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AIBU?

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Original poster

Flower girl depleting my bush

158 replies

TeaGinandFags · 18/06/2024 09:39

I feel that I'm being mean but I also want her to stop.

My lovely neighbour has an adorable little girl who's been picking roses off my bush for her teacher. She does this every day.

The bush is a mature Alida Lovett, so clusters of pale pink fragrant single layer flowers. It is a large plant and smells and looks bloody amazing.

While I would never bedrudge a bloom or two to others, especially a long suffering educator, I think that every day is a bit much.

YABU don't be so stingy. She's only small and her teacher deserves appreciation

YANBU once or twice is fine, but not all the time. Offer the school some cuttings instead.

OP posts:
BeachParty · 18/06/2024 18:01

Honestyy · 18/06/2024 09:42

Neither of the options. Just tell your neighbour to stop her child stealing your flowers. The flowers are there to be looked at, not taken.

This!
She should be teaching her kids you can look, but you can't take them as that's stealing.
You can't just go swiping flowers you like, imagine if we all did that 🙄

YellowAsteroid · 18/06/2024 17:58

Speak to the girl's parents. You want to enjoy the beauty & scent of the roses on the bush. They should be stopping her.

Offer to give them a cutting so they canjhave their own bush of roses for cut flowers.

Shittyproblem · 18/06/2024 17:53

I imagined a very different scenario when I read the title !

SallyWD · 18/06/2024 17:50

Oh I'd absolutely hate this. I love my roses. You need to talk to the mum.

pleasehelpwi3 · 18/06/2024 17:46

I thought this was a risqué wedding thread

Sue152 · 18/06/2024 17:35

Just ask her nicely not to do it anymore as once they are picked they die very quickly.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 18/06/2024 17:15

poolemoney · 18/06/2024 12:56

Do they clone rose bushes now? Colour me impressed.

Show quote history

A cutting from the bush will grow the same rose bush - no mad science needed.

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 18/06/2024 17:12

There was a very similar thread to this last week, wasn't there? Similar title too.

wibblywobblywoo · 18/06/2024 16:00

RedHelenB · 18/06/2024 09:56

Yabu. Your rose bush is making more people happy than just you. And the roses will die eventually anyway.

Yeh, sod the bees and butterflies and all those people who are happy to just look at the flowers just pick everything cos it'll all die eventually anyway. 🙄

diddl · 18/06/2024 15:57

Oh no Op!

No one wants to see a depleted bush.

AlisonDonut · 18/06/2024 15:53

Does she have fingers made of sharp steel?

It is quite hard for a child to actually pick a rose, I need secateurs and I'm in my 50s.

ilovesushi · 18/06/2024 15:52

Just googled Alida Lovett roses and they are gorgeous!

The parents have put you in such an awkward position. I can imagine happily saying yes to a one off request, but it is a bit much for them to let the little girl help herself each day. If there are loads of blooms maybe they think it doesn't make any difference, but it is bloody cheeky.

After your generosity, and patience with them taking the piss, you now have to appear to be the curmudgeonly one when all you want them to do is act with a bit of normal courtesy.

Out of curiosity, how are the getting the roses? Scissors, secateurs, snapping them off?

MonsterMandibles · 18/06/2024 15:44

I was also going to suggest a cutting. It's a great time to take a few softwood cuttings. I'd do so even if it's an insurance against next year.

But I also agree that unless she is snipping these roses off, she may introduce disease or die back via a broken stem so I'd be tempted to take a cutting round to her parents and tell them you sadly have to ask her to stop picking roses in case she damages the plant but you brought her a cutting of her own so she can grow one.

Then, if you see her again you can - guilt free - say the roses are lovely but she mustn't pick any more.

SaturdayBrown · 18/06/2024 15:38

Dig the bush up, and re-plant it round the back.

Flopsy145 · 18/06/2024 15:33

I would never let my daughter pick From someone else's garden. Is the mum there when she's doing it?
You could just hang a nice sign saying "please leave the flowers for the bees and butterflies and don't pick them"

ChrisPPancake · 18/06/2024 15:32

poolemoney · 18/06/2024 12:55

She starts by plucking flowers and moves to growing weed in her bedroom by the time she's 12.

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Roses. Gateway drug. It's the thorns, get used to those and hypodermics hold no fear.

Apollo365 · 18/06/2024 15:27

ErrolTheDragon · 18/06/2024 10:08

while picking wild flowers is generally okay

It's not!! 'Take only photos/memories, leave only footprints'.

Kids should be taught not to pick any flowers or plants, whether wild or cultivated, without specific permission.

Apart from maybe depleting wild species, and reducing other peoples enjoyment looking at them, some plants are contact irritants or worse.

This

DogInATent · 18/06/2024 15:17

Does your bush hang over the neighbours property?
It's one thing if she's plucking your bush when it's in her face, so to speak, and another is she's having to go out of her way and stretch to find the bud.

Epidote · 18/06/2024 15:16

I like the idea to give her a cutting so the girl has her own plant.
Anyway, with cutting or without I would tell them to stop.

sparkleowl · 18/06/2024 15:10

Springwatch123 · 18/06/2024 09:51

Yes, have words, to stop plucking your bush…

😁
tho depleting a bush gives a neater appearance.

Pinkbits · 18/06/2024 15:08

Provocative title. Nobody wants a depleted bush.

RedYellowPinkGreenPurpleOrangeBlue · 18/06/2024 14:05

YANBU - that would really piss me off. You need to tell her parents to ask her to stop. Like fuck would I be tolerating anyone yanking flowers off my flower bushes for ANYone. Go and buy some from the shops!

Singersong · 18/06/2024 14:02

I'd be furious about this. Growing and maintaining nice plants is bloody hard work and they are allowing their little darling to steal from you.

readingismycardio · 18/06/2024 13:41

You're not stingy at all!!! This is unacceptable behaviour and it needs to stop now.

LittleMissSleepyUK · 18/06/2024 13:36

That would make me so angry. You definitely need to be out there next time she goes to do it