[POLL] Hardened Garden Criminal to be Busted?

[Dumbo]

This hardened criminal has been in the news here in Quebec for a little while with his illegal garden.

See: http://rogerdoiron.com/

Think someone else was busted earlier in the year in Ontario as well, going by memory (which isn't great) some widow growing tomatoes in her front yard.

[OGrubber]

There have been quite a few instances in various cities throughout north america in the last little while.
There are a lot of stupid by-laws restricting what can and can't go on a front lawn. Some places have height restrictions on shrubbery, some with minimum lawn areas, some actually have a list of the only plants/trees/shrubs that are "allowed".

What gets me, is that the city ordinance guys aren't driving around looking for these "criminals". Someone actually had to report a complaint.

[Eeyore]

I can see bylaws not allowing anything that blocks sightlines along a road that blocks safe passage of a motor vehicle but some of the bylaws are ridiculous. I especially dislike restrictive covenants on new developments that govern everthing from the size of the house to the colour of the siding. I wonder if this garden would have caused such a furor if had been perennials, shrubs or annuals? It's very neatly kept and well maintained, better than some "lawns".

[DonnaZn2SK]

If it's maintained and looks decent, I don't see a problem with having something different than lawn in the front yard. The key is to maintain it.

My next door neighbours finally hired a lawn service to cut their grass and clean up their yard. Unfortunately, these college kids don't know a thing about gardening and are put in a situation where they have to make decisions about what's a weed and what isn't. I noticed that they took the weedwacker to the perennial bed (you could no longer tell what was a weed and what was a good plant). What a pity...it had been so lovingly tended to by the last neighbours.

[B_BQ]

What about those 'front' gardens that are turned into a parking lot for 4 or 5 cars?
What about those 'front' gardens whose 'feature' is a motorhome?
What about those 'front' gardens and 'porches' that are filled with old washing machines, fridges, tyres, and other broken machinery?
What about those 'front' gardens whose owners never mow or trim, or do anything at all?

I'm not sure that putting a vegetable garden on the front is the best place, (think of all the thievery!), but I would certainly prefer to see this lovely well-kept veggie garden on the front than any of the above!

~BBQ

[styric]

My vegetable gardens are in the front, it's the only place where I have enough sunlight. The back yard is dappled shade. I plant flowers mixed in with the vegetables to attract bees, but I assure you I have 7 foot tomatoes in a 2 foot raised bed beside my fence. It may look odd, but it's my yard, and I weed it.

[Ron Evers]

What Brenda said.

Here is a front garden in Alliston ON.

Here is the boulevard @ the same house.

[kelly_m]

And I echo Ron's What Brenda said!

That is a beautifully landscaped front garden!


Some bylaws truly suck...how about the one that doesn't allow clotheslines!

[mebbie]

Thankfully, here in Kitchener there are many front yard gardens. As people see and enjoy them more appear. When I walk my dogs those gardens are a joy. Grass? That's just a waste of water and potential beauty. In fact, there is a programme here where the post office carriers vote for the best. The winning gardens are then on a garden tour. That really inspires people to get rid of those big, ugly stretches of grass.
Isn't that veggie garden beautiful. Who would complain about that. Maybe the neighbour who doesn't get the produce.

[Ron Evers]

Lazy people tend to be jealous of folk that put forth an effort.