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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Not to mow the meadow

34 replies

Iburntthecakes · 27/07/2012 10:21

We moved house last year and the front garden has had a lawn with an oak tree. DP and I are rather amateurish gardeners and are not good at mowing lawns every week so we've turned half into a meadow with some assistance from knowledgable PIL. It has a mown edge so it looks deliberate rather than overgrown and was already in such bad condition for a lawn that left to itself for the summer it has been covered in wildflowers and looked beautiful. :) PIL have been collecting suitable seeds to add to it.

The neighbour however is not happy. She angrily stood by whilst my FIL mowed half the lawn and the border, signalled for him to stop and demanded to know when the rest was going to be mown as she didn't want the weed seeds all over her garden.

FIL said she'd have to take it up with us as it wasn't his responsibility. He doesn't like confrontation and was quite upset.

There's a bit of a history with comments about our garden ie she keeps hinting we should chop down the oak tree because of the acorns dropping on her drive.

AIBU to continue to grow the meadow or is it antisocial and should I tell her we have to wait until after it's seeded to mow Grin

OP posts:
AKMD · 27/07/2012 10:24

YANBU, unless it's a wasteland full of thorns and stinging nettles set off by a touch of rusting iron and worn tyre.

pjmama · 27/07/2012 10:25

She should get a bloody grip. Ignore, ignore, ignore.

OhYouGreatGreatBritain · 27/07/2012 10:25

It's your garden and your piece of conservation so yanbu but you will need to cut it a couple of times a year in order to get the best out of it.

meadow cutting

JarethTheGoblinKing · 27/07/2012 10:26

I can see why she's be annoyed if wildflower seeds are getting into her garden - they get everywhere and are a pig to get rid of.

But tough.. it's your garden :)

RobotLover68 · 27/07/2012 10:28

I think you'll find oak trees are protected so you may not be able to chop it down. Check with your local authority about this

BarbaraWoodlouseAspiringHooker · 27/07/2012 10:28

It's a big job.

Takes 4 men, 3 men, 2 men, 1 man (and his dog).

YANBU.

pjmama · 27/07/2012 10:28

I'm going to have that song in my head all day now! Grin

Ormiriathomimus · 27/07/2012 10:31

Don't forget the bottle of pop if you decide to. but no, you shouldn't.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 27/07/2012 10:32

damn you.

AKMD · 27/07/2012 10:32

Maybe I should insist that the council removes the field of dandelions opposite my house? I've counter-attacked with field poppies but they don't seem to have done much damage.

DontEatTheVolesKids · 27/07/2012 10:33

yanbu, it's your garden. Sounds wonderful!
I would offer to sweep her drive if the acorns are an issue.

Ormiriathomimus · 27/07/2012 10:34

But you will have to at some point. Meadows are only kept as meadows by being mowed or scythed once or twice a year. However if it's pretty I'd leave it until later when all the flowers are gone. Providing you have no ragwort or buttercup the hay will be much sought after as feed.

nellie02 · 27/07/2012 10:34

Yanbu at all. Think of the help you're giving to birds and bumblebees, better than her garden I expect.

But you do need to do some maintenance or the bad weeds take over. But I think not with a normal lawnmower as it cuts it too short. And then you can reseed.

I bet your meadow is lovely, like one I saw at last year's chelsea flower show :)

Ormiriathomimus · 27/07/2012 10:36

Near my parent's house there was a meadow that had never been ploughed since it was first 'made'. It was fairly unique IIRC. It had the most amazing array of wildflowers including several orchids.

SirEdmundFrillary · 27/07/2012 10:38

I think it sounds lovely and will be good for butterflies, bees etc.

nellie02 · 27/07/2012 10:40

posh meadow

PetiteRaleuse · 27/07/2012 10:40

YANBU. I suffer from hay fever and garden liks this make it worse BUT they are also very often more attractive and far better for the environment (bees, birds, insects) than perfectly manicured gardens where every blade of grass is individually polished.

In my area grass verges are left wild until autumn - the flowers during spring and summer make the drive to work pleasant !

I think I read somewhere tht there is a wild flower meadow in the Olympic park? Hopefully people will understand what a nice idea it is.

lisaro · 27/07/2012 10:43

Have you got a supersonic sausage dog (spot)?
Sorry I had to. Grin

SkinnyVanillaLatte · 27/07/2012 10:47

Heaven help us all if she were ever to move to the countryside...

PetiteRaleuse · 27/07/2012 10:49

Olympic wildflower meadow

carycach · 27/07/2012 10:51

Ha ha someone beat me to ' the dog, a bottle of pop and a sausage roll!!'

before i decide if YABU how big is this meadow ?

carycach · 27/07/2012 10:51

also won't the tree have a preservation order on it?

DozyDuck · 27/07/2012 10:53

Just googles some meadow garden things. They look so beautiful! Much nicer than my mown twice Garden Sad

queenofthepirates · 27/07/2012 10:56

Thought this was going to be a thread about not removing pubic hair
Hey ho, funny how some people's minds work....

SirEdmundFrillary · 27/07/2012 11:02

Grin at pubic hair