I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently working on a story about the theft of specimen plants from private gardens. Like any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched from street-side plantings. But recently I've been hearing stories (all at second-hand) about really valuable plants -- mature Japanese threadleaf maples, cycads, etc. -- taken from private gardens. Someone comes home from a trip and finds a crrater where their specimen used to be. Has this happened to any members of this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to whom this has happened? I'd like to interview victims and discuss with them ways that such prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming there must be a black market in such stolen plants.

Thank you ---- Tom

CTTom wrote:
I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently
working on a story about the theft of specimen plants from private
gardens. Like any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched
from street-side plantings. But recently I've been hearing stories
(all at second-hand) about really valuable plants -- mature
Japanese threadleaf maples, cycads, etc. -- taken from private
gardens. Someone comes home from a trip and finds a crrater where
their specimen used to be. Has this happened to any members of
this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to whom this has happened?
I'd like to interview victims and discuss with them ways that such
prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming there must be a black
market in such stolen plants.

Thank you ---- Tom

New member of what?

Something smells fishy.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

CTTom wrote:
I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently working
on
a story about the theft of specimen plants from private gardens.
Like
any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched from street-side
plantings. But recently I've been hearing stories (all at
second-hand)
about really valuable plants -- mature Japanese threadleaf maples,
cycads, etc. -- taken from private gardens. Someone comes home from
a
trip and finds a crrater where their specimen used to be. Has this
happened to any members of this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to
whom this has happened? I'd like to interview victims and discuss
with
them ways that such prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming
there
must be a black market in such stolen plants.

There is a bit in an article in Gardens West June 2004 (a Canadian
gardening magazine) about a woman who lost all her alley side plantings
to a neighbor a few blocks away. She followed the tracks down the alley
and found all her plants had been sold in a yard sale. She only plants
in the front now.

Happily, I haven't had any experiences to share with you, but I'd
suggest you do a search for 'crime prevention through environmental
design' (cpted) literature. I did some work in this area way back.
Should have stuck with it. Crime prevention is a growth industry.
Dora

In article says...
There is a bit in an article in Gardens West June 2004 (a Canadian
gardening magazine) about a woman who lost all her alley side plantings
to a neighbor a few blocks away. She followed the tracks down the alley
and found all her plants had been sold in a yard sale. She only plants
in the front now.

I installed planters in my alley where the garbage cans reside. These
are hand made wood lined milk crate containers which I put on shelves.
At first the garbage men thought they were garbage and I luckily caught
them trying to toss them even though they were full of dirt. I then
bolted the crates to the shelves which were bolted to the wall. A few
days later I caught some guy digging out pineapple sage plants I had
planted there. What he was going to do with these I have no idea since
they aren't really worth much but the guy was pretty much an idiot. I
then had to write a sign asking people not to take the plants and so far
that has worked. Later in the summer the sign gets covered up by morning
glory vines and the plants are so well established no one touches them.

One of my neighbors down the street planted a bunch of evergreen bushes
in these fancy concrete containers placed in front of her house next to
the sidewalk. Within the first week someone stole two of them. She then
had to place a bike lock cable looped around the trunk to keep people
from stealing the rest of them.

Mark Anderson wrote:
In article says...
There is a bit in an article in Gardens West June 2004 (a Canadian
gardening magazine) about a woman who lost all her alley side
plantings
to a neighbor a few blocks away. She followed the tracks down the
alley
and found all her plants had been sold in a yard sale. She only
plants
in the front now.

I installed planters in my alley where the garbage cans reside.
These
are hand made wood lined milk crate containers which I put on
shelves.
At first the garbage men thought they were garbage and I luckily
caught
them trying to toss them even though they were full of dirt. I then
bolted the crates to the shelves which were bolted to the wall. A
few
days later I caught some guy digging out pineapple sage plants I had
planted there. What he was going to do with these I have no idea
since
they aren't really worth much but the guy was pretty much an idiot.
I
then had to write a sign asking people not to take the plants and so
far
that has worked. Later in the summer the sign gets covered up by
morning
glory vines and the plants are so well established no one touches
them.

One of my neighbors down the street planted a bunch of evergreen
bushes
in these fancy concrete containers placed in front of her house next
to
the sidewalk. Within the first week someone stole two of them. She
then
had to place a bike lock cable looped around the trunk to keep people

from stealing the rest of them.

This reminds me of some advice I once heard on one of those gardening
tv shows for curbside planters. They placed a steel bar vertically
through a hole in the bottom of the planter, and buried it into the
soil underneath. I seem to recall there were steel bars or cross bars
on either end as well.
Dora

Two episodes occurred in the Atlanta area recently -

Some crepe myrtles were planted on the inside park area of some upscale
condos - Dug up that night and stolen away.

Also there is a small triangular 'park' area where two streets divide
that is maintained by our garden club. A number of shrubs were dug up
during the night stolen taken away.

It has become more common for patio furniture to be stolen but this
business with people digging up PLANTS and taking them is a whole new level.

Cut rate landscaping businesses? The fact that the plant burglars are
now going into private gardens is chilling. Keep us posted.


CTTom wrote:
I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently working on
a story about the theft of specimen plants from private gardens. Like
any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched from street-side
plantings. But recently I've been hearing stories (all at second-hand)
about really valuable plants -- mature Japanese threadleaf maples,
cycads, etc. -- taken from private gardens. Someone comes home from a
trip and finds a crrater where their specimen used to be. Has this
happened to any members of this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to
whom this has happened? I'd like to interview victims and discuss with
them ways that such prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming there
must be a black market in such stolen plants.

