Lawndale may rip out garlic plants for the sake of residents' noses
The Lawndale City Council is considering ripping out thousands of dollars worth of smelly flowering garlic plants along Hawthorne Boulevard because of complaints by residents.
Removing and replacing the plants could cost the city up to $34,000, the Daily Breeze reports on its website. One resident said the pungent odor from the plants was so strong that her friends and family called the city "Smellydale.''
But Councilman Jim Ramsey joked that the plants do have an upside:
"Since we put them out there, there hasn't been a vampire seen in Lawndale," Ramsey told the Breeze. "So why should we take it out and let the vampires move back?"
-- Phil Willon
EDITOR'S PICKS:
That's cute. I'll be the Councilman was working on that joke all night and couldn't wait to use it.
Posted by: Natalie | January 04, 2010 at 01:17 AM
They are beautiful little plants, but PEE YEW they stink! Perhaps those that made the planting decision in the first place will assist in removing them?
Posted by: Carla | January 04, 2010 at 06:52 AM
Can someone please explain why it will cost so much to simply rip out and replace plants?
Posted by: Wow | January 04, 2010 at 07:20 AM
It's not that the plants stink like garlic, that would be delicious. And the people of Lawndale would probably be happy to have such a smell. It's that society garlic has this pungency that for some like myself, can cause the respiratory system to freeze up. It literally can choke a sensitive person. And it doesn't smell anything like garlic, more like some sort of chemical spray. Why cities (or anyone, for that matter) plant this particular species and in quantities is beyond me. It's not even a pretty plant.
Posted by: Hairy Carrion | January 04, 2010 at 07:28 AM
Wow,
I was thinking the same thing, $34k to take these out and replant? How long is this stretch of garlic plants?
Posted by: Mufon | January 04, 2010 at 05:07 PM
I'm a garlic lover. Every July I attend the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA, the self-proclaimed "garlic capital of the world."
The garlicky smell in the air from the acres and acres of freshly harvested garlic plants permeates the whole town and surrounding communities all summer. Hawthorne Blvd is nothing compared to this!
Maybe Lawndale should apply for Sister City status with Gilroy!
Posted by: Gilroy garlic girl | January 05, 2010 at 10:28 PM