Beautiful flowers being picked and walked on.

[loni]

Today I've watched four different people picking crocuses in Peckham Rye park. The beautiful show of flowers by the picnic area are for everyone to enjoy. I am absolutely fed up with parents letting their children pick flowers. I've lived here in the area for all of my life and we would never have picked flowers from the park as we were all taught from an early age that it was theft.(bit harsh) we lived in fear of 'the browns' who were the old fashioned park rangers who would accompany you home if you dared to pick flowers from the park.

Why do 'modern' parent seem to think it is ok to let the children pick them but also stamp them into the ground and pretend not to notice? Is it possible they don't realise they are not allowed to pick the flowers?

Worse still a lady, old enough to know better,today actually walked her 2 labradors across the two flower beds and then told me to mind my own business when I asked her not to walk on the flowers.

I promptly told her it was my business and the path was a better place for her to walk.She then with impunity walked over the one on the other side of the path.

I'm obviously getting old at 53 but please East Dulwich mummies and dear doggie walkers respect our lovely Peckham Rye Park.

[singalto]

I agree with you totally...

[Sue]

That's awful.

I was in the park today and the crocuses are lovely. I took a picture of them.

[Louisa]

This is such a terrible shame that we are revisiting this same topic close on 7 years from my first post about this very issue. Saw some brats running around picking the daffs on Goose Green a few days ago, parents encouraging the behaviour. I was in my car so couldn't react beyond a hoot of the horn. Very infuriating when this sort of brazen ignorance is displayed in such a public way. Some gorgeous displays on show this Spring too, be warned pickers tredders and enablers. If I see you, your dog or one of your little darlings picking any wild flowers the wrath of Louisa will come down on you. No more flower murders!

Louisa.

[Robert Poste's Child]

I've noticed the same thing. Fine if it's a child who hasn't yet learned the flowers are for everyone but yesterday I passed a pleasant-looking mother in Dulwich Park gaily gathering crocuses to give to her toddler in a buggy.

Hard to tell if it's a self-centred sense of entitlement or just a lack of basic training. On the radio recently someone mentioned how the boom in house prices has given rise to 'attitude' in a way that didn't exist in areas like this twenty years ago. Maybe the two are related?

[cactus]

I agree.

Saw a couple of small children treading amongst the Goose Green flowers this afternoon, parents way over the other side and not paying attention.

On Saturday night, saw a dozen or so daffodils that had been picked and then discarded by the playground.

It may seem trivial to some people, but it makes me quite sad.

[loni]

Thanks everyone,

I was actually beginning to think it was just me..what annoys me is the haughty what on earth do you mean looks that you get if you dare to complain. Yes Robert I think it is the self-centred attitude of entitlement and actually it is getting worse. I think parents are scared to tell their children no,I have no idea why.I know they are 'only flowers'but you have to start teaching respect for property young.

I am a childminder and my children know not to pick or trample on the flowers,instead we discuss how beautiful they are,what colours we like best and the children are taught to smell and gently touch,if they have to,but not pick or trample. I love Peckham Rye Park and we are so lucky to have such lovely gardens to walk in and enjoy,and Thankyou Louise keep up the good work,fellow flower vigilante.

[Mystic Mog]

Selfish people!

[loni]

I think I may approach the park keepers office with a view to getting some posters put up on the main gates and by the displays letting parents and others know it is not appropriate to pick or walk amongst the flower displays,they are there for such a short time. I'm still flabbergasted that we would have to tell people how to behave.

[JoeLeg]

It winds me up massively when my own kids don't show the flowers respect, and I have to bite my tongue when I see other people - or their children - treating them like a free florist.

#Firstworldproblem maybe, but to me it's also a valuable lesson in how beautiful nature can be if left alone to develop naturally, which in a city is pretty rare.

[siousxiesue]

There's a sign on the lovely Horniman field of crocus etc but still I see kids running all over it and parents/carers not even watching in their direction.

loni Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think I may approach the park keepers office

> with a view to getting some posters put up on the

> main gates and by the displays letting parents and

> others know it is not appropriate to pick or walk

> amongst the flower displays,they are there for

> such a short time. I'm still flabbergasted that we

> would have to tell people how to behave.

