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Two items in Sundays papers caught my interest, and possibly yours. Metro edict choking Phantom Planters blooms in the Washington Post really warmed my heart except for the part about Metro. Part-time lawyer Henry Doctor has been planting flowering plants in the 176 otherwise abandoned little planters along the escalator leading to the Dupont Circle subway station (aka Metro). Ive ridden those multi-story escalators and very much appreciated the plants, and had no idea a volunteer gardener was to thank for them. Trouble is, he asked for permission and was told hed face arrest, fines and imprisonment if he continued to tend to the 1,000 flowers he planted there. (By the way, the story doesnt tell us why theyre abandoned. For at least 20 years they contained groundcover Junipers and looked terrific.)
The back story is that the Phantom Planter here has has been quietly performing clandestine horticulture for 34 years, with no trouble. Hes planted 40,000 flowers far and wide at embassies and memorials, even in other countries, like Cambodia, Argentina. He tells the Post, Im not denying that Im a little nuts. I say, nuts in the best possible way. Hes the son of a well-known District community activist, and I guess he sees beautification as a form of community activism, which I certainly think it is.
Until now hes stayed under the radar, but since his citation has gone public with this website, which is bringing attention and support for his cause, as have other online campaigns to protest anti-gardening laws Image may be NSFW.
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and regulations. (Think HOAs and cities that require all-grass front yards.) Doctor is respecting Metros order that he stop watering the plants (Metro cites safety concerns), but hes worried. Hes a gardener. When theres no rain, we fret.
Next, in Horticulture Heist, the New York Times Ethicist was asked to weigh in on the ethics of taking cuttings from plants in a shopping center which plants could not be found at any store, were told. So, is this stealing? The Ethicists considered opinion is that if he were to place unethical acts on an ascending continuum of 1 to 100, hed give the cuttings-thieves a 4. Maybe a 3.
One more thing. This weeks New Yorker has a cool city garden on the cover, and click here to scroll through years of gardening-related covers.
