Is it rude to look at people's front gardens

[Varnas]

I live in UK for many years but still sometimes I wonder if I'm doing something wrong without realising.
I often glance at people's front gardens - what plants they have etc. I don't stop and look, literally a glance and I never meant to be offending.
But today an elderly woman open her front door when I was passing and started to shout at me "Why are you always looking at my garden?". /I use this street maybe 2-3 times per month/.
Now I'm thinking - is there some unspoken rule about that? Where I come from, looking at someone's garden is perfectly normal but maybe is different in UK 🤔
AIBU - I was rude.
AINBU - nothing wrong with looking at front gardens

No, she's weird.

There's a garden I always start looking out for in spring, on the A6 into Manchester just when you're getting to Ardwick: in the middle of a load of very normal front gardens in front of a run of almost identical houses this one is an explosion of absolutely gorgeous flowers and plants. Just gorgeous. DH laughed at me when I was telling him about it then I pointed it out to him and now he too looks out for it!

My parents were keen gardeners and we always used to admire other people's when we were out. Having a nice front garden is about showing off, isn't it? You garden for your own pleasure, but you like other people to admire it.

I often silently admire beautifully kept gardens but don't think I have ever stopped and stared. Slowed down while walking past perhaps but not stood for any time. I agree that it makes sense when having a lovely garden that neighbours and passers by will admire it and not just the owners but there is nowt so queer as folk and you can't please everyone all the time.

I agree, she's either odd or has confused you with someone else.

That said, I hate what my dad does, which is to stand in front of people's houses and comment on them. Loudly. Since I have typically lived in less nice areas than my parents, he will often comment on negative things as we walk around my local neighbourhood.

It makes me want to sink through the floor.

IMO pointing is rude, and that includes pointing at people's homes/gardens (though obviously when you're looking delighted and waving at the newly-out daffs or whatever, that's ok!).

I once lived somewhere where my house fronted straight onto a pavement and I had a window box with herbs in it. You would not believe the number of people who'd have a quick pinch of them as they passed! Cheeky buggers.

I live gawping in peoples windows as I walk past too!

Only rude if you comment on the state of their bush...

I am a gardener and love it when people stop to admire it. I am quite happy to chat with passers bye and will even pick off a seed head if available and pass it along.
The joy of a lively garden is up sharing it and the only time I am not happy is if some entitled mummy allows little Arlo to pick something as it is only one and there are loads so I won’t miss it.

I've no idea, never thought of it. I don't look in people's front gardens mainly because I'm not a very observant person and have no idea if anyone looks in mine - if they did they'd probably look away quickly :-).

I do remember many years ago being in my mum's front garden and two school girls walked past and said how lovely and pretty it was. That was nice.

Twice people have rung on my door to ask about a plant in our front garden - it’s a big mad old azalea which looks amazing and incredibly striking for about 10 days every spring (then like a load of old twigs for most of the year).

Nosing at other people’s gardens is entirely allowed, and you can get good ideas about what might work in yours.

I love looking at peoples gardens, I've even been known to stop and chat to the owners if they are there.

It isn't rude to admire a garden but if you have plants stolen or have been burgled then you might worry why someone was giving your garden the once over perhaps?

People have had newly planted saplings and hanging baskets stolen.
Some one stole all my new solar lights one day. I think rather than her thinking you were rude she was probably suspicious? We are in a spate of sheds being broken into presently and it is easy to become a bit paranoid.

The whole point of having a nice front garden is to show it off to passerbys surely?

Don't worry about it and keep enjoying the gardens!

@Varnas

YANBU.

The woman is obviously a bit weird!!! As someone said though, maybe she was paranoid coz she's been robbed before.

We have multiple dozens (like 50 to 60) sunflowers in the garden in summer, and about 150 bedding plants (pansies/begonia/busy lizzie/geranium/sweetpeas/lobelia,) and also around 15 trees and bushes that produce pretty flowers. Our garden is a haven for bees and ladybirds and butterflies. (As well as other insects.)

One day last summer, I was crouched down (behind a bush,) stroking one of the cats, and saw a woman taking a photo of our garden, and the 60 or sunflowers. I stood up,, and smiled, and she looked shocked and said 'Oh God, I'm so sorry! You must think me so rude taking a photo of your garden.'

I said 'not at all, I am quite flattered !'

And I was too. For someone to want to take photos, our garden must be nice.

@Varnas

You did nothing wrong, and she was being unreasonable.

A friend of mine had a nasty experience similar to yours several years ago though. She was taking pics of some chickens in this garden as they looked cute, and a woman came screaming down the pathway, demanding to know who she was and why she was taking pics of HER HOUSE. She said 'It's OK, I am just taking a pic of the chickens..... '

The woman said 'who are you, where are you from, what's your name???!' My friend just said 'blimey I will just delete the photo if it upsets you THAT much, taking a pic of your chickens.'

The woman continued and said 'this is a very precarious house. It's a secret, safe house for battered women, and abused children! You have no right taking pics!'

'Not very bloody 'secret' now is it?!' said my friend.

Stupid bloody woman. Kicking off and blabbing it was a 'safe house!' People aren't supposed to know!

My friend never said which house it was/where it was by the way... Just that she passed this house and saw some chickens. But she could have blabbed it anywhere and everywhere that it was a safe house, putting the women and children there at risk.

maybe she has a problem with people damaging or stealing things or just generally nasty -
personally I love open gardens especially when you have to go through the house to see the back garden so you can have a good nose! That also why I like rightmove (don't we all!)

Windy

She’s a bit daft.

I often go a for a walk with my neighbour & the dc in the spring & summer just to look at people’s front gardens. We’ve worked out quite a nice 2 mile loop now that goes via the shop & playground as well as around 25-30 gorgeous front gardens. It gives us ideas for our own. No one has ever said anything negative. We give compliments if we see the occupant/s . Similarly, as we both have nice front gardens if I do say so myself we’ll often get people going past having a look. I take it as a compliment & hope it gives them ideas for their own garden.

TBF, @summercat, that sounds as if the woman was very scared. I imagine you would be.

Where I live it’s rude not to look. People put a lot of effort in, and expect people out on a stroll to admire.

If a person is in the garden you must comment on how beautiful it is, and tell them to keep up the good work😂.

Without being weird, I like it when it’s starting to get dark and people have their lights on but haven’t shut the curtains yet. Love being able to have a little look at people’s home interior whilst walking the dog.
Love this too, but I don’t have a dog! The top floor of a double decker also gives great views!

She was being paranoid.

For a while during May June when I walked with my DC home from primary school (a few years ago), we would grade the gardens as we walked by. It was like a game, and it was the only thing that induced them to walk on without incessant nagging. That was rude, if the owners could hear us, and I did mildly worry about it. But not enough to stop us from playing.

What's the poor of having a nice front garden if you don't want it admired? Why do people put xmas decorations outside their house... similar reason I think. It's all about presenting a cheery scene for all to enjoy.

@SarahAndQuack

Maybe that woman WAS scared. But to blab that it was a safe house for abused children and battered women was beyond stupid.

I walk my dog twice a day, walk past about the same 50 gardens twice a day and stare at them every single time I walk past - just as you do. No stopping, just looking.

I do however feel rude doing it, and I feel even more rude if I accidentally glance into/in the direction of of their window. I don't know why I feel rude glancing at people's garden but I do? And I'm literally only admiring (or thinking what a shit tip) their garden is.

Who knows...

For me its paranoia, I either think your eyeing up what to come back later or are being cheeky about my weeds