BTO (British Trust for Ornithology). In 2022 he was a winner of the Madame F Queer Art Award at Queer Britain, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ museum. In January 2023 Paul featured in a short film on BBC2’s Winterwatch, the piece showcased The Pansy Project and Birds Can Fly.
@thepansyproject -
Pam Warhurst
Pam Warhurst
In 2008 Pam cofounded Incredible Edible, an initiative begun in Northern England dedicated to growing food locally by planting on unused land throughout the community. She called it propaganda gardening.
Pam Warhurst CBE has been an activist and advisor for over 40 years. She has been involved in local politics and national policy as the Leader of a local authority, Chair of the Board of the Forestry Commission GB, Vice Chair of Countryside Agency and Board member of Natural England.
Until 2020 she Chaired Pennine Prospects working to create the South Pennines Park, the first socially purposed Park in the country.
She currently chairs the Town Deal board in Todmorden with the vision of creating a 21st century market town.
Today Incredible Edible has spin-offs from the U.S. to Japan, counting over 150 groups in the UK and many more world-wide. Incredible Edible empowers ordinary people to take control in their communities through active civic engagement, redefining prosperity through the power of small actions.
Currently Pam chairs Incredible Edible CIC supporting and amplifying the work of groups around the UK, and campaigning for a change in the law giving people a Right to Grow on local public land.
Pam is an Ashoka fellow working as part of a global network of social entrepreneurs, is Vice President of TCPA and Honorary Fellow of the Landscape Institute.
@incredibleedibleuk
