Derek, your story about the phlox is heartwarming! Amazing and wonderful to have that connection with the gardeners of long ago.
Thanks Debby. I'm quite attached to them for sentiment reasons as well as that they are beautiful. DD
If they were " not A) on anyone's property and B) not native to the area." and in an urban area, I don't really think you've harmed anything. At least you have a conscious, and stay out of the scenerios described above apparently you do, otherwise you would not have said a thing. There are teeming multitudes of people - the world over - that take advantage of the environment. Perhaps you could put your conscious to use somehow :) .
I will take a "cutting" from anything I find interesting. I found a piece of plant broken off another one at Lowe's onetime. Took it and had a nice hanging basket for a while. I was in the woods a couple of weeks ago along a walking path and pulled up some little sprouts of something that I planted. I find that if I "steal" or "sneak" a piece of plant, it seems to live longer and stronger. Don't know why. I don't think you are stealing.
Derek I like that steal :) it definatly depends on the circumstances. I always feel sad when I see an old place with the plants bravely continuing what was started long ago. I have several things in my garden that are children of a long lost garden or person. I would like to think they would all continue after I am gone. Liz
