Marblehead garden club saddened by smashed bird bath

MARBLEHEAD – A smashed bird bath at a memorial garden behind the Community Center has gardeners and locals saddened and confused.”It’s a sad thing,” said Arrangers of Marblehead garden club Director Sandi Peaslee. “Why would anybody walk back there and smash a bird bath?”The Arrangers of Marblehead, a member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and National Federation of Garden Clubs, have maintained the garden on a volunteer basis since the Community Center opened, Peaslee said.All the plantings were donated in memory of loved ones who have passed away, said the location’s head gardener, Abby Lavoie, and the bird bath was donated by a woman in memory of her deceased husband, she said.Last week, Lavoie said that the director of parks and recreation found the bird bath had been smashed. It was the second time the statuary had been broken, Lavoie said. This time the pedestal, as well as the bath bowl, was smashed.”Somebody had to work to smash it, which is too bad,” said Pat Roberts, the director of the Council of Aging, which is located in the Community Center.Roberts, Peaslee and Lavoie both described the vandalism as senseless and sad – not just to visitors and those honored in the garden, but also to those who have dedicated themselves to maintaining it.”It’s just a sweet little garden, said Peaslee.Lavoie said she hopes the replacement bird bath stays safe.”We have been working on this garden for 11 years,” she said. “It’s very meaningful to all the members of the Arrangers.”