The Springfield-Greene County Parks Department, of course, maintains these parks but members of two organizations -- Friends of the Garden and Missouri Master Gardeners of Greene County -- volunteer a lot of time and effort and money. Now, those volunteers have put together a $1,000 reward fund to try to catch the vandals.

The damage is vanishing blooms, swiped signs, and beautiful shrubs turning into bare dirt. Most recently was a beautiful shrub with red blooms that was taken last Friday.

The shrub garden at the parks holds more than 100 shrubs for the public get an idea of what they might like at their own homes. Vandals took about 20 percent of them to their homes.

“One, they're either going to put them in their own yard, which we know for a fact some people have done, or two, they're going to resell them in the after market,” said George Deatz, president of Friends of the Garden.

Deatz and other volunteers can't stay quiet about the increased theft and vandalism. Their membership dues help pay for the plants but it's more than money.

“Well, you take it personally when you invest the kind of time that people invest in maintaining these gardens, and there are hundreds of hours spent on these gardens every growing season,” said Deatz.

It's not just shrubs; day lilies and hostas have been dug up, and even vegetables grown by Master Gardeners have been picked without permission.

“Somebody took some of the vegetables they're growing with plans to donate the produce to area food banks,” said Deatz.

An area known as the Children's Garden is not the same as it used to be. After a couple of the bronze statues were damaged and stolen, the rest of them had to be removed this spring.

“They literally took some of the statuary in total and vandalized some of the other pieces,” said Deatz.

Volunteers hope the $1,000 reward fund will help stop the crime.

“They feel like the time they spent, the money they spent, has just disappeared overnight, and it's disheartening,” said Deatz.
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Edited news release:

Friends of the Garden and Missouri Master Gardeners of Greene County announced Wednesday that a Vandalism Reward Fund of $1,000 has been created to help curb repeated incidents of vandalism at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Parks in recent weeks. Signage announcing the reward will be posted in the gardens, and visitors will be encouraged to report suspicious behavior to Crime Stoppers of Springfield at (417) 869-8477.

Mark Bernskoetter, president of Master Gardeners, and George Deatz, president of Friends of the Garden, cooperated with the Springfield/Greene County Parks Department to create the fund. The two groups have quietly endured repeated vandalism and theft of plants, sculpture and signage.

The public is invited to donate to the reward fund to supplement the groups' funds. Checks should be made to Friends of the Garden, Reward Fund on the memo line, P.O. 8566, Springfield, MO 65801.

Up to $500 per incident will be awarded for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone convicted of committing vandalism or theft, the presidents of the two organizations said. Other deterrents are also being considered.

Greater Springfield Area Crime Stoppers will serve as the clearinghouse but reward funds will be maintained and administered separately. Information regarding these incidents should be reported directly to Crime Stoppers at (417) 869-TIPS (8477) or online at www.tipsubmit.com.

Tipsters do not have to give their name and could earn a reward. Crime Stoppers takes information about all crimes and fugitives and pays rewards for information that leads to the arrest and the filing of charges against people involved in felony crimes.

Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Parks are home to many organizations and events, and attract thousands of visitors annually. Numerous festivals at the parks include the Japanese Fall Festival (Sept. 12-13), Gray-Campbell Lifestyle Exposition (Sept. 19-20), the Friends of the Garden Butterfly Festival, Bluegrass & Blossoms Concert and Master Gardeners’ Young Sprouts.

“We hope that the creation of this fund and heightened vigilance by visitors to the parks and gardens will serve both as a deterrent, and as an incentive to anyone who knows information to come forward,” said Deatz and Bernskoetter.

Although the park facilities are closed to the public at dusk, some of the incidents have been committed while the gardens are open.

“Frankly, the people who commit these acts are likely to brag about them to acquaintances,” the statement added. “While we realize that these incidents may seem trivial to some, they are disheartening to the hundreds of members who volunteer their time to develop these gardens, and to the businesses and organizations who have donated many of the plants. Our goal is to keep the gardens family friendly and safe for all. Although park rangers patrol the gardens, it’s obvious that it’s going to take public vigilence to deter these incidents.”

Friends of the Garden is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers committed to supporting construction of The Botanical Center and more than 20 public gardens. Master Gardeners is also a volunteer organization that offers classes and opportunities for gardeners to share their knowledge through demonstration gardens, seminars and other events. Produce from a French pottage, or kitchen garden, are being donated to Ozarks Food Harvest.