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Writer's picturePeter Berthoud

London's Naughtiest Planting Troughs?

As Spring approaches our thoughts turn to gardening, well mine do anyway.


I have no garden, just an "area", so I am always on the look-out for an inspiring pot, planter or trough. But I am not sure how my neighbours would take to a pair of troughs that I discovered in Camden the other day.


The troughs in question can be spotted just behind that camel in Lady Somerset Road, N5.


The Camel of Lady Somerset Road
The Camel of Lady Somerset Road

At first glance they look perfectly respectable.


Respectable looking planting trough
Respectable looking planting trough

It is only when one looks a little closer that, well ...


Two cherubs and a sheep engaged in dubious activity on the planting trough
Well indeed!

The two boys and their "special friend" the sheep, all seem to be having an absolutely marvellous time.


But this graphic depiction of their unashamed cross-species, and under-age, mutual pleasuring does seem a most unlikely, and distasteful, way to decorate a planter.


I think the camel is with me on the matter; its head is turned away, its bag is packed, it quite clearly feels and embodies total disgust in the way that only a concrete camel can.

UPDATE: In the original version of this post I suggested that Camden Council might have been behind the design of these troughs. Four hours of tough investigation have led me to revise the post.


I am now very happy to say that Camden Council are NOT involved in any way. In a bid to distance themselves from the furore surrounding the erotic tubs they declared today on Twitter that the "plant pots nothing to do with us! Perhaps the owner of the camel can shed some light? May be private property." via @camdentalking.


Many worried local residents had contacted me earlier in the day to ask if these lurid pots were perhaps the forerunners of a planned borough-wide roll-out of similarly fruity designs for the area's planters. Obviously some were especially worried about the impression this might be sending out to the world during an Olympic Year. Well they need fear no more, relief all round!

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