Making places better in your own neighborhood

Neighborhood greening. The Brooklyn best block competition, see "Recognizing Those Who Keep Brooklyn in Bloom," from the New York Times. From the article:

This contest has been held every year since 1994, when the Brooklyn Botanic Garden teamed up with the Borough President’s office in an effort to beautify the city. It is not, thank goodness, about high design. Rather, its goal is to promote an awareness of basic horticulture — practices as simple as watering regularly and adding compost to soil, attending to the special needs of street trees and potted plants. On a winning block — or any block where neighbors start to share plants, hoses and garden know-how — the sense of community is palpable. Differences in taste make life interesting, especially in the smorgasbord of Brooklyn.

Plus this blog entry, "Guerrilla Gardening," from the Hatch: Design Public blog, linking to an article, Horticulture Jamming, from Good Magazine, and the Guerilla Gardening blog.