As you can see, even when these 3-tiered style boxes are actually in use ( such as this box, which is chained up at the busy intersection of Spadina and College) rarely are all three tiers used. Typically, just the top box will be filled with junky flyers. That leaves two empty boxes available for the productive guerrilla gardener!

This planter is special: It is filled with Thai Basil- decorative AND delicious. I know that the Internet is bad at conveying odours but you’ll have to trust me when I say that this box smelled amazing. A quick brush of your hand would impart a powerful fragrance. A nice thing to find on the stinky street! This is the first time that I’ve used a herb in my guerrilla gardening, and I really think I should use more. I like the potential functionality of herbs.

I went to the trouble of building this planter with a slot in the back (to accommodate the metal panel that divides the interior of these “three-tiered style” boxes.) but as you can see, it wasn’t necessary for this particular box. The bottom box is broken! The dividing wall and floor are gone; a cinderblock and trash are all that remain. Still, that didn’t stop this planter from being removed! It’s sad, but as of yesterday, all of the planters that I’ve featured on the site so far have been removed. Why? I can’t say. I suspect that the box-owners are enforcing their territory, making rounds or complaints, maybe claims of safety issues. Who knows? But I hope that they were taken by garden-loving individuals who were excited for the possibility of free planters, soil, or plants. Maybe they couldn’t afford the luxury of plants? The planters may just have been so lovely, so unexpected, so enchanting, that someone HAD to take one home where they could enjoy the magic of green things everyday. That’s a much nicer thought than the whole thing being pitched on principle.

Were flyers put in the empty boxes after the planters were removed? No. Was the trash also taken away when this planter was removed? Of course not.

I’ve often marveled at how you can leave trash almost anywhere, and it will stay- but put art or flowers there, and watch it be torn away. People got some weird priorities. I suppose at least this means that art stands out! Gets noticed! Way back in the day, I would staplegun my posters to trash and litter- so that they might last at least half as long as the invincible garbage.

I gotta say- I love the stickers on this flyerbox. Especially the stick on the far left- middle box. Anyone know whose it is?