Hello Gardeners,

This is a plea to your kinder, gentler sides!

This is a battle that has been happening for 10 years or soÂ

I teach at a school for kids with special needs in downtown Toronto. We have worked very hard to keep up our gardens and some at our school have been working at it for years. Our problem is that people continually steal things from our garden  everything from snap dragons to lilac bushes, interlocking brick paths to wind chimes the children have made. WeÂve tried everything but still lose at least a few clumps/ bulbs/ shrubs each year. I have resigned myself - i know that some of our garden will make it through the year and some will be "donated" to the community.

WeÂve got a few school events coming up, we just got a new playground (with empty beds) and are close to the end of the school year and are frustrated at the prospect of, once again, trying to replace more flowers, so IÂm asking if anyone is able to help.

IÂm wondering if anyone has any bits or odds and ends from their gardens  things that propagate easily or grow with ease (i.e. would be easy for you to part with) that youÂd be willing to donate. Forget-Me-Nots? Black Eyed Susans? Daisys? Violets? Etc. WeÂll take anything, really. Of particular interest (just in case someone on here is trying to do some major spring garden cleaning) are spring and early summer bloomers, as would anything edible (some of our students like to sample the greenery).

Of course weÂd also be very happy to accept donations of seeds too for next year.

Thanks for taking the moment to reading this note and considering my request.

Sincerely,

Kat