The tiny gardens that could…
A tale of two guerrilla gardeners in the heart of the big city
by Ian Kinross
It was an act of faith. In summer 2018, Toronto writer Ian Kinross and his Mom, Sheila, installed two tiny gardens in public spaces in the heart of the big city. They nurtured their little “guerrilla” gardens throughout blistering heat. They battled garden thieves and accepted the kindness of strangers. Ultimately, they brought beauty to neglected spaces — it was also an act of hope.
“As a grandfather of five grandchildren, I want to teach them that heroes can come in all shapes and sizes. That being heroic can mean being brave on the sports field, but it can also mean doing the right thing, even if it is challenging. I want them to know that there are heroes like Frank Owen Gehry and Kawhi Leonard, but there are also everyday heroes in our own community. “The tiny gardens that could…” tells the story of how Ian and his Mom Sheila brought beauty, colour and joy to neglected areas in the heart of our city.”
Mike Murakami, Community gardener; Advocate and Community Connector, Thomas Fisher Library Archives, Japanese Canadian History Collection
About the author
Ian Kinross is a Toronto communicator and gardener. He is past-president of the Thorncliffe Park Community Garden.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my Mom, Sheila, for her gardening inspiration, and my Dad, Douglas, for cutting the grass. My fellow gardeners at Thorncliffe Park and many other gardening Good Samaritans kept us on track when the going got tough. My friends and former colleagues Ruth Tomes, Linda Keon and Robin Rowe provided valuable comments on the draft. Hannah Materne rocked the book design. Nadine, Alison and Colleen continue to inspire me to put on my journalist’s hat and tell stories in the garden and beyond.
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Copyright (c) 2019 by Ian Kinross
All rights reserved
Cover and book design by Hannah Materne
Printed at Rubik's in Montreal, Qc April 2019
Silk laminated cover, matte 140M pages
Baskerville headings, calibri body
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