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Church Hill’s outlaw gardeners
04/15/2014 8:21 AM by John M
Mark Holmberg pulls back the curtains on Church Hill’s outlaw gardeners…
I love this. Thanks y’all.
Awesome! Might do this outside my house!
I planted 5 outlaw trees on my block 6 or 7 years ago. The neighbors added 2 more. They’ve really grown in nicely and it completely softens the streetscape.
When gardening is illegal, only criminals will garden.
Check out some of the alleys in Church Hill….they are up and coming too!
I have neighbors that take care of our entire block. They were out all weekend weeding the side walks, mulching beds, filling in holes, etc. They’re amazing! If Outlaw Gardening is wrong, who would want to be right?
Lt Dan
The original outlaw gardener Is the head of the Church Hill Crime watch. All of those monuments to police officers in Libby Park and the tree wells surrounding Libby park (especially the iris) are there because of Ms. Long. I know for a fact (though it’s supposed to be secret) that she spends her personal money for plants/flowers and she makes sure that shasta daisies are always growing around Mongo’s rock, “cause they were his favorite flower”
Ah, it’s the essence of city living: just up and do what you need to do–to make the environment healthier and more beautiful for everyone. Thankfully, this is happening all over Church Hill, the East End and RVA. Spring forth, fellow guerrilla gardeners!
I see nothing wrong with this either “as long as” they keep it maintained! Adds some color and variety to the drab sidewalks. Adding any plastic gadgets though would be a bit much and tacky.
Eric
Maybe you should avoid the Fairy Garden since it is a profusion of plastic paraphernaulia produced by particular participants in the placing of unusual plastic stuff.
Love to walk around this ‘hood and see what everyone has pulled out season after season! But I think that we should recognize Mother Nature as an outlaw gardener too as the segment showcased some of the wild violets that pop up!
Yea the Fairy Garden is kinda tacky. I’d actually be kinda pissed if my neightbors had this near my house. I’m surprised the CHA hasn’t stepped in and told them to get rid of it, because its destroying the view of the city, and river.
I often walk my 4-year old nephew by the fairy garden. He sequels with delight when he sees it.
Darin: The fairy garden is ‘tacky’?? What??!! Are you freaking kidding me??? Move. Move now. To Short Pump or Midlothian. Don’t let the fairy door hit you in the arse on your way down the hill. Bye bye now.
Lucky Canine:
I’m guessing you live in Church Hill and due to certain “codes” you can’t even change the tint of your house color without approval and submitting 12 copies to a panel. I’m sure it would not be “approved”. There is a chance you do not know this if you’re a renter, which is fine.
So yes, the Fairy garden is TACKY. No I’m not freaking kidding you, it looks junky. Let’s get the CHA’s opinion and see if they agree with letting everyone build a Fairy Garden. If you let one person do it, you have to let everyone!
If everyone put a Fairy Garden on their curb, Church Hill would look like junk. If it looks so great, why don’t we encourage everyone along BROAD STREET to build a Fairy Garden? If that would happen, the “Hill” would be a “Fairy land”. That would add so much to the historic charm wouldn’t it? If that happens, I probably would move because I think my house value dive significantly, existing in the middle of the “Fairy Land”. I didn’t move to Church Hill to reside in a little Fairy Land.
I would actually be annoyed by one of my neighbors building a shrine like that infront of their house. Sorry, but it does look trashy.
You know what should be outlawed? The way the city trims the trees around here….
Darin
I thought you were kidding but since you are not, let me explain.
The Fairy Garden was “installed” by me as a tribute to a woman who was dying a painful death from ovarian cancer. I wanted to direct positive thoughts for her. She never saw the Fairy Garden because she was never able to leave the hospital before she died. She did know about it and it brought a smile to her face.
I was prepared to dismantle the Fairy Garden after about a month, but something happened. Children started leaving little “tacky” things in it. Some adults left notes. Many people would just come and sit in thought. Many people walk by and laugh out loud!
The Fairy Village has taken on a life of it’s own and it is not mean spirited or in any way degrading to anyone. It has helped a little boy with Autism speak for the first time . It delights the children who come to see it and rearrange the angels, fairies and animals to their liking.
I think your assertion that your “house value dive significantly. existing in the middle of the fairy land” is not a valid argument for your negative thoughts about the Fairy Village. House values seem to be a popular argument for those who oppose!!
(grabs popcorn)
Wow Darin…lighten up a bit. One of the many things that attract most residents to Church Hill is the eclectic charm of the area. People who live here love it. Things like the Fairy Garden just can’t be found in most communities–there’s nothing tacky about it. Have you visited in person? It’s really well executed and appreciated by everyone I know. Maybe all of the residents of Broad Street would decorate their tree wells….it would be amazing to see!
I suspect if you knew the back story associated with the Fairy Garden, you would be far less critical.
If you walk your dog around the fairy village, please be sure you clean up after them. Most of you do I’m sure, but some don’t and there are a lot of little kids who visit that don’t need to be playing in your dogs excrement. Another neighbor contacted the city to see if they could put a sign up, but I’m not sure whatever happen.
I live pretty close to the fairy garden and it is AWESOME. So many cute kids with their parents walk by. It’s such a neat thing. Love it!
I’m pretty sure Fairy Gardens all down broad street would not be a good thing for property values.
Also, we all have unfortunate events, which I am sympathetic for, but it does not entitle us to do things we would not normally do.
Can I change my house color to neon green because it was my grandfathers favorite color? No it would get denied.
Would it change our perspective if the Muck man was tagging because an unfortunate event that happened in his life? No, tagging is still against the rules.
Before my nephew pointed it out, I walked past the fairy garden plenty of times without taking notice (usually too busy studying at the historic houses or people watching).
Oh, Darin. I do own my home in Church Hill and I’ve lived in it for almost 9 years. I am totally fine with historic codes – I hail from Charleston, SC and I am very familiar with historic code and understand how important the code is to successful revitalization.
I am sad for you – comparing the fairy garden to neon green paint and the muck man’s ‘art’. It must be awful to be a person who looks at the fairy garden and only sees ‘tacky’.
Darin
It would be “normal” for me to build a Fairy Garden because the shape of the tree roots was inspirational to me. I am gratefull every day I am still here and can see, hear, think, smell and create.
I don’t feel that i am “entitled” to do this. I do feel gratefull and honoured that I have the ability to do it and that it is appreciated.
What are you gratefull for in your life, (besides increasing your property value)?
The tulips in the tree wells and the Fairy Garden shown in the report are nice and well cared-for. The weeds growing around the northwest corner of 28th and Franklin – not so much.
I am definitely Team Fairy Garden. I think it’s adorable and not at all tacky.
Agreed – Darin – you’re reaching here. Get a grip.
I’m a big fan of the fairy garden. Clearly there is a lot of time, effort and love that is put into it. It has been used in scavenger hunts and I personally know parents that have brought their kids up from the Fan just to see how it changes each season. It might be weird, but weird is good. Next time I dare you to look at it with an open mind and a different perspective/lense…you might even laugh and enjoy it!
Thank you to everyone who showed up for the Easter Egg Hunt! You made my day!!!!