I live in the Normandeau area in an end-unit townhouse. It has a lot of front yard space and on it I maintain a beautiful garden for everybody’s pleasure.
My tulips bloomed and one afternoon, I found them plucked out, some uprooted and flower petals scattered on the road!
Of course, it broke my heart because it’s difficult to have tulips survive the harsh Alberta winter and then one has to wait until they display their beauty in the spring.
What bothers me is the social issue.
I know the neighbourhood kids did it for the fun of destruction. These children are school-going, ages seven to 11, and it is in this tender age that they need to be taught how to respect other people’s property. Also, they need to be taught about appreciating nature’s beauty as expressed in several ways — including gardens.
Maybe gardening needs to be introduced as a physical activity in schools in addition to sports.
This will also give children knowledge about plants: their need for water, sun and soil, as well as the general appreciation of gardens, be it at home, neighbourhood or in parks.
I would encourage the Community in Bloom initiative to focus strongly on school children’s participation both at school and home. This would be a nice way to wind up each school year in June with flowers.
Marilou Montemayor
Red Deer