Cyclist Steve Wheen decided to plant cyclamen, narcissus and polyanthus in the holes after becoming fed up with the state of roads.The 33-year-old’s green do-gooding is proving popular as his website – www.thepotholegardener.com – has had 25,000 hits in its first month.
‘I’m a mad keen gardener but I live in a small flat without a garden,’ said Mr Wheen, from Shoreditch, east London.
‘I also wanted to make a point. As a cyclist I find potholes a constant menace. I have almost come off my bike several times.
‘And the roads are in the worst state I have ever known in London because of the snow this winter.
‘I choose smaller roads or pavements with potholes and work early morning or evening so that I don’t get run over while gardening.
‘I prefer to use low plants with bright, colourful flowers in the hope that motorists will see my gardens and avoid them.’
But he admits that his colourful work often falls victim to traffic in the capital.
‘My very first effort only lasted two hours before it was destroyed. They have a short life,’ he said.And the longest any of my gardens has survived is three weeks so far.
‘But, if I can draw a cyclist’s attention to a pothole so that they don’t hit it, and put a smile on their face, that is enough for me.
‘Now I can’t stop looking at potholes wherever I go.’
Fans are quick to suggest potholes across London for him to turn into small – and short-term – gardens.
‘I am following up some suggestions. One is that I try and turn Edgware Road into Kew Gardens,’ he said, somewhat ambitiously.
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