[Mrs Y]

Totally agree with you, the same thing happens on Piermont Green with dog walkers, just letting their dogs run though the flowers, which are there for everyone to enjoy. The park warden's number of Peckham Rye Park is 0208 299 0861.

[loni]

Yes I've seen that poster, I admired it,even though at the time I was surprised it was needed especially in the Hornimans as it does have keepers,but I've come to realise the parents are actually allowing the children to behave in this way.At least we would be justified in saying something if there were posters. I've been called a busybody and told to mind my own business.

[loni]

Thankyou MrsY will be calling the wardens first thing tomorrow morning.May get my perfectly behaved little mindees to design posters too 👼🌷🌸🌺

[Louisa]

loni Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've been called

> a busybody and told to mind my own business.

I feel your pain, so have I. Don't let that stop you from being a good citizen though. If you don't say something, who will? The number of arguments I've had when I've confronted crude behaviour is too many to remember. Flowers can't speak for themselves, as responsible and reasoned individuals it is our public duty to prevent unsociable actions which are to the detriment of the community.

Louisa.

[PollyGlot]

Every credit to you for standing your ground against the person with the two labradors. It's a pity that more people bite their tongues when they see people abusing public property or throwing litter.

I had a similar case last summer near St Paul's when I was at a bus stop and these two 'ladies' came along and started to wait at the same bus stop. They were both eating bananas. I could see one had just finished eating and I was intruiged to see what she would do next so I turned my back briefly so that it appeared as though I was looking to see if the bus was coming. I waited about two seconds then turned around to see that she has thrown her banana skin down on the pavement. I respectfully brought her attention to what she had done. I am pleased to say she picked it up and put it in her bag.

[kford]

I saw a family of four, two young kids, each with a huge bunch of daffs in Burgess Park tonight on the way home. Selfish bastards (the parents, of course).

[yummumbums]

I was on the number 12 bus on Sunday and there were four young children stamping on the daffodils that run along the edge of Peckham Rye park. Such a shame.

[JohnL]

People forget it's a park not a wood (where I was born the wood was so big you could

pick hundreds of flowers and nobody would notice)

Ours is a limited resource people

[Earl Aelfheah]

I find it infuriating. Often see dogs running through the flower beds. Children picking flowers less so, but that too occasionally. So selfish.

[summerrose]

Well said, totally support you ,hopefully this will make people think a bit more now before trashing flower beds 🌹🌷🌻

[loni]

Yes indeed JohnL,last year we visited a national trust property with bluebell woods,the trail started and ended with gates with big signs,please do NOT pick our beautiful bluebells as they are protected being indigenous British ones.At the end of the trail I was horrified to see a big pile of wilted bluebells where people had discarded them after spotting the volunteer waiting further on the trail.. you can't educate pork!!

[lavender27]

I hate people who do not appreciate the gardeners who work so hard to make our parks so beautiful for everyone to enjoy, there is always someone who spoils it for everyone else. Yes parents should lovingly educate their children on this subject and maybe they would appreciate and respect other things on their journey in life, it all has a knock on effect.

I have noticed, every year, come mothers day, the long stretch of daffodils on barry rd side of peckham rye have all been STOLEN yes stolen , it is theft. A bunch of daffodils in the florist is only a quid, I'm sure mothers would prefer them instead of knowing they were STOLEN. (Has anyone ever gone to court for stealing flowers from a public park?)

[Seabag]

As nice as they are, they are a misnomer in reality, a floral graffiti to some. They're a usually a planted hybrid stock, in a pretty but unnatural planting scheme.

I'd personally rather they didn't plant Daf's under trees, it's out of context. I prefer them in beds, much like tulips. I wonder why they dont plant Tulips in the same way.

That said, it's out of order to trash or pick stuff which is there for eveyone to enjoy.

[Louisa]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> As nice as they are, they are a misnomer in

> reality, a floral graffiti to some. They're a

> usually a planted hybrid stock, in a pretty but

> unnatural planting scheme.

>

> I'd personally rather they didn't plant Daf's

> under trees, it's out of context. I prefer them in

> beds, much like tulips. I wonder why they dont

> plant Tulips in the same way.

>

> That said, it's out of order to trash or pick

> stuff which is there for eveyone to enjoy.

What about the wild meadow flower section at the Adys Road side of Goose Green? This is left to grow naturally with wild flowers from all seasons? No scheme, just randomly arranged.

Louisa.