The terrace strip is the the space between the sidewalk and the street. For years I've planted this area with a wide variety of flowers, starting with crocus in the spring and ending with bright pink sedum and brown eyed Susans in the fall.
School children, teachers and walkers stopped by to thank me for flowers. Little girls would tell me that some day they would have gardens like mine. I picked bouquets for them. Butterflies and hummingbirds feasted throughout my yard but the monarda at the front of the house drew them more than any other area.
No more.
The City of Seymour has ordered that all of this be removed by Tuesday or I will face fines. Grass is considered more attractive than flowers.
I knew this was coming because I sat on the city council when the ordinance was drawn up. There were a few silly moments as when our city's weed control "expert" said that milkweed was a noxious weed, when in fact it is protected by the State of Wisconsin as necessary for the well being of monarch butterflies.
It was inevitable that someone would complain about my flowers and they would have to go.
So I have put the word out that anyone bringing a shovel and bags can dig up whatever plants they want. Susan came this afternoon and went away with a dozen bags but hardly made a dent in the flower display. Gary's sister will be here looking for hostas. I'll announce it in church but then on Monday Gary will mow down the remaining plants.
Nothing can be done about it until people realize that lawns feed no one, not even the birds and insects. The herbicides, fertilizers and insecticides used on them harm our water.
But until then, the terrace strip will be bare of flowers.
No comments:
Post a Comment