FIXES

This lush road facing garden has a hanging component which demonstrates a number of ways to use wire to fix pot plants in precise locations.

In the third image, wire is threaded through an opening on the rim of one pot, and twisted around the window grate to secure it in place. Nearby, wire is twisted directly around the hook of a larger hanging pot to place it at the desired level. Below, in the fourth image, a more secure hanging construction is formed by wrapping wire around the pot, under the rim and then attaching a larger hook made of wire arching over the top.

Materials: Wire
Location: Kokubunji, Tokyo

(Originally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening.org)

Duct tape queueing lanes at the train station.

Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo
Materials: Duct Tape

In an attempt to prevent graffiti this ‘official’ laminated A4 sign has been affixed with tape.

Materials: Tape, Laminated Paper
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

The practice of taping up post boxes in apartment complexes stops excess junk-mail and also serves as a signal as to which apartments may be available for rent.

Material: Duct Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Trees are trained away from the driveway of a high-end residence in Shibuya with a length of string.

No matter the value of the real estate, the gardening fixes tend to be the same……

Materials: String
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

(Oringinally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening)

In an expensive back street off Aoyama Dori in Shibuya resides this lush and intense pot plant collage. Piece by piece, plants in pots have been added to the structure, and secured with a variety of spur-of-the-moment wire and string fixes.

I love the sense of time and process present in these types of garden collages – unplanned and hectic but built up slowly over many years. Temporary in form and materials but not in presence. A type of green urban archeology.

Materials: Wire, String, Pots
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

(Originally posted on Tokyo-DIY-Gardening)

The top of a wall in a residential back street of Shibuya acts as the scene for a precarious pot plant construction held in place with various pieces of string.

Even in one of the more expensive places to live in Tokyo there’s no shame in tying a few pots up on your wall with a bit of old rope!

Materials: String
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

(Originally posted on Tokyo DIY Gardening)

Building protection from errant parkers made of foam affixed to wall. Obviously well placed (see last photo).

Materials: Foam
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Real estate sign affixed to fence with twine.

Materials: Twine
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Apron hung out to dry by its strings under a shop overhang (bottom left).

Materials: Apron
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Exterior lighting constructed from the cord of a portable spotlight fastened to a plastic pole leant against wall and supported by overhang. Electrical cord wrapped around pole takes up the slack and provides a saftey net in case of pole slippage.

Materials: Plastic Pole, Electrical Cord
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Hand towel drying rack constructed from clothes hanger and bulldog clip. Last photo demonstrates the strength and necessity of the bulldog clip in the strong Shibuya wind.

Materials: Clothes Hanger, Bulldog Clip
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Wooden board leant on airconditioner and affixed with tape completes the transformation of dead-space to storage space.

Materials: Wooden Board, Tape, Duct Tape
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Take a clothes rack, decorate the telescoping poles with red and yellow electrical tape. Then design (in Excel), print and laminate some promotional posters and affix them to the top rung with more electrical tape. Stabilize the whole thing with four full PET bottles of water secured with duct tape to the base.

Materials: Clothes Rack, Duct Tape, Electrical Tape, Laminated Paper
Location: Aoyama Dori, Tokyo

From the inspiring and learned Jan Lindenberg comes “an extreme case of post box fixing with massive amounts/layers of duct tape. And interesting enough, it still seems to be in operation and recognised by the mailman as a legitimate interface to deliver the newspaper” – Fantastic!

Materials: Duct Tape
Location: Yanaka

From the inspiring and learned Jan Lindenberg comes 3 different ways of covering/protecting basins – with netting, a plastic grill, and an elastic net (usually used to prevent the shopping falling out of the bicycle basket). We are not exactly why these containers are being protected, and what function the seemingly flimsy nets play – any ideas?

Materials: Netting, Plastic Grill, Elastic Net
Location: Yanaka, Tokyo

At an Aoyama Dori intersection in Shibuya this reflector appears to act as a (not very effective from the amount of bashing it has taken) indicator of where the pedestrian saftey railing begins.

Materials: Reflector
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

I am delighted to announce a new collaboration with Jared Braiterman from Tokyo Green Space – Tokyo-DIY-gardening (and I have appropriated parts of his announcement post below).

Tokyo-DIY-Gardening celebrates ordinary and extraordinary efforts to bring nature into the world’s largest city. In a space more known for concrete and commerce, growing plants for ornament and food is fun, social, and magical.

Tokyo-DIY-Gardening is an open sourcebook and resource for urban gardening on a personal level – “hands-on gardening for a crowded city”. It includes ‘how-to’ examples/instructions, photo essays, observations, interviews, articles and more with the aim of knowledge sharing and creation around low-cost, agile gardening in dense cities (with a focus on Tokyo).

The DIY element invites everyone to experiment, share, and create a garden regardless of how little soil, space, budget, or experience you have. Gardening is fun for seniors, children, cooks, bird-watchers, and all of us who spend most of our time in the city.

We invite active collaboration/participation. Send in your photos and stories about cool neighborhood gardens that you think are special or inspiring. We have a soft spot for recycled materials, volunteer plants, and urban wildlife [contribute/participate]

You can follow our Twitter hash tag #tokyoDIYgardening.

And, if you are in Tokyo, please come to our interactive workshop at the new 3331 Arts Chiyoda space where we introduce the project and invite a collaborative mapping and re-imagining of Tokyo as the greenest city full of gardens, plants, and trees. The workshop will be held in Japanese and English.

We are excited to participate in the Grand Opening series of events at 3331 Arts Chiyoda, and look forward to opening our project to many voices.

A4 laminated official bicycle parking notice secured to pole with wire threaded through reinforced holes punched in sign.

Materials: Wire, Laminated Paper
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo

Official bicycle parking notice secured to railing with wire.

Materials: Wire
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo