A colorful and whimsical garden tucked away on a path called Friendship Alley was torn apart by vandals just before members of a local garden club had hoped to showcase its beauty to visitors attending Exhibit Columbus.
Members of the Let’s Grow Garden Club began calling each other early Monday morning after being notified by staff at Fresh Take Kitchen which is located off the alley that the vandalism had occurred overnight.
Plants from four flower beds were uprooted and strewn about the red brick pavers and potting soil was scattered over the alleyway. At least one of the decorative bike wheels that were strategically placed in the beds was missing.
Club members, with the help of city crews, cleaned up the mess and have replanted the beds to restore the alley’s beauty.
Kim Pence, Columbus, a member of the garden club who went to Friendship Alley to assess the situation, said the club has experienced a few minor thefts from the alley, such as a Christmas ornament taken during the Christmas season, but “nothing like this.”
“It was just kind of sad,” Pence said of the vandalism. “Everyone who came by, community members and visitors, would comment on how beautiful the alley is and how much they appreciated the work that went into it.”
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
