In 17 years living at the Brandts, Mary Widerburg has called several different units home. Every time she moves within the central Vancouver complex, her flower garden moves with her.
“It’s a job,” Widerburg said. “It always takes longer to move my garden than my house.”
Widerburg is now moving her garden again — but not her home. That’s because she and the rest of the community have been told by management that they’ll no longer be allowed to have anything planted in the ground in front of their homes. An April 30 letter gave residents 60 days’ notice to tear out any plants, decorations or personal items placed around the regular landscaping.
Starting July 1, “any flowers or items planted in the grounds or decorating the grounds will be removed and disposed of,” according to the letter from the Vancouver-based Al Angelo Co., which owns and manages the property.
Widerburg, like many, was shocked at the new policy after years of nurturing a garden that’s become a big part of her life. She’s started moving some of her treasured plants — including a rose bush planted by her late husband — to her daughter’s house. Last week, she walked along a sidewalk carrying a jar with long, white calla lilies cut from her garden.
“A piece of my joy is gone,” Widerburg said.
Nicole Kreig, a portfolio supervisor with the Vancouver-based Al Angelo Co., said there were “several reasons” for the rule change. In an email, Kreig said some residents had dug out grass and existing landscaping to expand their gardens, or disposed of freshly laid bark chips. Some had refused to give workers access to maintain the grounds around buildings, she said.
And despite the strong negative reaction to the new rule, that response wasn’t universal, Kreig said.
“Many residents have already thanked management for implementing this new policy as this has been a request of many over the years,” Kreig said.
The change applies at Brandt Norwest and Brandt Terrace apartments, two adjacent Angelo-owned properties in Vancouver’s Maplewood neighborhood.
Residents will still be allowed to have their own plants, but only in pots no more than 22 inches in diameter and 15 inches high — far too small for the large perennials that have grown for years. The properties also have a handful of shared garden spaces.
On a recent afternoon, about 10 Brandts residents gathered to vent their frustration over what they see as a heavy-handed change that unfairly punishes the entire community and ruins its beauty and character. A few shed tears at the situation. If management has a problem with a few residents, they should speak to those individuals, several said.
Forcing people to destroy their own gardens or have them destroyed takes away a vital outlet for many people in this low-income community, said resident Sharon Rollins.
“We have a sliver of property to express ourselves,” she said.
For Diana Robinson, gardening is how she’s coped with family loss. Alicia Enns spoke of a hanging flower pot — which wouldn’t be allowed under the new rules, she said — she was given for Mother’s Day.
“It ain’t coming down,” Enns said.
Some residents have already begun moving or tearing out their flowers ahead of the July deadline. Others are digging in, resisting the new rules.
Rollins has encouraged residents to call management to express their feelings. She’s also collected dozens of signatures on a handwritten petition.
Property managers haven’t given any indication that they’re going to back away from the new policy before the end of the month. Managers feel giving people 60 days to transfer plants to pots is a “reasonable compromise,” Kreig said.
Residents losing plants they’ve devoted years to don’t see it that way. Some are holding out hope that they’ll get to keep their gardens.
“I haven’t given up on this,” Rollins said.
