Toronto Destroys 150-Species Natural Garden

In normally eco-conscious Toronto, somebody's got some 'splaining to do.  Here's the shocking story. 

Thanks to Ann Leger for the tip.

Comments

[Pam/Digging]

I found some of the comments on that story just as interesting---and pathetic---as the city's mowing/vandalism. A number of commenters said the garden looked weedy and out of control and implied that the homeowner deserved the loss of her garden.

We've come a long way in recent years, but I wonder what it will take to get die-hard lawn people to be tolerant, if not appreciative, of front-yard gardens.

[Christopher C. NC]

Oy vey. Thank goodness we live in the country. This whole mountaintop would be considered an eyesore and a health hazard and mowed to the ground like the empty house across the street that gets mowed to about 3/4 of an inch high every week.

Perhaps if I had a little lawnette out front the two ladies who stopped at the top of my drive today to pilfer some of my Ironweed could not have exclaimed "Oh we didn't know", when I busted them for tresspassing and stealing flowers.

[Brooke]

Oh my gosh, I would DIE if someone did that to my garden.

[Yvonne NC]

OMG! So, I just couldn't resist sending off an e-mail to the "clean and beautiful city". It was so nice of them to link to it in the article.

[chuck b.]

I can't read stories like that without risking my blood pressure.

In California, naturalistic gardens are looking a little desperate in most places after with no (or little) water since April (and after a particularly dry winter). I can understand why the uninitiated would feel a little apprehensive in my area this time of year. But I don't know Toronto at all.

[eliz]

At this time of year, a garden like that in TO would be looking a little ratty, no doubt--their climate is similar to ours and we have had no rain. So I am sure some stuff was brown, wilted, etc.

Nonetheless, shocking and dismaying.

I am sure it was her wonderful neighbors.

[layanee]

Oh yeah, THAT after picture is a big improvement...NOT!

[jodi]

Let's all write to the city of Toronto--home of Marjorie Harris, the Canadian garden diva version of Martha STewart--and tell them what we think of their 'improvements.'
Once again, I'm so grateful that I live in the sticks on seven acres surrounded by trees, where I can grow what I want where I want. So far, anyway.

[Brooke]

Even if the garden gets ratty looking, that's usually when stuff has gone to seed for next year, right? That seems like a pretty important step in a natural garden, even if it looks a little rough.

[Ed Bruske]

she never got any notice that the city had a problem with her garden, before they came and cut it down?

[natural horticulture oil]

Thats awful. It bothers me that someone had to of thought it was a good decision.