Around the world, from the U.S. to Denmark, France and Italy, and of course England, home of the world's maddest gardeners, green thumbed activists transform barren urban environments by planting sunflower seeds, lavender, or full flower and shrub landscaping.

Some Guerrilla Gardening is focused on land use and ownership. It grapples with issues like, if an abandoned lot is cultivated by neighborhood farmers, and produces vegetables for the community, can the owner turn up at a later date and auction off the property? Does cultivation confer ownership? Or is it just a neater form of squatting?

The more accessible version, such as that practiced by Reynolds, seems more focused on giving nature every opportunity to make the world a more beautiful place. If you see a patch of unused dirt, plant something pleasing, and care for it.

Reynolds is delightfully entertained by the "illegality" of what he does -- making the world nicer! -- and it's very tempting to join in. His site, GuerrillaGardening.org, offers a wealth of tips for the sneaky flower grower.

My favorite is the wide variety of seed bombs. These concoctions are made of seed, soil, fertilizer and some kind of carrier/container that lets you sow seeds in spots where you don't have access, or you'll get in trouble if you hang around hoeing. I'm tempted to a lob one or two over some neighborhood fences and see what happens!

So if you find a neglected spot in your neighborhood, and want to get some flowers growing, Guerrilla Gardening has some easy steps to get started. You'll be tending flowers and giving bees a place to visit faster than you imagine -- and enjoying a little mischief while you're at it!