In a world where garden theft is surprisingly common, one person decided to fight back uniquely and humorously.
When their mother’s garden became a target for thieves, they created a ‘punny’ wall of shame, capturing the culprits on a dash cam and displaying their faces alongside clever plant-related puns.
But not everyone found it amusing.
The Green Thumb’s Dilemma
“My mom is really into gardening and sometimes people have come by and stole potted plants, yard statuettes, and even dug whole plant bulbs with plants out of the ground. Or cut all the roses off her bushes because they were too cheap to buy from the florist I guess.”
A Dash of Humor: The Ingenious Solution
In response to the theft, a unique solution was devised. A dash cam parked near the garden bed captured most of the thieves close up. The images were printed and arranged into a poster with a humorous message:
“Oh Hay there! Don’t be a Daffy-dil and steal, or else you might end up doing hard Thyme! We hope Thistle be a lesson to Yew!”
The pictures of everyone stealing from the garden were placed around the border. Each person was given a funny fake name like “mr potato head”, “dill-a-tante”, “pothead”, “prick”, ‘Succ-er”, “I peony in my pants”, “frond-less”, ‘dirt-bag’, ‘in-fertile”, and “root boy”.-
Not Everyone’s Laughing: The Mixed Reactions
The reaction to the poster was mixed. While the owner of the garden found it amusing, some neighbors were less than pleased.
One neighbor complained that his son, a minor, was included on the poster for trying to bring his sick girlfriend flowers. “I told him that it wasn’t that big of a deal and he told me that I was being petty.
“I called his kid a little Birch which p*ssed him off and honestly might have been petty.”
Another neighbor returned a cutting his wife had taken, asking for the sign to be taken down. “But yeah it damaged the plant because she cut like a quarter off. And he asked if we’d take down the sign because she was on the board of directors or something from the town and whatever. My mom had answered the door and told him to make like a bee and buzz off.”
Plant Stealing Is A Worldwide Problem
Plant and flower theft is a surprisingly prevalent issue worldwide. In China, for instance, thieves pick from a $35 billion garden industry ¹, indicating the scale of the problem. In the UK, plant-napping incidents have surged ², with many cases going unreported.
In the US, cities like Denver and Brooklyn have seen a rise in plant thefts and flower pot thefts, respectively. Even graveyards aren’t safe, with thieves stealing flowers left at gravesites.
These thefts aren’t just petty crimes; they have significant emotional and financial impacts on the victims. The thefts can be particularly devastating for small businesses and nurseries, which can lose thousands of dollars worth of plants in a single incident.
Despite the prevalence of these thefts, many cases go unreported, making it difficult to grasp the full extent of the problem.
A Blooming Problem: The Final Takeaway
Garden theft, often dismissed as a petty crime, is a growing issue with significant emotional and financial impacts.
This story of a ‘punny’ wall of shame serves as a unique response to a widespread problem. It highlights the need for greater awareness and innovative solutions to deter plant and flower theft.
While the humorous approach sparked controversy, it also ignited important conversations about the boundaries of humor and the consequences of petty crime.
As garden theft continues to flourish, it’s clear that more needs to be done to nip this problem in the bud.
Original Article Source: Reddit
Read Next:
Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.