War rubble and political division created huge areas of wasteland in Berlin, which then became overgrown and undisturbed areas of wilderness. In the no-man’s land between East and West, long-established Berlin species thrived alongside plants which had arrived from distant climes by means of freight traffic. Seeds travelled to the city’s major train stations as stowaways, and from there they were swept out of carriages into a new home. 

Despite unfavourable conditions ~ dry, nutrient-poor soils and a warm urban climate ~ many such seeds made Berlin’s city centre their habitat. These survivalists overcame the trials presented by the sandy soil of the Mark Brandenburg region and found places to thrive: on gravel, in cracks in pavements and concrete, at the roadside, between rotting train tracks at stations, and on the border strip of the Wall.

Examples of long-established Berlin greenery include viper’s bugloss, St. John’s wort, soapwort, and various verbascum and evening primroses. Common mallow reached the city from southern Europe and Asia, while hedge hyssop came from the Mediterranean. Iva xanthiifolia, also known as marsh elder, initially settled in the eastern part of the city, after arriving in the GDR in grain imported from Kazakhstan. Stonecrop from North Africa covered the death strip, and wall-flowers of Mediterranean origin now bloom all over the city.

This unique urban wilderness records the city’s story of war and division in its own unique way, and in the unusual breadth of its variety it also serves as a symbol of Berlin’s colour, diversity, love of life and tolerance ~ so the seeds represent Berlin’s DNA. 

We have formed all that into the shape of our favourite landmark, creating Berlin seeds in a TV turret format, to take home, plant and let grow.