Before Stéphan Barron and Sylvia Hansmann intervened, the border in question was an unattractive expanse of hard-packed ground and dog turds. Any greenery that dared to locate here was mercilessly sprayed into oblivion.

The first year, a sunflower was planted. It flowered, but was uprooted by a few days later by an flowerphobic neighbour.

The second year, we broke up a pile of cement left by the electrical utility and replaced it with a garden planted with seeds from the Bavarian Forest.

A magnificent bush 120 cm high and covered in countless pink flowers lasted during the whole summer.

 

In January 1996, authorities from City Hall and the Housing Department came to look at our hedge. Over five years old, this hedge had grown to a respectable two metres in height and protected those who had planted it from noise, dust and nosy passers-by. Authorities had it cut back to the regulation height of 80 centimetres. Official reason ?

Burglars could hide in it ? The fear of nature coupled with the obsession for security.

The resulting desolation spurred us on; we turned the earth in the entire border and planted seeds and bushes that we brought back from all over Europe.

Seeding with the children of the public housing unit. It makes them feel responsable for their place.

Biodiversity at a bottom of the public housing unit We watered them and witnessed the wasteland being reclaimed. The border is now teeming with plants and insects of all sorts.

It is now the pride and joy of neighbours and a pleasant sight for passers-by.

The border is a source of amusement for public housing authorities.

First perceived as eccentric and hopeless, the idea has now become self-evident. Public housing authorities have come in droves to investigate 'the anarchy gaining a foothold in the neighbourhood', as a senior official put it.

While petitions, faxes and telephone calls were being aimed at the authorities, the sunflowers bloomed peaceably.

Several attempts to mow down our border or spray it with herbicides were stopped at the last minute.

Life's fragility is experienced on a day-to-day basis.

Nature's slow and delicate creation contrasts with the instantaneous impact of destruction.

We and the many creatures of our border invite you to share in the flower power.

Sunflower party Friends and people from the building and the street are all invited.