If you're interested in garden design, consider the illicit pastime of stealing seeds.

I have marigolds from Kew Gardens, wisteria from Dumbarton Oaks.  Two days ago, I was at Wave Hill, in front of a border where I saw a spent flower head that dried up, fallen to the ground with a capsule of seeds. My daughter watched me look left, then right.  No one was watching (nor there to ask) so I bent down and nonchalantly picked it up and put it in my pocket. 

Years ago I wanted to taste a pawpaw fruit (Assimina triloba).  I read it was one of the largest fruit in North America, the fruit was custardy, tasted like a pear/apple/banana, somewhat tropical. Early in the year I noticed a couple of these trees at a public botanical garden and planned to return later in the year after the plant had fruited.  I arrived a little later than I had planned and found a couple of these pawpaw fruit had fallen to the ground.  At that point I figured (or rationalized) it was either me or the rodents that are eating this.  “Survival of the fittest” set in.

At the risk of being ostracized by my peers, I ask how other gardeners or plant geeks act in these situations. Have YOU been guilty of these temptations?

If you liked the above anecdote, you may also enjoy my related blog post.