Stolen

I got home from work today and took my camera out in the garden to take some photos of what was new. To my horror someone had stolen my pink tiger lilies! I asked the neighbors if they had seen anyone and yes, they saw a guy in a pickup truck who had brought a spade and flower pots. He just dug them up in broad daylight. They assumed I knew him. I'm just heartbroken.

I live right on the main road into town too, I can't believe someone would have the nerve to do this!

I called the police. I don't suppose there's much they can do.

I don't have much, and it just mortifies me that someone would do this!

Shame on your neighbors! If I saw someone at a neighbor's house to take anything when no one was at home I'd ask them what they were up to and call the police.

My father was a custom builder. He had thieves show up with a moving van one evening at a house he was building, load up every appliance in the house in the van and take off. The neighbors just watched.

knip,
I am so very very sorry this happended to you!! I can only imagine how heart-broken, frustrated and angry you must be right now. Not to mention violated!
In this day and age, I am sorry to say I am not that shocked to hear that someone would do that- or that no one cared enough to question him. What happended to the days of when neighbors [some were even downright nosey] looked out for each other?

I hate to say it but I hope the guy gets absolutely NO pleasure from your plants!!

PLEASE keep us updated if you pursue this.

kniphofia~

My heart goes out to you.

Some people are just trash. Just trash!

They do that around here too when they're not stealing flowers form the cemetary to sell at the trade lot.

Robert.

Kniphofia, I'm so sorry. I empathize. Last summer someone dug up and took my canna tropicanna. It's absolutely baffling and terrifiying at the same time! And I can't believe the neighbors didn't do anything!

I know your pain. A few years ago, my DH and I were out and about running errands. When we pulled up in our driveway with a bunch of groceries, there was a car here and a family of 4 (Mom, son, daughter, and grandma) returning from a walk around our garden. Each had a beautiful cut bouquet from all my garden plants. Some of the plants they took the opportunity to cut from my garden were just plain old daisies and the like, but they had also cut some specialty bulbs and other plants--one of which I had waited almost five years on for a bloom!

I should have had them arrested, but I was SO SHOCKED, I reprimanded them, took away the flowers and sent them on their way telling them to never return.

What most surprized me was that even the grandma was in on it. What has happened to our nation? We fly the flag and declare our morality and principles and then we throw our trash out the car window and steal other people's property in broad daylight.

Thanks for letting me up on my soapbox this morning.

Sorry, Kniphofia....

Kniphofia, I do not have pink tiger lilies to share with you, but I do have Canna 'Pink Sunburst' that I could send to you this fall when I dig them up. Not the same but the closest I can come to your loss. Very sorry to hear of your loss!

Tussee

I am really shocked, also. It makes me want to go talk to my neighbors and let them know that there should never be anyone digging in my garden but me!!!! And although there are "bad" people around, I truly believe there are 20 good ones to make up for them. (Seem to be a lot on DG) :)

The nerve!

You must just be disgusted. I've heard of people taking potted plants off porches, but seems even worse that they premeditated it, and brought a shovel!

He probably drove by your place many times, and maybe even still does! You might want to take a drive around the neighborhood...he could live as close as a street, or two, away. You might even see your lily!

I've had neighbors "tell" on people taking blooms, but at least they only took blooms, and not the whole plant.

I'm certainly empathetic, and sorry you experienced this. (((hugs))).

Kniphofia and irmaly, your stories just shock me!! That would have ticked me off so bad that I wouldn't be able to let it go. I can't beleive that people would do that. I would totally be going around the neighborhood looking for my flowers. Even if it took me all day!

In my neighborhood even the kids know to not touch my flowers. The neighbors even make fun of me a bit because I am so protective of my blooms. Once my little 3 year old son and his friends picked some of my tulips and I had a cow! LOL. I am sure that I have a little OCD when it comes to my flower gardens, but hey, when you work so hard.

I am so sorry!! Maybe you should put a sign up that says LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH(TAKE) Who knows it may work.

Lissy

The is just crappy :(

I would be very sad too!

kniphofia ~ I am so sorry someone did that. I can't believe they did it in broad daylight! Maine is known for being a safe place and great for raising kids, but someone like that spoils the image and burst my "feel safe" bubble. I hope they catch the bas... BRAT, and if they don't..I hope the plants die on him!!!

Wow! I can't believe people do that. I mean, steal plants and flowers. I know that some are can be very pricey and invaluable when you grow them yourself... I can relate to that.

I can't say that I have ever heard of people stealing plants. That's just digging the bottom of the barrel.

I don't have any tiger lilies, wish I did though... but I wouldn't steal them to get some. I have other varieties of lilies... they are wonderful.

Take Care,
Donna

!!!!!!!
It doesn't matter what the perceived value or the actual value of your pink tiger lilies . They were YOURS. I agree, that was more than bold or brazen, it was an act of a selfish, and more importantly a stupid person. If it's a small town, I bet you could drive around and spot them in the abductors yard.

