Is it a jungle out there?
Neighbours take flowers vs. weeds fight to council ‘Natural’ yard called ‘a horrible, horrible thing’
One man’s natural garden is a neighbour’s jungle of weeds. The residents of Minnacote Ave. brought their quarrel over Sidney Ledson’s garden to Scarborough community council yesterday, and neither side minced words. Next door neighbour Dulcie Barlow led off, complaining that Ledson’s “natural garden” is nothing but a mass of weeds that aggravate her breathing problems.
“ This garden has deprived me of my summer,” she said. “ I cannot any longer sit outside and enjoy my patio. There’s nothing but weeds and goldenrod, and it is disgusting.”
Disputes such as this are not uncommon for Toronto’s four community councils. Set up in 1997, they are committees of council that can make recommendations to council after hearing the concerns and complaints of residents. And yesterday the residents of Minnacote Ave. spoke loud and clear.
Brigitte Hosmer, who has lived on the street for than 40 years, described Ledson’s yard as “ a horrible, horrible thing.”
“ The neighbours can’t get together at Dulcie’s house because of the goldenrod and the thorns and the thistles that are coming over onto her side,” she said. “ It’s disgusting. It’s totally disgusting.” She said that Ledson, who has lived in the house for five years, is just trying to save money.
“ He had a lawn care company come in. We could hear him outside bickering because he didn’t want to pay the money to get it cut,” she said. Ledson said his garden is a response to the environmentally irresponsible habits of his neighbours.
“ I tried to introduce a more natural environment at my home, a decision prompted partly by the noise created by neighbours’ gas- powered lawnmowers,” he told the community council.
“ There are nine of these machines thundering close enough to my house to provide a frequent disturbance of peace and quiet.
“ One of my neighbours waters the lawn twice a day, an unconscionable strain on the city supply.
“ The proliferation of noise, the fumes, the reliance on pesticides and the thoughtless drain of city water have contributed to my desire to create a natural garden.” Ledson insisted he has weeded out thistles ( the neighbours disagree), and has tried to sow wildflower seeds to beautify the property. Unfortunately, they take time to establish themselves, Ledson said, but he hopes to have cornflowers and black-eyed Susans blooming next year. He fenced with Councillor Gay Cowbourne ( Ward 44, Scarborough East) over what constitutes a weed.
“ You use the word ‘ weeds’ very loosely,” he told Cowbourne. “Weeds are wild plants. Let’s keep it straight.” And he defended dandelions: “ A very pretty flower. Some people enjoy them.”
City inspector Arthur Beauregard sided with the neighbours. He reported that he could find little evidence that the property was being managed, as required by city bylaws. The property, he said was rife with noxious weeds including dog strangling vine, pigweed, deadly nightshade and common burdock.
( Ledson said he has removed the dog strangling vine and deadly nightshade.) Community councillors voted to reject Ledson’s claim that his property is a natural garden.
If city council agrees, the city can order him to clear the weeds, and may send in its own crew to carry out the job if he refuses.