Thank you ---- Tom

"bungadora" expounded:

This reminds me of some advice I once heard on one of those gardening
tv shows for curbside planters. They placed a steel bar vertically
through a hole in the bottom of the planter, and buried it into the
soil underneath. I seem to recall there were steel bars or cross bars
on either end as well.

Yes, there was an article in the Boston Globe a few years back about
plant theft and advice on how to secure pots, and even large plants
themselves, with bars and chains. Sad.

--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On 5/20/05 11:24 AM, in article , "CTTom"
wrote:

I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently working on
a story about the theft of specimen plants from private gardens. Like
any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched from street-side
plantings. But recently I've been hearing stories (all at second-hand)
about really valuable plants -- mature Japanese threadleaf maples,
cycads, etc. -- taken from private gardens. Someone comes home from a
trip and finds a crrater where their specimen used to be. Has this
happened to any members of this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to
whom this has happened? I'd like to interview victims and discuss with
them ways that such prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming there
must be a black market in such stolen plants.

Thank you ---- Tom



A few years back there was a case of all the hydrangea blooms being cut off
at an elderly woman's garden on the Cape. Check the Cape Cod Times.

I have heard of people stealing daylilies, especially unregistered seedlings
from gardens, right after tours have come through.

Cheryl

Travis, you think everything posted here is "fishy" What the hell is
that supposed to mean. I think the original poster has a valid
subject. You also said that the person who just wanted to know about
some seedlings in thier yard was "fishy" I dont find either of those
things to be out of the ordinary in any way at all. I think the fact
that people are stealing specimen plantings is pretty interesting and I
think people should post thier experiences with it.

Toad

Travis is on to something here.

If you are such a newbie, what makes you qualified to write a garden column.

There are long time members her who are far more qualified for the job than
a hack reporter like you ever will be.

Exactly who did you blow to get the job, Miss Lewinsky?

Go and deep throat yourself!!!


"Travis" wrote in message
news:_stje.60$Px1.8@trnddc07...
CTTom wrote:
I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently
working on a story about the theft of specimen plants from private
gardens. Like any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched
from street-side plantings. But recently I've been hearing stories
(all at second-hand) about really valuable plants -- mature
Japanese threadleaf maples, cycads, etc. -- taken from private
gardens. Someone comes home from a trip and finds a crrater where
their specimen used to be. Has this happened to any members of
this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to whom this has happened? I'd like
to interview victims and discuss with them ways that such
prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming there must be a black
market in such stolen plants. Thank you ---- Tom

New member of what?

Something smells fishy.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

Sometimes it's done in broad daylight as well. Newspaper delivery
people have been known to steal things. They walk up to the house,
lift the plant (or whatever) and throw a newspaper to the door.

And if someone is doing crack in the neighborhood... or in a nearby
neighborhood... you'll end up missing power tools, hand tools, shovels
or anything that can be sold to a pawnshop. Pawnshops like the stuff
without serial numbers. The people doing crack just need to get $5
to $20 for their fix. Hand and power tools tend to satisfy those needs.
Not many folks record the serial numbers on their small power tools.

And if it ain't either one of those types that's doing it then it's about
90% likely to be friends or family or someone that you know. And
if you've got friends or family that do crack... you can lose everything
quick.

--
Jim Carlock
Please post replies to newsgroup.

Cereus-validus..... wrote:
Travis is on to something here.

If you are such a newbie, what makes you qualified to write a
garden column.

There are long time members her who are far more qualified for the
job than a hack reporter like you ever will be.

Exactly who did you blow to get the job, Miss Lewinsky?

Go and deep throat yourself!!!

We seem to have the minority opinion here CV but I think we are right.

The OP has been silent thus far.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5


"Travis" wrote in message
news:_stje.60$Px1.8@trnddc07...
CTTom wrote:
I'm a new member and I write a garden column. I'm currently
working on a story about the theft of specimen plants from private
gardens. Like any gardener, I've had flowers and shrubs snatched
from street-side plantings. But recently I've been hearing
stories (all at second-hand) about really valuable plants --
mature
Japanese threadleaf maples, cycads, etc. -- taken from private
gardens. Someone comes home from a trip and finds a crrater where
their specimen used to be. Has this happened to any members of
this newsgroup, or do you know anyone to whom this has happened?
I'd like to interview victims and discuss with them ways that such
prized plants can be protected. I'm assuming there must be a
black market in such stolen plants. Thank you ---- Tom

New member of what?

Something smells fishy.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

That's why you are the biggest Dick in this group.

You know just whom's ass to kiss.

Damn that spell checker.


"Dick Shenary" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 May 2005 17:23:45 GMT, "Cereus-validus....."
wrote:


There are long time members her who are far more qualified for the job
than
a hack reporter like you ever will be.

Maybe she got the job because she could spell "here" and knew when to
use "whom".

I did have someone swipe my beloved extra wide rake from my front yard - it
was only plastic, and probably cost $15, but it's hard to find the right one
to replace it. I've also set out plants in pots while deciding where I want
to place them and have them disappear overnite. However, so far no one has
dug any plant of mine out of the ground.