Rose bandit

The Warwick Valley Gardeners is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to the beautification of Warwick for residents and visitors alike.
The Warwick Valley Gardeners maintains nine gardens throughout Warwick, including at the village entrances, Railroad Green and at Village Hall.
The Village Hall Garden has as its focal point a rose bush that had in recent years suffered major damage.
We didn’t give up on it, though. We pruned it, treated it and nursed it back to health.
This year, we were finally rewarded for our efforts when it put out an explosion of gorgeous red rose blooms. It once again became the highlight of our garden.
One person, however, selfishly decided that they wanted them for their very own.
Sometime between the evenings of June 16th and 17th, someone cut off almost every bloom.
We are devastated. We cannot understand anyone who would deprive their neighbors of this uplifting display and so disrespect the hard work of the volunteers who put in their time, money, and effort.
Perhaps they thought the garden is maintained by Village employees.
It is not.
Perhaps they thought the garden is paid for through taxes.
It is not.
Not that it would make the vandalous theft any more acceptable.
It does not.
So if you happened to receive some short-stemmed red roses from your boyfriend and thought he was so thoughtful … he was not.
Marcela Gross, chair
Village Hall Garden Committee
Warwick