Residents who transformed derelict land into a stunning community garden have been left heartbroken after council workmen destroyed it with weed killer.
Two women armed only with brooms turned the alley behind their homes into ‘a little piece of paradise’ in the backstreets of York.
They filled second hand troughs and tubs with hundreds of pounds of blooms including up to 60 varieties of wildflowers, expensive roses, fox gloves and fruits.
The garden was the brainchild of neighbours in Diamond Street Stephanie Holdsworth and Helena Simmons.
The two pals were fed up with the alley behind their homes being used as a dumping ground for everything from builders waste to old furniture and mattresses – and even needles.
Gardener Jane O’Brien, 71, stormed: ‘At first I wasn’t sure if the sun had killed all the plants. I was horrified when I realised it was weedkiller. The council has done this and it’s a disgrace’
Residents in Diamond Street, York, transformed the derelict path behind their homes into a stunning community garden but have been heartbroken by council workmen destroyed it with weed killer
The garden was the brainchild of neighbours Stephanie Holdsworth and Helena Simmons and they filled the alley behind their homes with troughs and tubs with hundreds of pounds of blooms. Left, before the workmen visited the garden and right, after
Before it became this ‘little piece of paradise’, the alley was used as a dumping ground for everything from builders waste to old furniture and mattresses – and even needles
Stephanie, 52, an adult education teacher, said: ‘It happened just when the garden was at its best with the foxgloves out and the sun flowers growing in the cracks’
They had filled the snicket behind their cottages with floral displays and were enjoying the sun and flowers until council gardeners sprayed the alley with weedkiller turning yard after yard of flowers into dead brown mess fit only for the dustbin.
Stephanie, 52, an adult education teacher, said: ‘All of a sudden we found everything had died off and we had seen a council spraying van.
‘It is devastating. We will just have to start all over again. There is only so much that two women with brooms can do.
‘We tried sweeping it out but our brooms got contaminated with the weed killer. All the council have done is apologise by email and offer us a voucher for a garden centre.
‘They would have been better giving us a voucher for B&Q. Then at least we could have got some wire wool and cleaning materials for the mess.’
She said the council gardeners nearly sprayed weed killer on the garden last year but she managed to head them off and then complained to the council.
The locals filled the alley behind their homes with floral displays and were enjoying the sun and flowers until council gardeners sprayed the alley with weedkiller
Council gardeners nearly sprayed weed killer on the garden last year but Stephanie and Helena managed to head them off and then complained
Left, the garden flourishing before the council visited and right, after weed killer was sprayed over plants and flowers
The hundreds of pounds of blooms consisted of up to 60 varieties of wildflowers, expensive roses, fox gloves and fruits
Although their response was vague the women assumed from their assurances that their labour of love was safe.
Now all that remains is six bin bags of garden waste awaiting collection by bin men.
She continued: ‘It has been a catastrophe. All we can hope is other communities will be inspired by what we have done and the council will adopt a better strategy for supporting them in the future.
‘It happened just when the garden was at its best with the foxgloves out and the sun flowers growing in the cracks.
‘It was the perfect corner to put out two chairs in the sun.
‘We had alpine strawberries which were so cool for wildlife, raspberries and strawberries but had to chuck them all out in case they were poisonous.
‘Before it was just a horrible dumping area which encouraged anti social behaviour.’
Other residents were also seething. Jane O’Brien, 71, stormed: ‘It is so bad because I have loved gardening since I was a child in Cork and had my own little garden.
‘At first I wasn’t sure if the sun had killed all the plants. I was horrified when I realised it was weedkiller.
‘It is such a shame when people are trying to create a little bit of paradise for themselves and only have back yards.
‘The council has done this and it’s a disgrace.’
Following the garden’s demise, Stephanie and Helena said ‘we will just have to start all over again’. Pictured, a potted planet before and after weed killer was sprayed
Pictured, potted plants bought by keen gardeners Stephanie and Helena in their alley garden in York
Jane is seen with the remains of some the plants and flowers which were growing out of the path in the alleyway behind her house
York Council has apologised for the blunder and offered to help ‘restore’ the garden (pictured, after weed killer was sprayed)
James Gilchrist, Director of Environment, Transport and Planning at City of York Council, said: ‘Our crews work hard to manage and maintain public spaces across the city and unfortunately on this occasion an error was made, and the area was treated for weeds when that was not appropriate.
‘We have issued an apology for the error and whilst we can’t undo what’s been done, we have been in touch with residents directly and offered to help them restore the garden.
‘Taking good care of the environment is very much a collaborative job, and we are always happy to discuss with residents what part they can play.
‘Anyone that’s interested in helping managing public spaces should get in touch with the council discuss how we can work together to help our city.’
