Since writing about the nude gardening movement last week -- and wondering aloud about its potential hazards -- others who share my concern have been alerting me to all sorts of gardening accidents.
Some sound too sensational to be true, but I did some poking around and confirmed many, indeed, are based on fact. Be careful out there; it's dangerous.
In 2004, Incubus singer Brandon Boyd severed 90 % of his Achilles tendon while repotting a plant. He allegedly credited the injury with having helped him cut to the front of airport security lines.
Last July, Brooklyn blogger Clueless Gardener severed an entire fingertip while deadheading.
In 2003, heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio lost his thumb while tinkering in his garden. Some object, reportedly a garden gnome (though I wasn't able to confirm this) was knocked from a ledge above him. He sustained the injury when he tried to protect his head with his hand. The thumb was successfully reattached.
Then there's the fictitious Spinal Tap, whose drummers dropped like flies. While one spontaneously combusted and another choked on someone else's vomit (?!?), there was one who actually died in a vague "bizarre gardening accident." No further explanation was provided.
In a tragic life-imitates-art scenario, Jeff Porcaro, drummer for the band Toto, died in 1992 at the age of 38 from an allergic reaction to a weed killer he was applying in his garden.
Completely unrelated to actual gardening events, but noteworthy nonetheless, Angry Salad, a band I never heard of but whose name amuses me, released an album in 1997 titled, "Bizarre Gardening Accident." I wonder whether it's a nod to the Spinal Tap legacy. The CD contains a cover of Nena's "99 Red Balloons."
Last February, I ripped my fingertip open when it became caught between the slats of my garage door as it was opening. I was going in there to get some potting soil, so I think that counts as a gardening accident. It didn't require stitches, but I did have to wear a splint for 2 weeks.
I just hope no one was ever injured in a blogging accident.
Comments (1)
Enjoyed the information on gardening injuries. I was stung by a bee at about 3 years old, and swelled up like a balloon. Have never been stung by a bee as an adult, so don't know if I am still allergic. People can't believe I garden not knowing whether I am still allergic, but I have told them, "what better place to go than in my garden". Nice blog.