The Inspirational Gardener

This is my nan. She has lived in the same house in Liverpool 8, England for the past 30 years; a supposed house renewal area. Instead, our street and the 3 streets neighbouring it have been marked for demolition for several years now. We would loose our houses, simply because someone wants to make more money. Although, the shit brick houses that they have been putting up in this neighbourhood do not compare to the houses they would be replacing.

So 12 years ago, after years of living in a neglected area, my nan started to do something about it. It started started small, simply by sweeping the street when rubbish and leaf litter covered the concrete because the council street sweepers failed to show; clearing the alley stacked with binbags, when binmen were nowhere to be seen. A step up in play, she and a group of friends literally stopped the demolition of a street by standing infront of the bulldoser about to crumble it, earning them an article in the local newspaper.

It then progressed into a street effort in which raised beds were made to grow vegetables such as runner beans and sweetcorn as well as flowers (some have apple trees); Derelict houses were painted and planted up with a variety of flowers and climbing plants; Car tyres were used to grow potatoes and broad beans, whilst hanging baskets became homes to strawberries and hanging plants. All 4 streets are now actively involved in making the street as aesthic as possible against the constant goal to make it as miserable as possible. They do this mainly by pollarding the wonderful trees that stand through the streets until they look like large, wooden stumps protruding from the ground. And caging the front of the empty houses with a grim, grey metal.

Cairns Street (the 1st street to start) have taken part and won awards for the Britian in Bloon competition. They've also have photographers and a few journalists visit the street. My nan, Eleanor Lee, was also a finalist in this years Liverpool Daily Post Woman of the Year for her contributing to our local community. There has been a rise in similar movements within local community groups and hopefully it will continue to rise.