When I think of the times my neighbors have approached me, sheepishly, and appoligized for noticing something, but feeling that telling me was the right thing (teenager daughter flickering porch lights and teenage boy approaching the porch or there was a dog digging in your garden, we chased him off). I always express that I appreciate them for noticing, thank them profusely and deliver cookies or cupcakes for their thoughtfulness (hey, we all need help in looking out for each other). I think I'm going to go to the bakery for a cake, right now. A "thank you," just because.

This story is an outrage! It reminds me of the thieves around here who cut the trees in the parks for Christmas trees! It happens regularly. We all worry about being considered "busy bodies" but I think we should drop it. Being a busy body could be very helpful when it comes to protecting our neighborhoods.
Our local police gave a suggestion to the whole town. Whenever a car drives through your neighborhood and you are out in the yard, look up and make a point of looking at the car. Even that is enough to stop a lot of crime -- and may help later if something happens.
Probably time to suggest to the neighbors that they are welcome to pretend to be your relatives if they feel like talking to the next interlopers.

Oh, kniph, I am so sorry that happened. It just makes me sick! I don't know what to say. I am speechless! t.

K, I just read this thread and am speechless also. And the family with the grandmother.....I want to believe these people are of the minority and most of us are good people.

This is shocking. It really is. I'm really sorry this happened. It never occurred to me that people would steal flowers, and so brazenly, too.

I keep reading this post and get really upset about the boldness of this thief, and really sad for your loss. I wish I had something clever comforting to say to you.

Unbelievablle and from the replies a few more people have experienced it too. Very sad. We get so much pleasure from our plants - pity others can't just admire them too.

This thread prompted me to have a discussion with the neighbors. We all pledged to be watchful of each other's property. Even in a small town like ours, we are not immune, and unfortunately bad eggs live everywhere.

I don't have tiger lilies to share but I can offer a bulb of pink perfection and one or two Grand Cru to help fill in the hole in your planting.

Beth

How horrible. I live in the country and have neighbors, but none can see my house from theirs. I hope that I never have to deal with plant poachers, they would surely come out the looser in that confrontation.

That's terrible, I know how you feel though I had someone take two pots from my apartment balcony last year on Mother's day of all days. I can only assume that they gave them to their mother on that special day (but since it's a college town I fear that they were just drunks that broke the pots and destroyed my plants.) I hope she was happy because I cried for hours. One was a hibiscus that my boyfriend's mother had given me and the other was a spider lily and petunia pot from my father, which wasn't even very pretty at the moment but especially beautiful and valuable to me for it's sentimental value. I'm so sorry for your loss but hopefully your neighbors know better now. I agree with the person who suggested to go looking for them or the van. It would be very gratifying to catch the thief, and expose them and get your precious plants back. Especially if you know what their vehicle looked like go to a local swap meet or flea market in search.

I know this sounds stupid, but around here the dollar store (and surely others places) sells fake security cameras that can be placed on stakes. A local apartment complex has these to stop people from letting dogs use their lawn. It might work if there is a problem in your area. You were too nice. I would have called the police. Or maybe you could post a sign warning of poison ivy?

Thanks for your comments and support everyone. I really appreciate them.

Andidandi I did call the police and they came right over. My neighbor gave the officer a good description of the man and the vehicle. It upset me that this guy just pulled right into my driveway and came prepared. This isn't common in my neighborhood, a lot of people don't lock their houses or vehicles.

My lawn is overgrown because my mower isn't working. I can only assume that the guy thought no-one lived there!

I would be really MAD if someone did that to my garden. I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. When my Iris , Amity Estate, bloomed right by the fence, I mentally prepare myself for being cut and stolen by someone but noone did that. I thought I was lucked out.

I guess you may need to clean up your lawn so people know that it is SOMEONE's property and F@#$ off!!

beautiful!

I suppose I should buy a mower and mow my front lawn (not that there's that much grass there to mow). I lived there a month before anyone realized that the house wasn't empty anymore, and that's because they saw me out weeding my driveway. (Yes, my driveway. The house looked pretty abandoned before I bought it.)

It happens everywhere. This year one of the busybodies in our homeowners assn. decided to harvest all the dutch iris in our memorial garden. She has been into the roses, too, and managed to start up some kind of fungal blight with her filthy scissors that I have not yet been able to eradicate. Then she had the gall to complain to the board that I was being "petty" when I turned her in ...

Plant theft happens in Canada too...many years ago I had a portable greenhouse in my back yard where I grew tomato, peppers, etc. I also had a hanging shelf where I oversummered some of my orchids. One day when I went to water the plants, I saw that 3 of the orchids were gone. I was amazed as the greenhouse is not visible from the road and the orchids were no in bloom and really just looked like a pot of grass (they were Cymbidiums)...obviously someone knew I had orchids there..how I'll never know.

I used to have dwarf apples and people would drive up to my back fence, hop over the fence and steal them....young kids you might expect...not 18 year olds!

Having said that, I now have a rock wall along the roadside with many alpines spilling over the wall. So far no one has touched them...however I expect someday to find a few things missing there!

My heart goes out to you Kniphofia.

I don't know why, but people still constantly amaze me with how crass and petty they are. Then somehow you're to blame when you decide you don't like theft and criminal trespass.

