A 60-year-old horticulturist faces eviction from a community garden he cultivated for eight years on a previously abandoned footpath in Poole, Dorset.
Jim Gardner received formal notice from Bournemouth and Poole College demanding he vacate the site by February and remove all personal belongings.
The school, which owns the verges alongside the council-maintained path, terminated its informal arrangement with Mr Gardner following safety assessments and neighbourhood concerns.
Their solicitor’s letter specified multiple issues prompting the decision.
Mr Gardner’s voluntary efforts had transformed the formerly derelict walkway into what locals describe as a “secret garden”, earning recognition through various horticultural awards.
The space, which he developed entirely at personal expense, features diverse plantings including wildflowers and exotic shrubs, creating a habitat that supports wildlife including newts.
The enthusiast began tending the neglected space in 2016 through an informal agreement with the college, investing his own funds throughout the project.
A central pathway had previously attracted vandalism and made female pedestrians feel unsafe, according to Mr Gardner’s account.
A Dorset gardener who transformed a neglected public footpath has been evicted ‘after planting bamboo’
|
His daily efforts converted the weed-covered lane into a flourishing environment featuring seasonal colours and diverse plant species.
Community members donated plants whilst Mr Gardner covered most expenses personally, describing the project as his passion.
The transformation earned multiple horticultural awards and drew visitors specifically to view the garden and discuss it with him.
Mr Gardner expressed pride in creating a community asset, stating: “I love gardening, it is my passion so I asked the college if I could take it over and tidy it up. I never thought it would become this secret garden for the community to enjoy.”
The complaint was made by Dorset and Poole College
|
The college detailed several safety and environmental concerns in their official statement.
They identified invasive bamboo growth, rodent presence, accumulated rubbish and overgrown vegetation, reducing pathway visibility.
A spokesman highlighted a particularly serious hazard, saying: “A manhole cover was repeatedly removed, leaving a three-metre drop exposed.”
The institution also noted unauthorised attachments to protected trees and waterlogged ground conditions.
According to the college, routine inspections and neighbour reports prompted their intervention. They stated “safety and environmental risks, along with complaints, mean the informal arrangement can no longer continue”.
The termination letter additionally referenced Mr Gardner’s creation of marshy areas and a pond without permission.
College officials indicated they had received positive responses from neighbours following their decision to end the arrangement.Mr Gardner strongly contested the college’s allegations, describing the experience as deeply distressing.
“I just did a good deed and have had no thanks at all,” he said, adding that the situation “brings tears to my eyes for the wrong reasons”.
The horticulturalist suggested a resident’s complaints about bamboo roots initiated the conflict, characterising the college’s actions as bullying behaviour.
“They could have worked with me. We could have removed the bamboo and fixed problems together. Instead, solicitors are involved,” Mr Gardner explained.
“Things changed this summer when the college restricted the amount of water I was using for the plants to just one day a week and everything started dying off.
“I just don’t understand. Are they wanting to take it over now I have done all the hard work? Are they going to ruin everything I have done?” he questioned.
“I have worked on it almost everyday. I have spent a small fortune on plants, and members of the public have donated many plants. I put blood, sweat and tears into it,” he told the Daily Mail.
Comments are closed.