This pretty London Street (Ryland Road in Kentish Town) is lined with tree pits bursting with hollyhocks, irises, Jerusalem artichokes and a mixture of annuals. It's hard to believe but this impressive avenue is the work of a blind gardener Sean Canavan. He has spilled out of his front garden, tree pit by tree pit along the road, starting as a guerrilla gardener but earning respect and support from Camden Council on the way, who he says have even removed paving slabs to make his tree pits more practical to plant. Sean was the winner of an honourable mention in the EPICS (Exceptional People in Camden Awards) in 2006 for his efforts and has carried on with his remarkable tree pit gardening ever since and in the process has created a sense of community pride that has seen vandalism and litter decrease.
There's a saying in the philosophy of logic that you can never prove that all swans are white by continuing to point out white swans. But you can easily disprove it by providing a single example of a black swan. So thank you, Sean Canavan, for teaching all of us, garden friends, neighbours, and Camden Council alike, that your one beautiful black swan on Ryland Road proves that tree pit gardening is alive and well in Camden. And surprise, surprise, more are being spotted because of it.
Adapted from http://www.pimpyourpavement.com/blind-pimping/
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