Gayla Trail
Gayla is a writer, photographer, and former graphic designer with a background in the Fine Arts, cultural criticism, and ecology. She is the author, photographer, and designer of best-selling books on gardening, cooking, and preserving.

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13 thoughts on “Operation Garden Terrorism”

  1. Gayla,
    Nice to see you at the market yesterday, good luck at the Blogher conference. Sorry to see further troubles with your street garden. People can really be jerks.

  2. I think it may be time for a little camera to be set up to see who is doing this. Why would someone be vandalizing your place like this? It’s so grim. I hope this stops soon. It’s so discouraging when people are mean like this for no reason. All your hard work. I hope this vandalism attack passes soon.

  3. oooooooooooh camera..not a bad idea. The only problem is…once you find the culprit what do you do? Do you catch him, her or it in the act and scold them? Or do you call the cops (if they get there on time)? I too get occasional garden vandalism but what would be the most effective way to stop the person (if the person has an ounce of respect for you and your garden)? Hmmmm..any evil suggestions would be most welcome.

  4. oooooooooooh camera..not a bad idea. The only problem is…once you find the culprit what do you do? Do you catch him, her or it in the act and scold them? Or do you call the cops (if they get there on time)? I too get occasional garden vandalism but what would be the most effective way to stop the person (if the person has an ounce of respect for you and your garden)? Hmmmm..any evil suggestions would be most welcome.

  5. if this continues, then maybe next year plan to plant things that hurt to touch…such as stinging nettles, raspberries, blackberries, roses, thorny bushes etc. they tend to be harder to work with (invest in a nice long pair of leather gloves) but people will be less likely to stick their body parts in your garden. i know you’re not real crazy about planting edibles in your street garden, but the berries could be for the city street birds. my husband also suggested “planting” strips of nails pointing up. that would probably put a quick end to any stomping ideas the perpetrator may have. we normally arent this evil, but we have had similar instances where people destroy all your hard work trying to make something nice just for the fun of it. its really enraging!

  6. My suggestion would be bags of something noxious- dog poo, ink-filled balloons, something like that- so they get it all over them when they stomp.

    Alternately, you could trap a skunk in a haveaheart trap and turn it into an attack skunk. I imagine it would only have to spray once and you’d be all set. Or a porcupine.

    Seriously, though, I’d go for the nettles- or those big nasty thistles. Or cockelburs- those are nasty.

  7. maybe even just a sign that says, “Smile, you’re on camera! :)” (regardless of whether you actually install one)…might make those public urinators think twice.

  8. That really stinks about your garden, people can be so inconsiderate/unaware of where they are stepping. Jeeze.

    Well, I’m going to be at the blogher conference, I’m participating in a panel on day 2 “the art of craft.” Maybe I will see you around :)

  11. Hi,
    I guess becuase I work with police my question is, have you asked for help from them as far as more preventive services in the form of visible officers in the area? Or even make a report. WOuldn’t it qualify as destruction to private property??

  12. Lizard: Except that it is technically city-owned property and what I am doing there could also qualify as destruction depending on who’s looking. I also figure that in this area the police should have better things to do.

    I’m also not sure how I feel about policing as an option. I would prefer that people feel a sense of responsibility and accountability that isn’t just about a cop laying down the law.

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