Dressed with decorative garden accessories, the lush greenery spanning four units may look tranquil, but a sign hanging on the wall hints that all's not well.

It reads: 'I don't know who you are who destroy my plant (sic) but please remember God is looking at your evil action.'

The sign was put up by Madam Haja Nurijah Sahat, a 45-year-old project co-ordinator who has been living in the estate for eight years.

Her rows of plants are matched by those of Madam Nadia Salleh, 50, a freelance body therapist who lives on the same floor.

A dispute began between the green-fingered neighbours after Madam Haja's plants started dying.

Madam Haja, who has spent more than $1,000 on her garden, said: 'Some of the leaves were covered in oil. I (once) bought a pot of plants for $55 but it dried up and died.

'I took it back to the nursery, but they told me that it had been done on purpose as the roots were okay and only the leaves were damaged.'

Mischievous children in the neighbourhood?

She wasn't sure. Frustrated at seeing her plants die, Madam Haja installed a closed-circuit TV camera two years ago to monitor the corridor.

'At the beginning, I saw my neighbours from the third, fifth, eighth and twelfth storeys take their children here,' she said.

'It was like a learning journey. They pointed out the plants to their children. I was very happy. We became friends because of the plants.'

But about two months ago, the CCTV camera caught someone throwing something at her plant.

Madam Haja claimed the same plant died a few days later.

'Usually it's very green and fresh. Then, I noticed certain areas which had been sprayed were curling and then dried up,' she said.

She wondered if the culprit could be her neighbour, Madam Nadia.

CULPRIT?

Madam Haja showed this reporter the CCTV footage, which showed a woman walking by the plants and appearing to throw something at them. However, the person's face is not visible.

Madam Nadia said that Madam Haja is mistaken and she has never done anything to harm her neighbour's plants.

'It's unbelievable, I have never touched her plants,' she insisted.

She claimed that she, too, is a victim of the unknown plant killer, as her plants have been sabotaged as well.

Madam Nadia, who has spent a few hundred dollars on her garden, said some of her plants, which she keeps near a staircase, have been sprayed with oil.

'But it is a small matter to me,' she said. 'I've bought a plant which died after a few days as well.'

Madam Nadia acknowledged the rivalry between her and Madam Haja, saying: 'She remarked to my neighbours that I had copied her.

'When I talk to her, she ignores me but I don't care. Everyone has the right to grow plants.'

When told about the CCTV footage, Madam Nadia said: 'It is a common corridor, maybe I was just walking by and admiring her plants?'

NO MORE CCTV

Madam Haja said she has since stopped monitoring the area with a CCTV camera: 'I collect plants for therapeutic reasons, but instead, it increased my BP (blood pressure).'

Ms June Tan, who lives on the third floor and has known Madam Haja for four years, said that she used to take her friends, some of whom are from overseas, to see the plants.

'But lately, those plants have started to whither,' she said.

Madam Chen, 60, who lives on the same floor as the two women, thinks the whole situation may be the result of a misunderstanding.

She said in Mandarin: 'Sometimes, the wind is very strong and blows the plants down.'

She said that everyone on the 11th floor gets along.

'We are all neighbours and should have a good relationship with each other,' she said.

- Cheryl Teo, newsroom intern

This article was first published in The New Paper on Apr 20, 2008.