August 21-27, 2003

mailbag

Letters to the Editor

by the Readers

Garden-Variety Controversy

I know that Hayward Ford is concerned about how he was portrayed by Michele Firkus ["Green Acres," Cityspace, Aug. 7, 2003]. I feel for him. I've personally known him for 12 years and those statements attributed to him are just not the man I know.

Firkus was employed by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society from May 2001 until May 2002. She is not a spokesperson for PHS. Her sources did not include PHS. Much of what she said was incorrect. For example:

ÄPHS still supports its Keystone gardening program throughout the city.

ÄWe still have the Garden Tenders training program.

ÄOur commitment to greening and revitalization has never wavered. We've been doing this work for three decades and have received a huge contract for services from the city to help implement part of the NTI initiative.

We are many things to many people. We adapt, change and grow to meet the needs of our constituency. The Harvest Show is a case in point. It was originally a competitive forum for fruits and vegetables. Over the last decade, the gardening habits of many people changed. The fact is, less people were growing vegetables and competing. Our annual City Garden Contest, where there are nearly 500 individual contestants, and our Suburban Greening contest, which now touches three states, are a testament to us reaching out to gardeners and recognizing their achievements.

For some years, we sold plants to people at a special event each spring because there were very few city retail establishments offering gardening supplies. There are now huge retail entities that offer supplies all year long at low prices. After reviewing the "sale," we found that it was easier and more convenient for people to get products at a retailer who specialized in garden supplies. It just made sense. (And the PHS employees who worked the sale weren't eliminated, they just didn't have to work that one weekend.)

Blaine Bonham Jr.'s past experience was incorrect. He was a financial portfolio manager but later changed his career. This involved horticultural training and certification, which included a Loeb fellowship in environmental studies at Harvard University.

We do a lot of good work here in the city with neighborhoods, communities and people.

Steven G. Maurer

Public Relations Manager
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Corrections

In the Aug. 14, 2003 Fine Print section, it was erroneously stated that the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone "blighted" the 2100 block of Bodine Street. Andrew Frishkoff, economic development director of the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone, said the organization designated the block as blighted.

In a review of Boston Marriage ("Mawkish Mamet," Aug. 7, 2003), it was incorrectly stated that Theater Catalyst's Eureka Theatre Project is a feminist theater company. Eternal Spiral Project, another arm of Theater Catalyst, is a project intended to create opportunities for women in theater. Eureka's mission is to pair young theater artists with older, more experienced artists.