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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Kid keeps picking flowers from garden bushes - shall I say something?

130 replies

Primmyhill · 07/03/2024 16:32

The last few days a girl, about 7 years old, and her mum have stopped outside my house, presumably on the walk back from school, and have reached over the railings and picked some flowers from some of my hedges. Today she must have picked about 10 and then dropped them in the street while walking off. Am I being petty to be p’eed off? I don’t want to seem like an ogre and upset a child if it keeps happening, but surely an adult should be teaching the child that this is someone’s property and not encourage it. AIBU?

OP posts:
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RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 18/06/2024 18:55

Yogatoga1 · 08/03/2024 22:47

dress up as a beast and tell the mum you require her youngest daughter in exchange for the flowers.

I know this is a zombie but I laughed really hard at this. 😂

tittybumbum · 09/03/2024 10:49

That's hilarious. Didn't think anyone lived at a house with a car and presumably a tended garden

iLovee · 09/03/2024 10:36

Well done for saying something!

Hopefully mum got the message and will stop her daughter now.

Sounds like she was just flustered and giving silly excuses

sandgrown · 09/03/2024 08:45

There is a large border next to a road near me that is covered in daffodils planted by local volunteers. I watched a group of what appeared to be foreign ladies and their children picking big bunches . I just assumed they weren’t aware of flower etiquette and that those in public places were for everyone to enjoy. I wouldn’t be happy with children taking flowers from my garden especially if they just dropped them on the street .

Original poster
Primmyhill · 09/03/2024 08:37

Well I had a very weird exchange yesterday, I was conveniently doing some gardening when they walked by, didn’t stop this time as obviously saw me but the girl still managed to quickly grab 2 small yellow flowers. I said ‘you’ve taken quite a shine to my flowers haven’t you, they are pretty but I’d rather they stayed on the bushes’ The mum replied that she thought no one lived in my house and it wouldn’t be a problem! To which I replied ‘I’ve no idea why you thought that, does the car in the drive not give it away?’ Anyway, she quickly scurried off, very flustered.
I think she probably panicked and that was the best she could come up with as why would you presume a house was unlived in? It’s very well maintained and cars in the drive! Ah well, I think it’s done the trick. Thanks all for your input.

OP posts:
Yogatoga1 · 08/03/2024 22:47

dress up as a beast and tell the mum you require her youngest daughter in exchange for the flowers.

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 08/03/2024 22:42

My garden has osmanthus delavayi flowering now.

MereDintofPandiculation · 08/03/2024 22:20

steppemum · 08/03/2024 14:32

blossom traditionally is used for the flowers of fruiting trees.
apple blossom
cherry blossom
etc
Even if the tree is ornamental ie it won't produce edible fruit.
There are usually hundreds/thousands of tiny flowers, hence I suppose someone saying they would be less bothered.

Flowering bushes like camelias though have bigger and far fewer flowers. They are not called blossom because it is not a flowering fruit tree.
“The camellias were covered in blossom” is not actually a phrase I would use or have heard, because camelias flowers are not blossom. I would say "the camelias were covered in flowers/blooms)

yes, you're ight in cherry blossom etc. But taht didn't seem to be how people were using it on this thread. Unless they were thinking of almond blossom which might be out now.

DSD9472 · 08/03/2024 19:10

AntonFeckoff · 08/03/2024 15:35

I can't tell if the posters saying OP should put a sign up are joking or not 😂

I also wasn't kidding about a sign at all!

  • When I had a skip and people were adding their own rubbish and flinging poo bags in- I added a sign to remind them that I have cameras (despite having the correct signage anyways!) It soon stopped
  • I have thornless raspberry and blackberry in the front garden. I had a women bringing her children, with buckets, walking up my drive, and leaning over the other fence into my property and picking the fruit more than once. A sign stopped them too!
Its private property!
SquishyBeanBag · 08/03/2024 19:09

"I'm glad you like my flowers, they are for everyone to look at. Please don't pick them."

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 08/03/2024 19:07

What happened OP? 😊

Oriunda · 08/03/2024 16:58

NewmummyJ · 08/03/2024 11:10

I have the same issues once my peonys flower at our front wall, we live near 3 schools, so along with enjoying having my drive blocked I also get my flowers picked. Feels petty to be annoyed but a lot of love and nuture goes into my garden, and others just come along and remove them before I have a chance to enjoy them!

