Sirs:

I am writing in response to the article reporting the theft of plants from Grange Promenade.

My husband, Jeff, and I worked many hours along with other volunteers at the beginning of the restoration project. Theft was a very discouraging problem from the very start. Plants would be taken within hours of planting and usually, it was the harder to obtain plants that disappeared. We were fortunate to have Geoff Yates as our consultant and organizer at that time and he spent hours planning the gardens. Specialty plants were obtained, sometimes at considerable expense and effort on his part, so the gardens would have a pleasing aspect and wide selection of beautiful and unusual plants. Imagine our heartbreak, anger, and disgust as we saw things disappear time after time.

I was so angry as we checked the gardens one morning that I made some plant markers with 'PLANT STOLEN' written on them so others would see that we had not left gaps in the plantings but that someone had vandalized the garden. It was most disheartening.

We have moved back to the USA for a time and have been unable to continue to help Margaret Robinson and the volunteers but my sympathies are with them as I ask please, please, stop stealing plants. Thr gardens are for everyone to enjoy not a source of free plants for you.

Judith Kenyon

Sent by email

April 28, 2003 09:30