A tiny public ‘garden’ in Paceville planted by a lifelong resident has been cleared by the St Julian's local council, which justified its removal by saying the area was overflowing with rubbish. 

The little green patch on Wilga Street was planted by lifelong Paceville resident John Dingli, who died in 2014, and was previously filled with plants sown in honour of residents who passed away.

It was cleared away on Monday, with Dingli's grandson, illustrator Ed Dingli, sharing photos of it before and after the clearing. 

St Julian's mayor Albert Buttigieg told Times of Malta that the local council had decided to clear the area after residents complained that it was attracting drug users and garbage. 

Clearing of the garden on Monday Photo: Albert ButtigiegClearing of the garden on Monday Photo: Albert Buttigieg

"Residents told us that people would leave drugs in the bushes to be picked up later on," said Buttigieg.

“There were broken benches, syringes and litter everywhere. We wanted to clear the area and we are currently in the process of landscaping the area,” he said.

Buttigieg claimed the 'before' photo shared on Facebook was several years old. Dingli denied that and said they were taken in July 2020.

The garden's state on Monday Photo: Albert ButtigiegThe garden's state on Monday Photo: Albert Buttigieg

Took care of the garden "until the very end"

Illustrator Ed Dingli, said that his grandfather took care of the miniature garden “until the very end”.

John Dingli, a lifelong Paceville resident who developed a green finger in his hometown Photo: Ed DingliJohn Dingli, a lifelong Paceville resident who developed a green finger in his hometown Photo: Ed Dingli

“The garden was initially much larger and ran across the length of the old wall, but unfortunately it was destroyed to make way for a mini-car park and centre-strip,” said Dingli, who lives in the UK. 

Dingli would take cuttings from the surrounding areas, such as the Dragonara Hotel garden, create garbage bins from old metal containers and place ‘do not litter’ stickers on them, his grandson recalled. 

“When someone in the community passed away, he would plant something in their honour,” he said. Among the trees he planted was an olive tree in remembrance of his wife, Lilian Dingli.

The garden before being cleared Photo: Ed DingliThe garden before being cleared Photo: Ed Dingli

That olive tree is one of the few pieces of vegetation which remains in the garden. Most of the shrubbery is gone, replaced by a single cypress sapling. 

A plaque which celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Labour Party was also kept in its place. 

Dingli's post on social mediaDingli's post on social media

“It is annoying that the authorities have an obsession with removing anything slightly ‘wild’ and replacing it with saplings, or lawns that require a lot of water and artificial care,” he said. 

Dingli's post about the garden's removal prompted dismay from users of a Facebook group celebrating trees. 

"What a shame! Thank God your father does not have to see this," one user told him. 

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