I would be raging if anyone touched my peonies! They only flower once a year and take years to get going properly (up to 10). Mine thankfully are in the back garden. One of my pleasures in life was making big bouquets up for my friends.

Sezanne · 08/03/2024 16:52

Cheeky fuckers. Yell out the window that they can pay for flowers from a shop if they want them. Lots of kids want to pick flowers from people's gardens, it's a parents job to tell them no!

Kitkattylover · 08/03/2024 16:50

longtompot · 08/03/2024 15:58

I would probably just say to them when they pick the flowers it stops the early bees and butterflies from being able to feed on them.

Excellent idea!

LibbyLemoncake · 08/03/2024 16:49

longtompot · 08/03/2024 15:58

I would probably just say to them when they pick the flowers it stops the early bees and butterflies from being able to feed on them.

Good idea, the child and her stupid mother might actually realise why they shouldn’t pick flowers then. A bright and breezy “ooh don’t pick them, dear, the bees and butterflies need to eat from them”

OceanicBoundlessness · 08/03/2024 16:48

housethatbuiltme · 08/03/2024 13:25

I think every kid in the UK has likely picked a daisy or dandelion clock or buttercup etc... at lease once.

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Daisy can make a great bruise salve.

On public land it's fine. It's nettle and wild garlic soup time at the moment.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 08/03/2024 16:41

Are they camellias? I’m just wondering what else would be easily pickable from shrubs at the moment.
In any case, I’d def. ask them please not to do it. The mother really ought to know better, but sadly not knowing (or caring) how to behave is all too common now.

OceanicBoundlessness · 08/03/2024 16:30

If I had a few spare seeds or came across an inexpensive bulb in a pot I might offer that do that they can grow their own, as well as asking to please stop picking my flowers.

phoenixrosehere · 08/03/2024 15:59

Trulyme · 08/03/2024 15:49

I was one of the posters who said it and I definitely wasn’t joking.

I assume OP has better things to do with her time than stare out of the window all day and so a sign may be a good idea, just like ‘stay off the grass’ and ‘don’t climb’ etc signs are used.

Show quote history

Exactly.

It shouldn’t even have to be said not to take flowers off of someone’s property to begin with, but there are always people who think it’s perfectly fine because it is just a plant, flower, etc until you put a money value on it.

longtompot · 08/03/2024 15:58

I would probably just say to them when they pick the flowers it stops the early bees and butterflies from being able to feed on them.

Trulyme · 08/03/2024 15:49

AntonFeckoff · 08/03/2024 15:35

I can't tell if the posters saying OP should put a sign up are joking or not 😂

I was one of the posters who said it and I definitely wasn’t joking.

I assume OP has better things to do with her time than stare out of the window all day and so a sign may be a good idea, just like ‘stay off the grass’ and ‘don’t climb’ etc signs are used.

Dotty2dot · 08/03/2024 15:45

AntonFeckoff · 08/03/2024 15:35

I can't tell if the posters saying OP should put a sign up are joking or not 😂

This is MN. I'm surprised they are not telling the OP to log it with 101

AntonFeckoff · 08/03/2024 15:35

I can't tell if the posters saying OP should put a sign up are joking or not 😂

Original poster
Primmyhill · 08/03/2024 15:32

Well I’m almost at my look post. Will report back!

OP posts:
Original poster
Primmyhill · 08/03/2024 15:31

TomeTome · 08/03/2024 10:23

Please don’t “pounce”. I used to let my non verbal ds walk along the top of a low bank outside some houses where there was no pavement. It was a poor choice on my part but it got him to school safe and happy. One day one of the owners came out and asked us not to really crossly. Ds was terrified and also didn’t understand. The knock on fall out was horrific. If you could just say it calmly I’m sure the mum will be really embarrassed and change.

Edited

I didn’t mean I’d pounce in a scary way so as to startle the child, I’ll just make sure I’m around and would always be polite and non confrontational. If the mother is rude though, then that’s a different kettle of fish!

OP posts: