Grieving family struck

By Paul Pickering
A FAMILY grieving the loss of a husband and father has become the latest victim in a series of brazen foliage thefts in Monbulk.
On the morning of Friday, 11 May, Gwen Lucas and children Nicholas, Julian and Elizabeth were appalled to discover that a row of nandenas lining the front of their Monbulk property had been hacked to the stems during the night.
The nandenas had been the feature of a display garden planted by Gwen’s husband, Peter, who lost his battle with cancer last July.
The garden was all that remains of the Mr Hedgehog Hedges nursery that Peter and Gwen had set up on the property backing onto Monbulk-Silvan Road.
The shrubs were cut so low that the family fears they will not grow back.
And it is the symbolic value of the plants that cannot be reimbursed to the Lucas family.
“They meant more to me than just plants,” Mrs Lucas said.
“It was special for me, looking at them reminded me of Peter.”
She said she had previously been approached by local gardeners and nursery owners requesting cuttings, but it didn’t feel appropriate given the circumstances.
“This doesn’t leave me with a good feeling about nurseries,” she said.
“Most people around here knew about Peter, even days after he was diagnosed.
“It’s just upsetting that people would put money first.” The incident was just one in a series of reported foliage thefts in the lead-up to Mother’s Day.
Monbulk Police Sergeant Alan Fincher said there had been another two reported thefts, and that he suspects that many more incidents had gone unreported.
Sgt Fincher said foliage that can be used as backing in flower arrangements is quite valuable.
“The top quality stuff can even be exported to Japan,” he said.
“It’s worth big bucks by the time it gets to the florist.”
Sgt Fincher was keen to reinforce that it is the responsibility of the collector to ensure that there is consent from the property owner.
Monbulk Police have interviewed a 42-year-old Wantirna man in relation to the incidents.
Charges have not been laid.