Communal garden and coronavirus - would you use yours?

[Dollywilde]

Doesn’t actually affect me but just a WWYD

I live in a big house that’s been separated into 4 flats. We have the ground floor flat with its own fenced off patio (demised as ours and only accessible through our master bedroom). It’s not big but we’re very lucky to have it, particularly at the moment.

Beyond a low fence is a communal garden which all 4 flats have equal right of access over. We don’t use it due to the fact we have our own patio. Access is via the side gate of the house, so all flats have to come out of the main front door and wander around, but they’re not leaving their own property to do so. The other 3 flats are all couples in their 30s and 40s. No kids.

At the moment there is a stand off going on Flat 2’s DH is often in the communal garden in all weathers smoking weed (another thread...). He is currently occupying the garden bench.

Flat 3 however have both been in the garden all morning and are very clearly annoyed about the presence of Flat 2. They’ve shifted their picnic blanket over into the far corner but aren’t exactly far from Flat 2 - maybe 10 foot, it’s not a massive garden and only certain sections get the sun through the day. On the one hand I can’t see the difference between the garden and a park, where I know people aren’t supposed to be mixing, but on the other hand it’s private land? We’ve been here 5 years and the summer always brings out some fun pass agg between the neighbours re the garden and the smoking but cv19 seems to be heightening it at the moment...

Basically, aside from calling me a completely nosy bugger (which I 100% am), would you use your communal garden at the moment? Is there any guidance on it?

Yes, I'd use it but only a small patch so that everybody could use it and socially distance. I wouldn't be in there smoking weed.

Yes, I'd hope people would be considerate enough to take it in turns though.

We have a reasonable communal garden and use it but are doing socially distance. The parents with kids try and keep them apart (usually by someone bringing theirs in to reduce temptation). I was a bit surprised at 2 young women that appeared in bikinis today. Not wrong obviously, but we’re all trying to carefully distance and then we have added drama of making sure we don’t get an eyeful of crotch. Lockdown dramas!

the neighbour smoking there all day the true definition of a selfish dick, if we cant reach a resolution the polite way.... This neighbour will regret the ugly ways

Unfortunately this is a common occurrence in shared gardens! The last time I lived in a building like your setup, there was one particular household (and yes, they all smoked) who were in the garden so constantly and were so intimidating that everyone else barely got to use the garden. Which was bad enough even at the best of times.

I was wanting to suggest a roster of who used the garden when, but then realised it was a bad idea.
The smoker needs to be told not to smoke when others are in the garden

As long as they are apart then fine.

Out of order to hog bench and smoke weed though, that is antisocial.

Not sure what to do. Passive aggressive note through door?