Is this stealing?

[Drive43]

AIBU to take spent seed heads from flowers from people's gardens as I walk past?

I'd lock you straight up

You'll be into banks before you know it. Slippery slope!

Throw away the key and 25 years hard labour.

Personally I'd knock and ask, but suspect I'm in the minority.

I think it's a pretty shitty thing to do. Technically it probably is stealing. Most people would happily let you, but you should ask first.

I think you should ask, I'd bet most people would be fine with it, but I think it's a bit rude not to check with the owner.

What if they're not at home?

I’d ask too. People might have left them for the birds.

Yes it is. If you asked I would give them to you but as I collect my seed heads for next years flowers then I would be a bit pissed if none were left for me.

Go for it. The bees will thank you.

Just apologise if you get caught.

It’s not as bad as stealing flowers from the cemetery but it’s a slippery slope.

Thanks. I'm off to do it now.

I'd take seed heads that are plentiful and poking out of fences etc. Always ask if on the property. Feel no guilt if they're numerous. And i have plants that overhang so am happy for people to help themselves to a few. As long as no one takes the piss its fine

My neighbours a bit woo and is forever picking the lavender out of my front garden. Doesn’t bother me tbh. I did take 2 small cutting from my other neighbour the other day without asking. I knew he’d be fine with it though and would probably be more annoyed if I bothered him to ask

You should ask, even if it isn't the most awful thing to take in the gtand scheme of things. I purposefully keep the dried allium heads in place as they are still pretty and interesting. I'd be pretty annoyed if someone walked past and helped themselves. You may also damage a lower part of the plant (depending on what it is) trying to yank it off without secateurs.

I wouldn't do it, it's invasive & rude. You don't know that they're not going to either collect them or just seed wildly. Not your garden, not your seeds. Hands off!!

if they're not home, knock another day. Or go elsewhere. You could <radical I know> buy some seeds!

Ask first. They might want their seed heads for themselves! If they aren’t home, go back later.

Ask. A l

Yes to all of that.

If they're not home don't take them. Go back another time or deal with the grief of not having seeds, as traumatic as I am sure that would be...

I guess it's like taking anything from someone's front yard that you think probably they don't want, it is ok to ask politely as long as you are ready to take no for an answer. We have some flowers that self seed for the year after pretty successfully - only by asking the owner of the garden can you be sure that the seeds aren't wanted. If you don't have permission don't take them.

I mean I probably wouldn't call the police on you for a first offence but yeah, taking stuff out of a skip or bin without asking is cheeky if the skip is in someone's garden, but this is one step beyond that.

Sorry. Screen jumped as ad appeared & pressed post accidentally... Grrrr.

Ask. A lady knocked on my door last year & asked for cuttings from my huge garden bed.

She told me her friends told her just to come into my garden & take them without asking.

I was more than happy to let her take as many cuttings as she liked & it was a lovely conversation. I told her how each grows & gave her bags. However, if she'd come into my garden without permission I wouldn't have been so friendly & she would have left empty handed.

Don't just take. It might be a small thing but it's invasive & theft.

My grandad used to take his secateurs out with him on his nightly dog walk and take cuttings from nice plants he'd spotted in people's front gardens This was considered to be a 'bit cheeky' by his nearest and dearest, and we all put it down to the fact that he was from Yorkshire

It’s cheeky but hardly crime of the century. As long as you aren’t damaging the plant.

How do you know they don’t want them? My DH is very particular about this garden and what it touched at what time. He would not be happy if someone took the seed heads that he had been waiting to use himself.