to have built a similar wall and gates to my next door neighbour and planted the same type of hedging?

[raggybaggy]

Ok, help me ladies I need a reality check!

My nextdoor neighbour has got very angry that I have built a similar garden wall and garden gates to hers and have planted similar hedging. She started shouting at me from her car tonight when I was watering my new hedge saying I was copying what she had. I honestly didn't know what to say! I couldn't believe what I was hearing, she was really ranting and raving!! It had never crossed my mind that someone could get upset about these kind of things.
Our houses are completely different (mine 1950's style, hers victorian), so they really don't look very similar.

What do you think? Is she mad or is that I just don't understand the laws of the suburbia (I'm new around these parts!)

I don't want to fall out with my neighbour, but I'm not going to knock down my new garden wall just cos she doesn't like it!
Help!

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

She sounds a complete loon.

Did she think she had some kind of ooonique design?

[MammaTJisWearingGold]

She is mad indeed!!

[McHappyPants2012]

unless she has a custom design then what a loon

[raggybaggy]

I think she did think hers was somehow unique (oooonique! I love that) but none of my other neighbours have said anything. I think it's all in her head. Just can't believe she'd ruin our "neighbourlyness" over a few shrubs and a bloomin wall!

I have to put the rest of the shrubs in tomorrow. I will have the hose to water them in so she'd better watch out, she might get wet if she starts ranting again!

[IneedAsockamnesty]

its a bit silly to get upset about it

[Bobyan]

But did you copy her?

[MogTheForgetfulCat]

She is mad as a badger.

[TuftyFinch]

Is it just a standard, normal wall? Normal hedge? Or is it done all fancy? Have you copied het fancy wall?

[PorkyandBess]

She sounds bonkers.

Unless you have actually copied her.

[nannyl]

she sounds mad

my grandparents and their next door neighbours have made a point about being the same (they have matching semi's)

this includes the garden wall, the gates, the driveway, the gutters, the extension, the new roof for the new extension 30 years later, new garages, double glazing, the whole entire lot!!!!!!

If ever they get anything done they get a quote propertys for both and go halfs!

I actually it looks nice that they match

[shewhowines]

If it is a bog standard hedge and wall then YANBU. If the wall has a pattern or is generally not all that common a design, then I would be a bit miffed too and YABU.

[raggybaggy]

I don't think I know what a "normal" wall is? Mine is taller and it has different top on it, she has rounded bricks on hers, I have square bricks with a bit of tile sticking out below. I asked the builder to make it "similar" as we're in a conservation area and the council wouldn't tell me what the rules were unless I asked for official planning advice and paid up £50! Hers has a combo of yellow and red bricks and so does mine, but so do lots of garden walls round our way!

The hedges I didn't deliberatlely "copy". I chose them cos they were the cheapest option for a quite tall plants that make an evergreen hedge - they are laurels (for the gardeners out there) and are pretty common, she has them but again so do lots of houses on our street. The gates are the same size but different design. The weird thing is her husband told us where he'd got the gates and was advising us to go the same place to get them.

(can't even believe I'm writing this on MN or that it's even happening - don't people have more important things in their life to worry about???)

[raggybaggy]

I should add that the front of my house looked like a right shambles before I sorted it out. I thought they'd be pleased not to live next door to somewhere with a falling down wall and weeds and rubbish!

[ouryve]

Your neighbour is BU!

When our neighbours had an extension built, we paid their builder to re-build our back wall, too, since they were replacing the wall between our yards, anyhow. Since we're in a terrace where every house is completely different, having that little bit of uniformity makes it look a little smarter.

[TuftyFinch]

Well in that case she sounds mad. There are only so many styles of wall/ hedge combo surely?

[PurpleRayne]

I think you should consider a nice addition of garden gnomes. Possibly even the rude versions that I hear you can get.

[whiteandyelloworchid]

lol
surley if they are both similar it will make both houses look smarter

as for her moaning your copying her! how very infant school!

[raggybaggy]

Wholelottarosie - would you really?

Tell you something funny, last year I painted my front door storm grey and then a few months later, my neighbour painted hers the same colour. Did it bother me? NO!!! I thought, yes it's a nice colour isn't it. Now one of our other neighbours has painted their door the same colour and I thought, oh that's nice!

I just can't get into the mind set of why anyone would get annoyed about it!

[raggybaggy]

purplerayne - love the gnomes idea haha!

[Pandemoniaa]

Your neighbour sounds quite bonkers, OP!

But then I'll never understand people who think they are being copied when, in reality, all you are doing is making the sort of improvements that are right for your house. As for "using someone else's ideas", I think the idea is laughably conceited when applied to suburban properties.

[Startailoforangeandgold]

She's mad.

My old estate all had privet.

Out here we mostly have hawthorn, beech and laylandi when in a hurry.

Fences tend to be normal panels where people want privacy and paddock rails when we don't.

Not really copying, but in an area with lots of horses in paddocks, twee twiddly fences would look down right stupid.

[musicalendorphins]

Some people this it is all about them. Maybe go over and have a talk with her, smooth her ruffled feathers. Not that you did anything wrong whatsoever, but just to see if she calms down.