Memory contributed by Madam Rosita Cedillo, 72. One will definitely notice something different about the Marine Crescent Ville Community Garden when walking past it. Unlike most other gardens around Singapore, this community garden does not have a fence around it! Nestled in the heart of the Marine Crescent housing estate, this garden is truly a gem in its own unique way. Whilst most community gardens around in Singapore put up a fence around the garden to prevent the “overly-curious” from laying their hands on the fruits borne from hard labour of the gardeners, the community gardeners here chose otherwise. “We don’t believe in fencing our garden,” said Madam Rosita Cedillo, 72. “If we fence it up, how do the community access the garden?” Madam Rosita revealed that during the early planning stages of this garden, everyone unanimously agreed that it should not and never be fenced up. It should be a common place for everyone to gather, meet and enjoy. If not, it would defeat its purpose as a community garden. As such, many people have come to visit and enjoy the garden. It has been used frequently for the Residents’ Committee events, a gathering place for the community, and also a place where people appreciate the plants and greenery. While some of the residents do ask permission for some cuttings of leaves of medicinal and culinary herbs from the garden, some just help themselves to everything and anything. Madam Rosita said she has seen everything – there are those that go around and snipe off leaves until the plant is nearly ‘botak’, those that pluck off the fruits even before they are ripe, and even those that pull out the whole plant. Madam Rosita recounted that there was once a man who asked me if he could have some pandan leaves, and she said ‘yes’. However the next moment, she saw him trying to pull the entire pandan plant out from the ground! Madam Rosita went over and told him that she only gave him permission to cut the leaves, and not the entire plant. However, the man replied her rudely saying that he is also a taxpayer and is entitled to whatever he wants to take from the garden! That left Madam Rosita even more shocked! “Many people do not know that this garden is the hard work of many volunteers and residents. We are not the government! We are your neighbours. We are the people whom you see in the market or crossing the road,” said Madam Rosita. So how do they prevent people from pilferage? To this, Madam Rosita exclaimed, “We don’t! We can’t do anything if we chose this way! It’s all in the mindset, you see. People have to have the graciousness and maturity in this society to respect what is theirs and what belongs to others. If not, such acts will definitely carry on.” When asked whether she thinks that one day Singaporeans will be like that, Madam Rosita paused and said, “Well, maybe! But right now, I don’t think so. I believe that in the future, people will mature and develop the graciousness. If this garden can teach them these values, I don’t mind missing fruits or plants. As long as people mature and change!” But doesn’t she feel frustrated and angry each time a plant or fruit goes missing or never getting the chance to enjoy her hard labour? “Well, honestly speaking, we do feel frustrated and angry. But that’s only the initial stages. Over time, we have learnt to let things go and let people be. What is the point of getting angry? The secret is that you got to have a big heart!” said Madam Rosita wisely. And a very big heart the gardeners of this garden have indeed! Interview was done by Wee Foong & Haidir from the Community in Bloom (CIB) program of the National Parks Board (NParks). Launched in 2005 by NParks, the CIB program aims to foster a gardening culture among the people in Singapore.