Burglar makes off with Manatee senior center's therapeutic garden

A Manatee County day center specializing in dementia and senior care is hoping for donations of plants to replace ones stolen during an early-morning theft from Town Square University Parkway’s member-maintained outdoor garden.

“These gardens represent more than just plants. They represent progress, connection and peace for individuals who may otherwise feel lost in their diagnosis,” said Catherine McDermott, an owner of Town Square University Parkway. “We use gardening as therapy. It brings smiles, movement and purpose to our members’ days.”

According to an email from the facility at the corner of Lockwood Ridge Road and University Parkway, the garden provides familiar routines for its clients, and the herbs and vegetables it produces are used in farm-to-table activities.

Skyler Betts, the business development director at Town Square University Parkway, said someone vandalized the garden and stole plants around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

In an interview, she said a vine-covered fence surrounds the outdoor garden at the rear of the building and is part of the facility’s Garden Shop, where clients can tend to indoor and outdoor plants and participate in crafts. She said one of the facility’s owners arriving before dawn saw someone scale the fence early Wednesday and drive off with the greenery. In all, about $1,000 in plants and tools was taken. 

“They even took the owl off the fence, meant to scare away hawks,’’ Betts said.

Reports say a silver Volkswagen SUV was leaving the area with several leafy plants strapped to a cargo rack on the roof. It appears to be driven by a woman with a dog in the front passenger seat. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office was notified and supplied with the photos of the SUV taken by the witness.

Town Square is now asking for plant donations from local nurseries, gardeners, and community members to help restore the sensory garden. Donated plants should be non-toxic and dementia-friendly, as some late-stage members may explore plants by touch or taste. 

Dementia-friendly plants are those that have a soft texture and pleasant scents, like lamb's ear, lavender, rosemary or mint.

Plants to avoid, for example, are foxglove, oleander, azalea, philodendron, poinsettia, sago palm, and others known to be poisonous.

“Town Square has become a lifeline for so many families in Sarasota and Manatee counties,” Betts said. “We’re asking our community to come together once again — just as we do every day — to restore something that truly brings healing and happiness to our members.”

The business occupies the southwestern corner of the Centre at University Parkway shopping plaza. The center features a 1950s-themed interior with more than a dozen “storefronts” inside, medical care and therapeutic programs. It’s been in operation since early 2023.