Madonna Angers Locals With Tree Planting

Pop icon Madonna has outraged locals near her home in The Hamptons, New York by planting trees on the estate amid allegations she is building a wall of foliage to protect her privacy.

The Material Girl hitmaker purchased the eight-bedroom mansion and its 24 acres of surrounding land in Bridgehampton for $2.2 million (£1.4 million) on the promise the fields could not be built on and would be used for growing agricultural products.

Pictures obtained by the New York Post show Madonna has now begun creating a tree nursery on the property after planning permission was approved last year.

However, the move has angered locals who are convinced she is using the trees to protect her privacy and to receive tax breaks entitled to farmers in the area.

East Hampton farmer John White tells the publication, 'That's not a nursery... She just doesn't want people to see her riding (a horse) - and falling.'

Madonna cracked three ribs and broke her collarbone after falling from a horse at her country estate in England in 2005.

From contactmusic.com

Comments

[Eugenia]

This is despicable of the people, arguing about anything someone would want to do on their own property! As a potential new home-owner (I'm buying my first house soon), I want to be able to plant trees and veggies. It's MY land, and it's something that's allowed by the local ordinances. I have health issues, and I want to have my own veggies (and varieties that have more vitamins that the normal varieties you can buy on unrotated crops). So I don't understand how people would complain about such a thing! About having more NATURE in one's own land! It makes no sense! It's a good thing having trees and veggies!

And even if she does it just for "privacy", what's wrong with that? It's trees we're talking about, not steel!

I've spoken negatively about Madonna in this forum in the past, but that was just honest criticism of her art. In this case, she has my 100% support. She should be able to landscape her own property!

[jeffrey]

John White sounds like an ass. Heaven forbid she want her privacy. They are just mad that they didn't purchase that land themselves.