Friendly Plantings Could Improve Your Community

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Ever go by somewhere and wonder, who planted that? I drive past some gardens at an odd little intersection regularly, and I think, "who planted all that inside these traffic islands?"

Last week, I saw someone weeding there, and it turned out to be a man named John, who lives up the street. He told me that when the concrete islands were installed decades ago, some neighbors got together to petition the state to break up the concrete so they could plant gardens there instead to make that corner of their neighborhood prettier.

For 20 years or so, John's mostly tended these gardens himself, struggling with the soil and the fact that plant roots can't reach ground water under the pavement, and even bringing all the plants from his own home garden up the street! It was so much fun for me to finally meet the man whose gardens make me smile all the time.

It reminded me of the power of flowers and just growing things. So, look around. If you find an odd spot where you live or walk or work that could use improving, why not see if you could plant something there?