LettersGuerilla gardening shows Hong Kong’s pent-up demand for green space

Unauthorised cultivation has been an issue in Hong Kong for some times, and evidence suggests it is about more than squatter’s rights

It could be seen as a form of activist gardening and a way to express displeasure over the lack of green space and community gardens

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A member of a morning walkers’ association tends to the Chinese herbal garden at the Fool’s Paradise secret garden in May 2017. Photo: James Wendlinger

Published: 5:30am, 15 Nov 2021

From time to time, the media reports on unauthorised cultivation on the hillsides near various housing estates in Hong Kong. These stories and government promotional materials warn about the potential problems associated with unauthorised cultivation, which include affecting slope stability and increasing the risk of landslides.

In spite of the prohibition, however, unauthorised cultivation has continued. While the media reports largely focus on the adverse impact of these activities, they rarely investigate the reasons behind them.

Some people who engaged in illegal cultivation might have been attempting to use it as evidence to support their claim for adverse possession. However, the light touch evident in many of these unauthorised activities suggest most of them are doing it for different reasons.

Their unauthorised cultivation could be viewed as a form of guerilla gardening, which involves acting without permission to cultivate land that is often neglected private or public space. It is a form of activist gardening to show resistance to the existing use of land and oppose the control of space by the government and land developers.

Guerilla gardening is a creative way to reimagine the use of land as a community garden and serves important social functions. Some guerilla gardeners might simply wish to beautify derelict spaces to improve the landscape and increase biodiversity.

Others might wish to create a recreational space for the community to enjoy and provide an opportunity for socialising with friends or passers-by. This is especially the case when many of these gardens are cultivated by morning walkers who grow ornamental flowers for appreciation or vegetables for their own consumption.