Time for local garden thieves

[veronique4.livejournal.com]

My partner and I have created several hundred feet of garden on the bike path between Willow and the Rite-Aid parking lot (the strip is closest to Willow). We've spent a lot of time, money, and energy trying to make that stretch of chain-link fence more attractive to all who use the path. A few days ago, someone stole one of two Rue plants that I had just bought and planted. I was slightly relieved that they at least left one. Well, that was also gone this evening.

Whoever is saving money by stealing the bike path plants, please stop doing it and whoever may have seen the thief helping him/herself, please let me know what the person looks like so we can put out a neighborhood watch.

Comments

[narya.livejournal.com]

Did you report it to the police? Maybe the security cameras would actually be good for something.

[ron_newman]

To my knowledge, there aren't any security cameras on this part of the bike path. Two cameras are on the other part of the path, between Buena Vista Road and the Cambridge line.

[narya.livejournal.com]

Ah, my recollection was just wrong then.

garden thieves

[veronique4.livejournal.com]

Right, there are no security cameras up by Willow. But many people who walk on the path everyday love these gardens and are surprisingly observant about what's going on in them. I'm hoping that a little community vigilance will help prevent more thefts. This happened only once before--about five years ago--and I found all the plants in a garden on Willow, one block from the path.

Re: garden thieves

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Oh man, what did you do when you found them?

Re: garden thieves

[pearlythebunny.livejournal.com]

I love your gardens, and I have noticed them. However, I didn't realize you were behind them. I thought the City was doing it. Thanks for your efforts. I'll keep my eyes peeled. (I even googled to see what Rue plants were.)

Re: garden thieves

[veronique4.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoy them. That's what the effort is all about!

[m00n.livejournal.com]

I know this crime isn't exactly unheard of but...who the fuck steals a plant?! Also, mightn't you be able to find it in case they are bold enough to put it in their yard?

Additionally, you would think that someone walking along the path with an exhumed plant would look a LITTLE suspicious.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

That's why I only grow poisonous plants.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

especially near willow, over the past few years, there have been a number of plant thieves. go figure.

especially notorious is the little old lady and her red wagon. goes right into people's yards and takes stuff.

lojack for vegetables!

#

old lady with red wagon?

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Are you kidding? Why isn't she in jail?

Re: old lady with red wagon?

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

plant thievery is very common. why would i kid?

and i read about it right here. for reals.

who puts a kindly little old lady in jail. she was must confused and mistaken about her practices... aw, come on, don't be so hard on her. limited income! she's probably only been doing it for 45 years. ;) now i'm kidding.

#

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! I was going to suggest a U-Lock. :-)

Are you sure?

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

I mean, is it possible that some animals ate them or something? Squirrels always bite off my nice tulips and the first year I was really paranoid about my neighbors. But then I found out the truth with my motion-activated webcam... I suggest you do the same.
Plant another one of those and point a motion-activated camera at it. Then post the pictures of the thief (be it human or not).

Re: Are you sure?

[veronique4.livejournal.com]

No, this wasn't squirrels. Have been gardening in this neighborhood for years. The plants were lifted right out of the soil. Just want to know who do it.

Re: Are you sure?

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

OK, just checking... Man, I hate these things...

[heliopsis.livejournal.com]

Thank you for making the bike path more beautiful. I love the plantings along the path.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Seconded indeed!

Were these plants expensive? Maybe us community members could chip in a little to help replace the things that are stolen from along the path...

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Hi veronique, I think a friendly, concerned phone call to the Community Police liaison for Davis Square is a good idea, and maybe you've already made the call. I live on the other side of the Square (off Holland) and I've heard of plants being stolen from neighbors' gardens over the years.

Do you want a pot of mums? I got it as a Mothers' Day gift, and I have a brown thumb.. it's probably dying a slow death from neglect- though it still looks okay (I think my mom has been watering it on her visits here!), and I'd be happy to donate to your bike path garden.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind you're planting on public property. Dogs (many unleashed) roam through the grass and flowers. I've seen little kids trample flowers with no regard.

[veronique4.livejournal.com]

Dogs and children are free to frolic in the gardens. These are not "precious" gardens, they're for everyone to enjoy.

Maybe a small sign?

[shana-lyons.livejournal.com]

I've always been appreciative of the guerrilla gardening along the path. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put in. It makes a walk there more pleasant for all of us. I can't visually recall the specific area you're mentioning, but alot of the gardens on the path have a very natural look that blends well with the rest of the landscape. So, this might sound dumb, but it crossed my mind that the person/people who took the rue might not have known it wasn't growing wildly on public land. It might be worth trying to find one of the creative folks here to make some kind of small sign identifying the space as a garden for all to enjoy. My instinct is that people would be more hesitant to steal if there was something drawing their attention to the fact that this was the work of good-hearted neighbors and not just a beautiful wild area.