Cherubs enjoying a little sunshine on their shoulders, and other places. Photo © Lisa Hallett Taylor
Typically, the only nudity you might observe in the average suburban front yard would be one of those cheeky naked cherub statues or a toddler who has escaped outside during a diaper change. But lately, the good citizens of Boulder, Colorado, have been exposed to a spring display that is more than the usual gladiolas and floribundas.
Neighbors contacted police recently after observing Catharine Pierce, 51, and Robert Pierce, 58, gardening outside their rental home nearly naked. Catharine Pierce was wearing pasties (not the British turnovers), and both wore thongs (not the footwear), according to The Daily Camera. The house is at a street corner, near an elementary school and community garden.
While the Boulder Police Department maintains that the Pierces' attire -- or lack thereof -- is not illegal (as opposed to complete nudity), reports the Camera, the couple is violating a lease agreement. Last week, the Pierces received a letter from Boulder Housing Partners, their landlord, warning that their front-yard behavior was a "nuisance" to the community and that violating the lease agreement can be grounds for eviction.
"We want our freedom," Robert Pierce told The Camera. "We want exactly what the law gives you, and we don't want to be harassed about it."
Gardening in the buff is not unheard of. While no Harris Poll exists with statistics or percentages of those who practice nude gardening, there are groups and websites devoted to the pastime. A British couple has worked magic with their landscaping skills and hedge-cutting wizardry at the Abbey House Gardens, in Malmesbury, and have been profiled in a BBC series.
So, have we piqued your curiosity for gardening au naturale? While it somehow sneaked by us on May 2, you have nearly a whole year to get ready for next year's World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD). Nothing to wear? That's the whole idea.
Comments
There’s no way I would garden in the nude – not just because no one would want to see that – I mean no one! The main reason would be sunburn – I can’t afford that much sunblock. Secondary reasons involve mosquitoes and fire ants, both of which are prevalent in my yard. Gardening here in Georgia, USA involves long sleeves, tall socks, gloves, hats, jeans, and boots!
I was amused that the wife actually went out and purchased pasties for her gardening ensemble. She put more thought and effort into not wearing something while working in her yard than most of us do. I throw on something old that I don’t mind getting dirty. I’ve never given more than a moment’s thought to my gardening “outfit.”
nude gardening? it’s ok in private but on public, no way!
The correct expression is “au naturel“, not “au naturale“.
Two thumbs up for the Pierces for their practice of nude gardening. They are not doing anything to
compromise the “public’s health, safety, or welfare”. According to the comments made by their
neighbors, the nude gardening has caused a little irritation and suprise but not grave offense. Most
neighbors have mentioned that they did not want their children exposed to the nudity as some of them
have expressed embarrassment.
I enjoy hiking nude in some of the larger parks where I live. I like to wear a thong in case I should run
across someone who would have a different viewpoint regarding my choice of dress. There is legal
precedent that the sexual organs are the primary cause of “justified offense”. Perhaps this is because the
offended thinks that the sight of a penis or vagina signifies that they will be sexually assaulted ( in some
fashion )? I am not sure. Among nudists a thong is actually dressing kind of conservative.
In addition to “how nude” one is there is also the issue of “place”. The area of the park that I choose to
hike in has a good deal of acreage and is seperated, by a hill, from the majority of park users. Should
I come across someone in the “back acreage” it is usually apparant to them that my dress is “reasonable”
given the surroundings. A large nude beach such as Black’s Beach works because the nude beach is
seperated from the parking lot and hang gliding facilities by a very steep cliff. To be offended by the
nudity, one would have to repel down the cliff, not advisable, or walk down a lot of stairs. From the
parking lot the nudists on the beach truly look like ants.
Upon their own property, the Pierces are visible to their neighbors. If the neighbors are “offended” by
nudity, they are captive to having to view it. I think that the precidence for allowing nudity in residential
neighborhoods is fairly weak. I do not think that the Pierces could ever win this. It is the business of
governments to restrict the rights of the few for the benefit of the many. I do not know if the Pierce’s
neighborhood association allows for privacy fences.
It is kind of neat that restrictions regarding women’s breasts have not made it onto the books in Boulder.
The typical course of events would be for the homes association to point to the Pierce’s gardening and
make a case before the City Council. The City Council will usually then write the new “dress code” into
ordinance and the homes association will match it in their rules/regulations.
One ( possibly positive ) thing the Pierces could do is;
1. attend the City Council meeting.
2. explain that they have always liked the fact that Boulder’s public nudity restrictions have
been favorable to some allowed nudity, as compared to other cities and in regards to
women’s right to be “top free” as the same right is already given to men.
3. possibly provide a sentence or two as to why they enjoy gardening nude.
4. finally, the Pierces should make a promise to the City Council that they will no longer
practice nude gardening on their property as their neighbors have requested that they
cease.
Perhaps the City Council will leave the current public nudity ordianance alone perhaps they will change
it. Best of luck to the Pierces.
Sounds like you know a lot about this topic. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered anyone in a thong while hiking, and I’m not sure what my reaction would be. Has anyone ever asked you why you wear a thong? From a practical standpoint, if you fell or had to climb, wouldn’t clothing protect you from scrapes, bruises, insects, sunburn, etc?
I don’t know why all the discussion about them being nude etc. they are “legally” dressed. Then neighbors need to go about theie business. one person ranted about what they should say to city council etc. They have done nothing wrong, they have no need to explain themselves let alone promise to stop.
Of all the REAL problems one could worry about. A middle aged couple’s attire in their own front yard should be way at the bottom of the list. Kids can even be told that the entire world does not always behave like mom and dad. Let the Pierce’s be.