Re: Assistance dealing withlocalcodesadversely impactinggardening

**"Peter Loewer" t*@earthlink.net**

If you will go to the library and take out my book, "Gardens by Design," you
will find an entire chapter dealing with gardening for the disabled. Feel
free to copy what you need as the book is out-of-print and I own the rights.
Peter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Phelan" <acphelan@earthlink.net>
To: "Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum"
<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>; <gardenwriter@mindspring.com>
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [GWL] Assistance dealing with localcodesadversely
impactinggardening


> Most books on gardening with disability suggest growing plants in
> containers as one way to continue gardening. Perhaps you could make
> some photocopies of some relevant pages. Google turned up a number
> of Web sites with information on gardening in containers for senior
> citizens and people with disabilities. For example:
> http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG6757.html
> http://www.mdausa.org/publications/Quest/q31garden.html
> http://www.hort.vt.edu/human/pub426020d.html
> http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets2/landsnurs/
> aug93pr5.html
>
> Perhaps a horticulture therapist or occupational therapist would
> write a letter for you.  The bureaucrat might not know anything
> about gardening, but he or she should understand the concept of
> making a home and yard adaptable for a person with disabilities.
>
> Anne (who is usually quiet on the list)
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Claude Sweet" <hortventures@cox.net>
> To: <gardenwriter@mindspring.com>; "Garden Writers -- GWL -- The
> Garden Writers Forum" <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 1:11 PM
> Subject: Re: [GWL] Assistance dealing with local codesadversely
> impactinggardening
>
>
> > I believe the major thrust of the problem is that this bureaucrat
> does
> > not understand gardening and the concept of growing plants in
> containers
> > is foreign to her.  I believe there are no references in the san
> Diego
> > City land development Code that prohibits the concept of growing
> plants
> > in containers for the purpose of a landscape display.
> >
> > As in any gardening undertaking, the efforts of one individual
> may have
> > some who find the affect pleasing and others who disagree to
> various
> > levels. The right to garden seems to be a universally accepted
> principle
> > that should apply equally to property owners and renters without
> > disenfranchising or favoring either group.
> >
> > The assertion that growing plants in containers is a form of
> storage
> > seem to me to be farfetched and absurd even for a bureaucrat
> > representing the interests of "Neighborhood Municipal Code
> Compliance.
> >
> > My wife and I are the original owners of the home next to my
> mother's
> > rental house. Over 30 years ago I removed all of the front and
> rear lawn
> > areas and concentrated the remaining space for trees, vines,
> flowers,
> > and vegetables. Keeping in mind that this is a small 60 foot wide
> by 90
> > foot deep residential lot that was developed using the cut and
> fill
> > method of building common in Southern California.
> >
> > The lack of top soil caused me to bring in over 500 yards of
> landscape
> > soil mix which was used to establish raised beds and produce an
> idea
> > growing medium 2.5 to 5 feet deep. I planted various tropical,
> > subtropical, and temperate fruiting trees, vines, and shrubs.  I
> grow
> > banana, mango, cherimoya, macadamia, white sapote, black sapote,
> feijoa,
> > guava, avocado, carambola, coffee, fig, nectarines, apple, and
> some citrus.
> >
> > Over the years some were not adapted to our climate and struggled
> to
> > grow or thrived to the extent they had to be removed.  Much of my
> > experience in personally growing these plants was incorporated
> into the
> > Ortho book "All About Citrus and Subtropical Fruits" which I
> coauthored.
> >
> > I also lectured about the production and marketing of specialty
> crops
> > for the University of California Extension at Riverside and
> taught the
> > same courses at MiraCosta College in Oceanside before I retired
> to take
> > care of my aging parents about 12 years ago.
> >
> > I have been collecting and growing various warm climate bulbs,
> that are
> > evergreen, or deciduous in the summer of winter - clivia, oxalis,
> > crinum, etc., which are grown as under story plants in the
> filtered
> > light of the fruit trees.  I also grow an assortment of orchids,
> > gesneriads, and begonias so I can take flowering pots for my
> mother to
> > enjoy in her room.
> >
> > Over the past months there have been discussions as to the
> participation
> > of people in gardening and an attempt to classify people.  It is
> obvious
> > to me from the observation of the services performed by the local
> > businesses that perform lawn and garden care for a fee, they mow,
> prune
> > with hedge shears, and clean up with blowers. The general lack of
> > horticultural skill of the employees represents the willingness
> of the
> > public to spend the money (or their own time and energy) to
> become
> > involved in horticulture/gardening.
> >
> > It has been my experience that growing old should not mean that a
> person
> > stops growing plants from seed because it takes 7 years for them
> to
> > flower from seed. It is the delight and wonder that each day
> brings in
> > observing what changes have occurred in the garden that keeps a
> person
> > alive and vibrant upon retirement, even when they may be
> experiencing
> > health problems.
> >
> > I'll attempt to post additional information as this situation
> develops.
> > The suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated. This was
> not a
> > fight I need to undertake as I must close up my mother's house
> and
> > convert personal property into cash to help pay for her care.
> But
> > having no other choice, I must rise to the challenge.
> >
> > Claude Sweet
> > San Diego, CA
> >
> > Carol Wallace, Ph.D. wrote:
> >
> > >I've never thought of container gardening as storage.
> > >
> > >But the city could potentially turn to those weed laws (if you
> have any) to
> > >make sure your mother has to get rid of her containers. I know
> of at least
> > >one case where the city came in and bulldozed a woman's backyard
> (that's
> > >right - the BACK yard) because she refused to comply. She won
> her fight
> > >before they did the same to the front.
> > >
> > >Thomas Olenio is right - I'd go to the media. They will
> undoubtedly grasp
> > >the absurdity of a city trying to tell a woman that she can't
> landscape
> > >unless she gets down and digs in the soil - especially at the
> age of  85
> > >and with Parkinsons. Some of us here would also be glad to write
> about this
> > >and perhaps get some feedback and input for you.
> > >Carol Wallace
> > >
> > >Virtually Gardening
> > >http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/virtually_gardening
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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> >
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>
>
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