I can’t imagine …

... how I would feel if someone came by in the middle of the night and cut down my garden. That’s what happened to a gardener in Shreveport, Louisiana, who was growing vegetables on the strip between sidewalk and road in front of his house.

And here’s more easeway news, though in Minnesota they call it the boulevard. HT Peter Hoh for drawing my attention to this cute dino/hosta landscape (detail above) in the boulevard spot. It’s a neighborhood destination.

 Who knew that such a small patch of land could generate such rage and creativity?

Comments

[gardenmentor]

In Seattle, someone walked into my friend Paul's very private back yard and stole a Japanese Maple off his patio. And his isn't the only Seattle garden having theft. More here: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/48294387.html?video=YHI&t=a

...and if someone steals the food from my parking strip (that's what we call the space between the curb and the sidewalk in Seattle), I may just curse them with a local murder of crows.

[greenjay]

I can easily imagine this, unfortunately, because I have seen similar things and worse. I am the chair of a landscape committee with our homeowner's assn. We battle vandalism and brutal personal attacks on a daily basis from adults (not children. Ironically, the kids think it is terrific, but so many adults are attached to the idea of a monotonous expanse of green lawn that they -- literally -- can't see the beauty in anything that is not lawn.

[Tatiana]

Whoa that's just crazy. I hope they catch whomever did it, as unlikely as it is.

A good camera system can be a great crime deterring investment though.

[KJ]

Seriously, don't we have bigger problems to worry about than critiquing other peoples' lawns? (The economy for one) How about these people get a hobby or other interests and leave gardeners alone?

[Kim]

How sad that almost mature fruits and vegetables were cut down. I agree with KJ - those people need to get a life and stop worrying about others' yards.

[angelchrome]

And that's why I specifically looked to buy a house without an HOA. What on earth is so wrong with people that they care what goes on in other people's yards if it isn't dangerous?

[Adriana]

Sounds like a Shreveport "official" or an uptight neighbor is behind the hack job. Gawd I would have loved to live next to him. his bounty looks amazing!

[Michelle D.]

I feel that as long as the plants are not causing a safety hazard by blocking views of pedestrians, bicyclist and other oncoming cars that the garden should be celebrated as a positive contribution to the neighborhood.
Judging from the photographs of the corn , it appears that it was a safety hazard.
There is a liability issue at hand and in situations like this there are ordinances to protect the safety of people.
The person who cut the vegetables down should have let the city officials deal directly with this issue, assuming that the city was being responsible.
If the city was not being responsible to the safety of its citizens, then I could understand a person taking steps to ensure the safety of his family / neighborhood.
Just imagine if a child was killed by a motorist who could not see the child due to the tall hedge of corn.
Whose the villain now ?

[Jac Lynn]

During a visit to my parents just out side Phila, Pa. I was delighted to see corn growing beside the neighbors house among the shrubs along the shared driveway. They also included some cucumbers. It was an attractive and genius use of vegtables in the landscape.

[judybusy]

That dino garden is so cute, I may have to cross the river and take a gander. Thanks, Peter Hoh!

I can't add any more to the other comments. Ditto.

[Tibs]

I always tell people it is worth their while to stop off at the county map office and get a print of their parcel that shows all the rights-of-ways and all the easements. To really read their deed to see if they own the mineral rights or if there are access easements for utilities or neighboring property owners.

In rural areas the county or township mows their right of way for safety reasons, sight distance. They do not have the time nor are authorized to by pass your lovely landscapped property that is in their right of way. Plant in public right of way at your own risk.

[Kathy J, Washington Gardener Magazine]

Agreed that tall may be a problem, but taking over this strip is helping the local govt IMHO saving them maintenance time and costs - they should be grateful ;-).

[Elizabeth Stump]

Sounds like there might have been some plant theft in the process. My bonsai teacher had a very nice wisteria in a large pot stolen from her front yard. Even theft of large in-ground hydrangea plants have occurred in Half Moon Bay some years ago. This is why I'm afraid of putting my sago palm in a large pot in the front yard.

[Danielle]

When I started law school years ago I put a potted plant outside the door of the apaprment I had just moved into. An hour later the plant was gone. I raised hell outside my door for about fifteen minutes or so, then went inside. When I left later that evening, the plant was back.