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March 10, 2009

Flowers for Bed Stuy

bed-stuy-lot-0309.jpgThanks to Bed Stuy Blog for flagging this: There's a great initiative underway to blanket neglected portions of Bedford Stuyvesant in wildflowers. A group called 21st Century Plowshare is preparing a guerilla campaign to heave seed bombs into empty lots, abandoned buildings sites and whatnot. We're so into the idea, we just donated $100. They only need $2,000 and are accepting gifts of as little as $10; they also need volunteers for seed-bombing missions, so check out the website here.




Posted by Brownstoner at 10:45 AM | Comments (18)
Categories: Bedford Stuyvesant, Streets

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Comments

Excellent idea. I can think of a few other neighborhoods that could do with this treatment.

Posted by: dittoburg at March 10, 2009 10:50 AM

what a sweet idea. Very cute.

Posted by: Maly at March 10, 2009 10:51 AM

Thank you Mister B. I'm donating.

And this is more than a cute idea - the kind of thing that seems quaint in a rather naive and "why not?" way. It is actually emotionally and psychologically very powerful to transform hopelessly awful, ugly, trashed, apparently abandoned and decrepit areas into something green, hopeful and even minimally cared about.

It'll be interesting to watch/follow this.

Posted by: Nokilissa at March 10, 2009 11:00 AM

Seed bombs are how the community garden movement started in the early 70s. Those folks invested time and effort in neglected areas and abandoned lots when no one else would, and the community organizations that grew up around the gardens helped reclaim and revitalize many neighborhoods.

Posted by: slopefarm at March 10, 2009 11:01 AM

i have mixed feelings about this. im not even going to bother to elaborate.. but i guess if the community finds it a good thing and it's good for the community in the long run, then that's a good thing.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at March 10, 2009 11:09 AM

one word: allergies

Posted by: randolph at March 10, 2009 11:21 AM

Nokilissa pretty much summed it up.

Of course BS needs tangible answers to problems, and flower bombs are not real solutions, but I think it's a great idea. Flowers anywhere are a good thing, and who knows, could be a catylist for better changes to come. It's a low cost project that could bring some joy to some pretty joyless places this summer.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at March 10, 2009 11:27 AM

nokilissa is right. 'cute' is an oversimplification of the greater effects these efforts have. the exerpt from The Tipping Point about the Broken Windows phenonmenon apply here, in reverse hopefully.

Posted by: goldie at March 10, 2009 11:30 AM

you all make good points. it's not my cup of tea tho. i choose to live in nyc because i dont WANT to be around flowers and plants and nature. but i guess it's better than broken glass and stuff. it will probably just turn into a giant doggy turd magnet tho, so someone will have to maintain it.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at March 10, 2009 11:35 AM

rob -- sounds like you want to live in jersey...

nsr (nj native)

Posted by: northsloperenter at March 10, 2009 11:50 AM

rob,

Two ideas.

1. Go take a peek at Plowshare's website and look around. I think you'll "get it" a little better. (while you're there, donate a couple of bucks :).

2. Rent Wall-E and watch it tonight. Just try not to weep. And then see if you still feel the same way about "flowers and plants and nature".

Posted by: Nokilissa at March 10, 2009 11:53 AM

Rob, trees, flowers, plants and nature are the only things keeeing us from looking like Wall-E's world, a garbage strewn wasteland. Plants absorb CO2, emitted by us, among other things, and convert it back to breathable oxygen. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for plants.

Besides which, I don't understand how you could stand living in this dirty, smelly, overcrowded city without having sotme plants and flowers, parks and even empty lots and backyards around to give us a break, bring some nature to the city, and provide some beauty.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at March 10, 2009 12:11 PM

Pride of place is never square. I'm donating too.

Posted by: infinitejester at March 10, 2009 1:17 PM

:)

Made my whole day to give them twenty bucks!

Posted by: Nokilissa at March 10, 2009 1:34 PM

same here! I donated and I have been feeling so much happier in my (nowadays) tense Midtown office I am just picturing flowers this summer!

Posted by: bianca at March 10, 2009 2:02 PM

Do "seed bombs" actually work? (that is, germinate and grow?) I'd think that would depend on what seeds are in 'em. All I know is that I've gotten countless free packets of "wildflower seeds" over the years and sprinkled them in bare patches of every description, and they never, ever grow. Some species of wildflower (like dandelions) flourish already in urban lots, others may be totally unsuited...just wondering.

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at March 10, 2009 11:00 PM

Should work well enough if the areas get full sun, which vacant lots mostly will. The seeds will be native to the northeast, ones that can naturally just fall on the soil and have enough take to make a show with little or no care. Have to be put down early enough, though.

Posted by: Nomi at March 11, 2009 3:46 AM

I donated as well and will be seed bombing in April... Someone brought up the Broken Glass theory and I was just going to mention it as well! Only good can come of this and I for one am VERY excited:-)

Posted by: brooklynisis at March 16, 2009 11:35 AM

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