Flower girl depleting my bush

I’d be pissed off. Tell her mother that she needs to stop.

If she wants to give her teacher flowers, she can buy them.

It would be a hell no from me.

I totes thought this was a fnar thread.

The child should not be picking flowers from someone else's garden. That's stealing, as the rose belongs to you.

Just ask the parent to tell her to stop.

Also, how is she picking them? Roses need careful cutting as most have sharp thorns and need scissors or pruning shears to cut them. Apart from the illegality, it's dangerous for her.

Oh I would be reall really upsetabout this.
The little girl presumably doesn't know any better but if she isn't taught that touching other people's plants and gardens is wrong then this will be her attitude for life. She needs to know it is stealing.
My garden is my passion in life and it truly breaks my heart the problems I have with the local children damaging my hedge and coming into my garden.

I really think you need to speak to her parents about this. You should have the right to enjoy your beautiful rose bush. I'm sure there will be more problems in the future if you don't try and stop this now.

I agree with people suggesting a cutting - but offer to the child; if this is something you could/want to do, it might be nice to teach the child about growing her own flowers (if you have time/the inclination of course) - you can set a boundary re your own flowers but encourage the child's interest in the meantime. If she is keen you could turn it into a really positive thing. Win-win - you protect your roses but establish a really nice neighbourly relationship and the child is happy too.

Go out next time and say "please stop picking my flowers or there won't be any left." She'll stop. Kids aren't stupid.

That said why is the mum allowing it or is she one of those mothers?

I'm assuming it's a front garden, so leaving the flowers on the bush will allow them to be admired by more people (and insects)

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.

Tell the kid that you need some flowers left for yourself and to keep the garden pretty.
Suggest that if her parents buy her a large pot or dig a spot in their garden then you will give her her own cutting from the much loved plant.
Give the cutting and instructions on it's care.

@poolemoney
True, any parent could be allowing it

It's sweet that the little girl wants to do something nice for her teacher, but, while picking wild flowers is generally okay, picking flowers out of another person's garden is not and is actually theft.

If you don't mind her taking the occasional flower to her teacher then speak with the parents and the little girl and establish an arrangement where they come and ask if the child can have a flower (not necessarily your roses though - cultivating beautiful roses isn't easy and there is a reason roses aren't cheap!) for her teacher, but it should be on occasion - not all the time and not without asking first.

Obviously if you don't want the child to have any flowers at any time, that is fine too, and in that case just tell the parents that it's really not okay and that they need to stop the child from taking anything from your garden.

I assume she asked the first time?

Perhaps they have taken that as an open invite, which is now getting abused.

Of course you have to have a word if you want it to stop.

This, but it's a lovely idea to offer a cutting.

How old is the little girl?

My two year old has a penchant to try and pick flowers that he likes as we walk past, but I'm teaching him that we can't pick other people's flowers...

If she's got a teacher, I'm guessing she's a lot older? In which case I'd step out and tell her nicely that if she picks all the flowers, there will be no birds and bees etc. If that doesn't work, I'd talk to her mum.

You’re unreasonable not to have already told the parent to stop the child!

She's old enough to know she can't just help herself to anything pretty that takes her fancy. Have a word with her mum.

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

Could be the dad allowing it!

Tell her mother to stop allowing it

Yes, have words, to stop plucking your bush…

How do you know they're fur her teacher? Have you discussed it with her? Dies she think you don't mind,? It must take a bit of effort to break the stems if she doesn't use scissors. How old is she? Does her parent walk her to school?

Definitely tell the parent to stop their child doing this.

How are they doing this, are they getting in to your front garden?

Yanbu!! I’d have strong words.

Just tell her to stop picking them. If she wants her daughter to take in flowers for her teachers she needs to grown them or buy them herself.