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Post by anne on Jun 14, 2010 21:44:15 GMT
We've had a busy day today planting some new shrubs in the burnt out part of our garden, and although the area still looks very bare, two of the shrubs will eventually grow to 2m x 2m (a kind of variegated holly and a winter flowering, scented honeysuckle). We hope to be selling up soon, but our gardens are rather communal in feel in our terrace block, and these good quality shrubs will benefit our nice neighbours for years to come. Tomorrow I'll pop back to the garden centre and buy some bedding plants to put in the gaps. I was visited by the Community Police Officer at the weekend and he warned me people sometimes come back to admire their "handiwork", but I'm taking no notice of that and going ahead with replanting! No way can we dig the enormous tree stump and roots out, so I'm just covering them with nasturtiums, lol! The rather splendid Osmanthus hetro 'Tricolour'Anyway, I wanted to show you all the photos, especially suze and B who sent garden vouchers to pay for the two large shrubs; thankyou so much suze and B
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Post by anne on Jun 14, 2010 21:46:40 GMT
You can still see a large strip of ash where we haven't dug it in. If we were growing tomatoes they would be brilliant, with all that fertilization!
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Post by suze on Jun 15, 2010 4:15:02 GMT
Well done, anne ... I know it's not the same, but at least you've filled the gap..
wonder what sort of criminal it is who enjoys burning gardens? It's not a crime I'd noticed b4, wonder if we're going to keep hearing of it now you've had direct experience.
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Post by Pauline on Jun 15, 2010 5:15:18 GMT
Yes well done Anne. I must say it is a strange crime to be sure. What do they do it for? I am always interested in motive.
Robbing a bank makes sense as there is the chance of financial gain, but vandalism doesn't make sense to me.
If it was someone with a personal grudge, it would explain it, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
It is scary that there are nutters about. Hope the Police get some leads.
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Post by anne on Jun 15, 2010 20:39:00 GMT
Thankyou Perhaps it's a particularly West Country crime? We have heard of three other gardens that have been burned during the last week, most seriously one where the car was in the drive and the paintwork melted - lucky it didn't explode. The PCSO said that teenagers were suspected, around 14-16. I don't think for one minute they will be caught, but I do wish people would report minor crimes because it helps the police build up a pattern.
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sam
Junior Member
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Post by sam on Jun 29, 2010 11:29:30 GMT
God Anne, that's awful.
@ Poe - when will we ever understand motive, I wonder? Is motive even the right word when we're talking about vandalism?
Little rats.
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Post by suze on Jun 29, 2010 14:51:03 GMT
^ insult to rats, really! at least they are doing basic stuff like feeding themselves and reproducing when they make a nuisance of themselves
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Post by anne on Jun 29, 2010 19:55:05 GMT
If I catch them I shall wipe them all over with some of suze's Stop and Grow ... Thank you Sam,and suze Let's be positive though, most of the garden looks lovely. Here's our back garden - it looks just like this right now, although this particular photo is a couple of years old.
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Post by anne on Jun 29, 2010 19:56:09 GMT
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Post by Pauline on Jun 29, 2010 20:29:20 GMT
Yes always be positive. It's the best/only way. But the sad thing about not finding the perps who did this means that they will do it again. So more misery for some other poor blighter.
Actually, I believe that if the idiots who did this were caught & made to at least apologize & face you & also made to do some repairs they may learn a valuable lesson & turn their lives around.
There is a myth going round that says it is a soft option. But research has shown that facing the victim & apologizing has a dramatic effect on behaviour & attitude. Often, young kids do mindless things when bored & don't see the consequences they cause.
Anyway, crime only goes away when the perps are caught & whatever happens after.
Anyway Anne, you've had your turn at being a victim, so it's someone else's turn now I guess.
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Post by anne on Jun 29, 2010 21:37:36 GMT
Thankyou Pauline, although I will say I don't consider myself a victim It hasn't really been a misery compared to the things that do happen to people, I feel philosophical about it ... mostly because I've already moved out of this house in my head, as it were. Yes, I think what you describe is called 'restorative justice'. However, I think those victims of really nasty crimes have to be very brave to face the person who did the crime, don't you think?
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sam
Junior Member
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Post by sam on Jul 1, 2010 12:32:24 GMT
Yes and no - I guess it depends on the type of crime. Damage to property or posessions I would quite happily face the perpetrator, but emotionally-scarring crimes are always going to be painful to deal with I guess.
Your garden looks lovely now though Anne. I've only come to gardening quite recently and am amazed at how much effort it takes to maintain! I'm enjoying it, don't get me wrong, but it is time consuming when you've a 100 other things to do as well. I can see why people get into gardening after retirement though... very rewarding.
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Post by anne on Jul 1, 2010 18:10:14 GMT
thanks Sam . There is something very therapeutic about working on something that blossoms and flourishes in slow motion, as it were. What are you growing? Ornamentals, veggies ..?
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sam
Junior Member
Posts: 62
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Post by sam on Jul 4, 2010 10:33:31 GMT
Oh gosh, proper names Anne... I'm new to this let me remind you.
Okay, my best attempt: The front garden is all in garden boxes - a sort of wooden structure design. There are about 10 small boxes, each with a variety of things in from spring and summer flowering shrubs, conifers, bedding plants - marigolds, pansies, geraniums. I have an acaia but no idea what sub-type, and then one of the boxes is a large triangular raised bed and so in that I am currently growing lettuce, strawberries, courgettes, mint, oregano, dill, coriander and chives, and have some seperate planters with tomato plants in. Oh, and bang in the centre is a lovely rhododendron although its a spring-flowering one so it's looking a bit dull at the moment.
I don't even know where to start on the back garden - infact, when I've tidied it up a bit again I'll post some photos up and perhaps you can tell me what's in my garden. LOL.
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sam
Junior Member
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Post by sam on Jul 4, 2010 19:41:55 GMT
Actually, I've spent a fair few hours on the front garden this morning and have decided that it looks dull. It lacks something.
What is a good bedding plant to plant this time of year? Need a big splash of colour and have two small boxes to fill - the pansies were looking a little worse for wear so I've re-homed them and now have two boxes empty.
Also - sorry, this is going to be my gardening question forum by the time I've finished - my lilies have got holes in the leaves and the flowers on two of them look like they've been hacked at. Is this the work of common garden slugs or something more sinister? If the latter, is there anything I can spray on them, or am I just to keep a set of darts by the back door and play slugseye each evening?
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