Staff Writer

When Rosemary Whitney drove into her nursery on Route 111 last Thursday morning, it looked like a hurricane had blown through.

Then the smell hit her.

Sometime after Whitney closed Focal Point Gardens Wednesday, April 28, 300 to 400 trees were doused with diesel fuel.

A closer inspection revealed more destruction.

“I came in here Thursday morning and every tire on every vehicle was slashed,” said Whitney. “I have eight vehicles and some of them have six tires.”

Whitney called a local automotive shop to come replace the tires, then discovered more damage: The radiators on her vehicles were punctured.

“I’m a landscaping business and I have no vehicles to run it. The damage to the vehicles is monumental,” Whitney said.

And then there’s the inventory.

Whitney estimates $30,000 to $40,000 worth of trees must be destroyed due to the hazardous contamination. Repairing damage to the vehicles will cost another $30,000.

“They knew what they were going for,” Whitney said. “The material they destroyed started at $250 and ranged up to $1,500.” However, none of the smaller plants or flowers were doused with fuel.

Whitney said her crew now goes home at night, sick to their stomachs and woozy from the diesel smell.

Greg O’Brien from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection said he doesn’t believe any soil on the ground will require remediation. Wrapped tree roots that were doused with diesel fuel are sitting on plastic sheeting to prevent contamination if it rains.

Whitney and her crew cut the tops off more than 100 trees for disposal, but the root bulbs must be taken to a hazardous soil recycling facility in Scarborough. O’Brien said it will cost $35 per ton to dispose of the hazardous waste. Whitney estimates the root bulbs weighed 300 to 400 pounds each, and one particularly large root bulb weighed approximately 1,500 to 2,000 pounds.

Although Whitney has insurance, some damage from the incident may not be covered.

Whitney’s insurance policy from MMG Insurance of Presque Isle does not cover trees or shrubs and considers them part of outdoor landscaping, rather than business inventory.

The policy also stipulates the company will pay no more than $2,500 for any outdoor property damage, and no more than $500 for any tree, shrub or plant.

“That’s the kicker, I’m a landscaping business,” Whitney said. Whitney estimated she could pay more than $100,000 out of pocket. 

“Hopefully we’ll get more insurance, but we’re not sure of that,” Whitney said.

Focal Point Gardens is still open for business with a limited number of plants and flowers, and Whitney said she is ordering new trees.

Whitney said many locals, such as Kevin Allen of Ambidextrous Inc. and George Burr and Sons, a landscaping business, are pitching in by providing their trucks and services to help her landscaping business and people have been stopping by to offer there help and support.

“It’s nice to know there are still some people out there who are decent people,” Whitney said.

Whitney said she has no idea who would have done this to her business.

Sgt. Roger Hicks of the York County Sheriff’s office, who is investigating the vandalism, said Tuesday that so far he has no good suspects.

“I was hoping that with the media coverage someone would come forward and tell me something,” Hicks said. “So far I haven’t had any responses.”

“It’s irrational,” Whitney said. “At this point all I want is just to get my material back.”

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.