wildcornerz: Weeds

Started January 2010 [by Jack Thurgar]

This is a scrapbook dedicated to the study of London's weeds and the wild places where they grow. Wildcornerz also looks at the languages, cultures and mythologies that develop in these cracks.

What is a Wildcorner?

A Wildcorner is a term referring to a piece of land that has been left to grow wild in a man made landscape. To be a true Wildcorner, the land has to be restricted from public access. Many are hidden from public view altogether. A common type of wildcorner is referred to by govements and local authorities as a 'brownfield site'.

Wildcorners and corridors* are dotted all over the capital and vary in content, depending on their location and history. In this blog we focus particularly on the Wildcorners of south east London.

* Wildcorridors are networks of pathways that run through the city and facilitate the propagation and growth of weeds. Many are restricted from public access such as railway embankments and urban rivers. In the suburbs, footpaths such as the Green Chain connect public green areas by a network of alleyways and passages that skirt between houses and private land. It could be argued that these are also wild corridors.

Urban and Suburban Weeds

By the term 'weeds' we are of course referring to the cities wild plants and flowers. But their are also two other weeds that grow in the city.

'Graf' like its botanical relation, has many families and strains. Both of these weeds can often be found together, sharing many qualities including their adaptive nature and unregulated status. Both in many cases, originally entered and populated the city using the railway network.

Another 'weed' that historically flourishes in London is invisible and uses the tops of tower blocks to propagate. Pirate radio like its weed relatives, grows away from the public eye and is constantly adapting to exploit these same gaps across the cities FM radio spectrum, fighting and flourishing in-between the commercial stations.

Showing posts with label Weeds. Show all posts

Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Pirate Radio Pirate

More UK pirate interviews.

This time with Killer, former owner of Y2K Essex. He features in an episode of the now informous BBC mini series 'Tower Block Dreams' in 2003. Elements of this episode were directly parodied in early episodes of the comedy 'People Just do Nothing'.

After this period he became better known within pirate radio circles as a prolific rig thief and racketeer, preying on stations throughout the uk.

Tales from the darker side of pirate radio culture.

Wednesday, 3 January 2024

Motorway Ditch [Road-side Microworlds], 2023

Monday, 13 March 2023

Governors, Duo's, Lone-wolfs - Graf Storytellers of old London Town

Here are some of my picks from the Killa Kela podcast.

This is a selection of my favourite characters behind some of the biggest tags, from the 80s and 90s London scenes. The Char and Steam interviews are particular jewels.

They tell childhood stories, growing up in a different era of London, as well as tales of missions and danger, memories of names and locations that interweave to form part of the rich tapestry that is London graffiti folklore.

Monday, 17 February 2020

Welcome to the family kid!

My Corner Weedz print is available to buy [along with the tee version].

Each Corner Weed member, represents four different species of 'weeds' that grow in the wild places of South London.

Meet, Poppy Head, Levi the dandy Lion, Ragz [Ragwort] and 'Mad' Bud [Buddleia.]

....

More Road than the green cross code!

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

New Tee from Wildcornerz out now!

I have a fresh new t-shirt out over on my merch label 'Cornerz'
available now.

We proudly present 'The Corner Weedz'.

The style of the design is inspired by uk comic books from the 1980's and 90's such as Acne, Braindead and Viz.

Each Corner Weed member is from a different species of 'weed' that grows in the wild places of London.
Meet Poppy 'Head', Levi the dandy Lion, Ragz [Ragwort] and Bud [Buddleia.]
More Road than the green cross code!

Cornerz

Monday, 13 November 2017

Propagation Power

From the marvellous 'Wonders of Creation' from Lion Publishing 1975 '
This spread shows the ingenious methods plants have evolved to disperse their seeds far and wide, increasing their chances of reproduction.

wildcornerz