Guerrilla Gardeners

They appear at night, working in the shadows. Within a matter of hours they transform ugly patches of neglected public land into urban gardens. No permits, no licenses, no permissions. Is it illegal? Yes. But that doesn't stop this nocturnal group of succulent-loving laborers.

Their leader is Scott, who has been guerrilla gardening for more than 20 years. His backyard is a virtual nursery, with tens of thousands of succulents and cacti of all sizes, waiting to be planted in guerrilla gardens from Long Beach to Whittier. Val Zavala met up with the group for a night dig in Hollywood to find out how they work and what motivates these unauthorized horticulturalists.

Val Zavala at Scott's home nursery.