When my lilacs get big and overhang my fence, I frankly figured that some of the ones in my neighbor's "air space" would disappear. The thought of someone actually coming onto my property and stealing my flowers never occurred to me.

Right now I'm pretty miffed at the mailman. Some of my tree branches were hanging over my mail box. It did occur to me to prune them, but I don't think high summer is the time. I came home from work last week, and they weren't overhanging the mailbox anymore. They had been torn off the tree and thrown onto the ground.

A simple note saying "please prune branches" left in my mailbox would have sufficed.

I don't know how well nice requests work. I've lost a rose to a less than thoughtful neighbor. She refuses to put her dog on a leash and he likes my yard more than hers. I was right out front one day last month and her dog was making naughty on my rose, and I asked her if she would please stop him. She advised me that it was okay, because it was only my grass, not on my rose. Duh. Didn't even occur to her that 1- it's obviously my yard, one that she watches me work in regularly 2- there is a leash law 3- what happened to being a good neighbor? I asked her to please take her dog to her grass, and she just looked at me as if I were nuts. Then she proceeded to leave, as she stepped right smack on my rose. I had just planted it this spring, was beautiful. Then it began to yellow as her dog systematically marked my yard, paying special attention to the rose and my dahlias (also killed all of those as well). Didn't even care.
I did get angry and point out that it would be nice if her contribution to the neighborhood beautification program was more than unwelcome and unsolicited deposits of doggy fertilizer onto her neighbors yards. Her yard is really sad, why bring the rest of ours down? How do you deal with a neighbor like this?

"Good fences make good neighbors."

I'm having a neighbor forced on me. I have pretty good privacy on three sides, but between the time I bid on the house and a week after I moved in, my vacant greenbelt turned into a row of duplexes only several feet from my back fence. It's a tall fence, but my house is built on a small hill, so there's no privacy. Everything I do is visible.

That's why I want a line of really tall lilacs over thataway.

And if I may vent about rude and stupid people....

I provide content and editing for a company intranet. This week I made a presentation at a teleconference on an article I'd written. My boss also asked me to post it to the site and send a company-wide memo announcing it.

I was pleased, nervous, but definitely had that glow of accomplishment rewarded.

That lasted about ten minutes. Then the hate mail started coming in. And it was all concentrated in one little group of people who worked together. What I'd written was nothing but "gibberish." I obviously didn't know grammar or spelling. I was a sexist and a coward. One man spent several pages going blow by blow slamming my grammar, punctuation, political philosophy, morality, and the thing is, on every single usage point he was laughably wrong, and insulting my supposed philosophy and morality is unprofessional and none of his business.

The level of immediate, targeted vitriole was astonishing to say the least. And all of this for an article on technical writing.

My boss is getting into it with their boss. They might get written up for this.

The one guy who spent an hour or two of company time slamming me had this, among other things, to say. "You ended a sentence with a preposition! Shame on you!!" Um, that's been okay since at least WWII.

I've been a professional writer and editor for over 20 years. They're phone technicians who may or may not have passed English comp.

Some people have nothing better to do.

LOL
Wow. Too funny. He spent how long on company time? I'd be all over that one. Apparently, he has far too much free time on his hands. Is he in the IT department?

So sorry to hear about the loss of your plants. When I was in high school, for mothers day my mom would always buy plants for the yard as her own gift. She spent $50 on creeping phlox (back then to was a lot for a poor family) and planted them, she was so proud. That nigh someone came by and dug them up off our ditch bank and stole them. She was so heartbroken.

To tell you how bad some are, our home burnt 3/1/03, while we were still sifting through the debris and what remained, someone looted our burnt house. Took furniture (granted we didn't want it, however it was a invasion of privacy), scattered tax files and personal items around. My husband caught them and the said the neighbor told them they could. Some different stole the frig that we had given to a friend for his garage. It was awful. Someone going through you possessions like it was nothing. I felt completely violated.

Sorry again about your plants.

Again, I don't know what to say but, Wow! At least, my experience has been, for every ill-willed person out there, there are hundreds of good folks. That's why the bad ones stick out so much. As far as my neighbor, I really don't think she's malicious, just clueless and maybe a tad self-centered.
On a brighter note, have you ever noticed that the people who have the least, give the most? I've always found that very reassuring. By and large, we have compassion for each other. :-)
It's Friday & I didn't mean to start the "weekend" off on a downer. :-)

That is awful!!! I've gone thru it once and that was enough. I think you should get the newspaper or TV to do a write up on this. Maybe it will make the person embarssed enough that they would return the plants to you.
:( Donna

Good point. Maybe people that do this have the mistaken notion that Mother Nature grows ALL plants out of the blue, instead of an individual that spent time, money and sweat equity.

A news story raising awareness about the people element in gardening (as opposed to Mother Nature performing its magic all on its own) might humanize gardening and vilify those that think it's cute or a victimless prank.

Then again, thoughtless thugs wouldn't be the kind to watch a story like this.

Good idea for the story, Vossner. I think if the thugs don't watch it will somehow get to them anyway.
:) Donna