Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Pirelli · 08/03/2024 10:27

I agree with your husband @Primmyhill
We should be encouraging children to experience nature. I know it might be annoying if the child drops them after picking them but as your husband says, flowers drop naturally anyway.

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.

Original poster
Primmyhill · 08/03/2024 10:17

Thanks everyone. As I thought, but my very laid back husband said, ‘oh, but they’re just flowers that will fall off and die soon, at least she’s getting some pleasure from them’ That’s not the point though, he doesn’t get it.
I’ll keep a look out today and will be ready to pounce - will go in polite but will up the ante if I need to!
For those that asked, there’s a variety - camellia, blossom and some small yellow flowers on a hedge but I’m not sure what they’re called.

OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 07/03/2024 22:22

SomeCatFromJapan · 07/03/2024 18:25

I wouldn't even puck dandelions in flower. They're an important food source for bees.
Wild flowers are actually more likely to be an improvement part of the ecosystem so please don't let your children pick them.

I take your point, but taking the longer term view - interacting with flowers, including picking them when they're abundant (and Plantlife's "pick 1 flower out of every 20 rule is a good one) will mean you have children growing up valuing them, and that in turn makes it more likely that their habitats will be cherished. If they're told to keep off, they will lose interest, and once they are the generation who are voting, it will be easier for flower rich habitats to be destroyed.

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/03/2024 22:17

Dotty2dot · 07/03/2024 17:30

I was replying to the daffodil, crocus etc post . I've never seen a daffodil bush.

Show quote history

Sorry, you're right, it was @HelloMiss who didn't believe there were any flowers out in the UK at the moment.

madamepopov · 07/03/2024 19:45

Oh I hate this. My kids love picking flowers and I'm quite strict that they're only allowed a few dandelions and daisies, absolutely never any plants that someone has grown, even if they're overhanging.
Every single time they go out with Mil in the summer they come back with a rose or camellia or something. They just can't see how disrespectful that is.

Temuaddiction · 07/03/2024 18:51

Rude and mum should say something

Georgyporky · 07/03/2024 18:50

Forget the politeness, just say "Don't pick my flowers"

LoobyDop · 07/03/2024 18:48

I once watched a family emerge from a park holding big bunches of flowers they had clearly just picked from the park beds. They stopped outside the park, dropped all the flowers on the pavement, and walked away.

Rosestulips · 07/03/2024 18:33

It absolutely does not matter what type of flower kid is picking, it’s stealing and damaging OP property.

anyway I’m going guess it’s primroses

BlackeyedSusan · 07/03/2024 18:31

Ahhhh, happy memories...

Some woman came into our shared garden and picked a whole bunch of flowers , more than once... She was confronted by a neighbour. Woman got mouthy and was saying it was "not a problem" so neighbour picked up the woman's shopping bag and refused to give it back!

Never came back to nick flowers again.

DSD9472 · 07/03/2024 18:29

BoomBoomBoomLemmeHearYouSayWayOh · 07/03/2024 18:27

I'd put a sign out
'Please do not pick the flowers'

A better sign 'Please do not pick MY flowers' 😃

BoomBoomBoomLemmeHearYouSayWayOh · 07/03/2024 18:27

I'd put a sign out
'Please do not pick the flowers'

SomeCatFromJapan · 07/03/2024 18:25

I wouldn't even puck dandelions in flower. They're an important food source for bees.
Wild flowers are actually more likely to be an improvement part of the ecosystem so please don't let your children pick them.

Newhere5 · 07/03/2024 18:21

Dotty2dot · 07/03/2024 16:50

They don't grow on bushes though.

Show quote history

camellia
magnolia

Dotty2dot · 07/03/2024 17:39

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/03/2024 17:33

You were challenging the idea that there were any bushes with flowers out in the UK, someone suggested a number of bulbs, you pointed out they weren't bushes, I (and others) gave you a list of bushes which bear flowers at this time of year.

So yes, there are indeed bushes bearing flowers at this time of year in the UK.

Show quote history

I was not. I was challenging the daffodil post. There's no need to go all Monty Don about it.

DSD9472 · 07/03/2024 17:35

If you dont want to confront them, or won't be in during their next stealing episode, put up signs- 'SMILE- You are being filmed 🙂'
Get a sprinkler to turn on at the same time in their direction.

GN637 · 07/03/2024 17:34

I always tell my dc not to pluck even leaves off bushes because if it's not yours then you don't take it and that's someone's garden. I'd be saying something or hiding behind the bush and leaping out at them telling them to stop stealing my flowers😁

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/03/2024 17:33

Dotty2dot · 07/03/2024 17:30

I was replying to the daffodil, crocus etc post . I've never seen a daffodil bush.

Show quote history

You were challenging the idea that there were any bushes with flowers out in the UK, someone suggested a number of bulbs, you pointed out they weren't bushes, I (and others) gave you a list of bushes which bear flowers at this time of year.

So yes, there are indeed bushes bearing flowers at this time of year in the UK.

SameSameButDeliverance · 07/03/2024 17:31

I’d be straight out there telling - not asking - them to stop nicking my flowers!

Londonrach1 · 07/03/2024 17:31

HelloMiss · 07/03/2024 16:47

It's March.... which flowers are these? Are you not in the U.K.?

Lots in my garden and I'm in UK. Love the snowdrops and daffodils out at the moment and got blossom on the apple and peach tree....

Op I'd mention it as been more than once.

Dotty2dot · 07/03/2024 17:30

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/03/2024 17:28

Winter honeysuckle, witch hazel, Corylopsis, Flowering currant, Camellia, Viburnum .....

Show quote history

I was replying to the daffodil, crocus etc post . I've never seen a daffodil bush.

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/03/2024 17:28

Dotty2dot · 07/03/2024 16:50

They don't grow on bushes though.

Show quote history

Winter honeysuckle, witch hazel, Corylopsis, Flowering currant, Camellia, Viburnum .....

Wotchaz · 07/03/2024 17:28

Yes, say something. My 4 yo would 100% do this if I let her, but she knows that anything in a garden or that looks “planted” and not just growing (incl bulbs) are off limits.

DeedlessIndeed · 07/03/2024 17:26

Yes, it would annoy me.

Also, so what if it is "just" blossom? Blossom on my boundary will eventually become fruit! Either edible fruit for me, or for birds.

Swipe left for the next trending thread