A war of the petunias is breaking out in an uptown condo where a strata council is ordering a longtime owner to remove planters from the patio.



For more than a decade, Maryann Wadge and Kevin Gilbraith have sought to enhance their home by creating a garden oasis on the patio of their first floor suite in the Charter House. Passersby often pause to comment on the garden, and a bridal party once stopped for a photo beside the pots filled with petunias, geraniums, begonias and other flowers – plants that were once supported and encouraged by a previous strata council.



“We have had the flowers since I moved in 15 years ago,” Wadge said. “Everybody loved them. They have never complained before but have decided we have ruined the look of the building. We are having major issues. They want us to remove the whole garden.”



On behalf of Charter House’s strata corporation, Quay Pacific Property Management wrote to Wadge telling her it’s been alleged that her balcony plants may be causing water filtration issues and change the “common look” of the building and ordered that all plants be removed.



“We had engineers here a year-and-a-half ago because we have had water ingress in the building. It was nothing to do with those pots on the wall,” she said of their findings. “It’s just ridiculous. It’s almost like a personal sort of thing. I don’t know why.”



Stating that the plants are contrary to the strata corporation bylaws, which state owners shall not erect or hang awnings, shades or screens over the balcony, the letter requested that all plants be removed within 14 days.



“Not one person anywhere in the building or anywhere else has made a negative comment,” Gilbraith said. “Every single comment we’ve gotten from people walking by and strata council have been positive. In fact, we had letters from the previous strata council from about two years ago saying how wonderful our plants are.”



Prior to shopping for this year’s flowers and getting the planters ready, Wadge said she got permission from the property management company. A couple days later, she received a letter stating the council recommended the planters be removed.



Wadge, who is the owner of the couple’s unit, is currently being treated for high blood pressure and is medically incapable of appearing before the strata council. Because he’s not the unit’s owner, Gilbraith can’t speak to the council on her behalf.



“My blood pressure is 190 over 105 because of this,” she said of a situation she considers a personal vendetta. “They come to our window. They are pointing and making rude remarks.”



The couple has met with a lawyer, who has informed the property management company that the couple is taking legal action regarding the order to remove the planters and hanging baskets.



“It’s an extension of our home. We are seniors. We had a huge home. Fifteen years ago when I left my home I came here and I thought it’s going to be nice to have something like I had before. We were encouraged to do it. We have letters from previous councils telling us to go ahead and it’s actually added to the look of the building,” Wadge said. “Everybody that walks down the street stops. It’s really just a little social thing. Everybody in the building liked them, then all of a sudden this happened out of the blue.”



The strata property manager could not comment on the issue and said the Record’s request for an interview would be forwarded to the council for review.

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