Kid keeps picking flowers from garden bushes - shall I say something?

[Primmyhill]

The last few days a girl, about 7 years old, and her mum have stopped outside my house, presumably on the walk back from school, and have reached over the railings and picked some flowers from some of my hedges. Today she must have picked about 10 and then dropped them in the street while walking off. Am I being petty to be p’eed off? I don’t want to seem like an ogre and upset a child if it keeps happening, but surely an adult should be teaching the child that this is someone’s property and not encourage it. AIBU?

Nothing wrong with saying ‘would you mind not doing that’

YANBU. I always taught my kids the difference between "specially grown" flowers and "ok to pick" flowers. Fair enough if it was a one off and mum didn't see, but over and over with the mum helping is weird.

You’re not supposed to pick wild flowers either, so which flowers were you teaching her to pick?

Wouldn't bother me if it was just a once-off, but if it's happening repeatedly and with the mum doing it as well that is rather taking the piss. Tomorrow just stick your head out and just ask them to stop.

It's March.... which flowers are these? Are you not in the U.K.?

You could politely ask them to stop, but considering the mum is allowing her child to reach over onto your property and pick flowers off, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Saying that, the mum may be embarrassed and been allowing her daughter to do so because she thought no one was watching.

Daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, irises... plenty of flowers out now.

If in UK, presume daffodils or similar? I'd be furious to see them picked and then just dropped in the street. At least take them home! I'd be having a word, myself.

I told my children that when they picked flowers, they stopped other people from enjoying them too.

Dandelions and daisies that grow abundantly and have a long season are fair game though.

They don't grow on bushes though.

I’m in SE England and in my area and including in my garden there are viburnum bushes with flowers on them and they have been there for several weeks now. My camellias and magnolia are starting to blossom. I also have nemesia that are starting to show flowers.

Forsythia, magnolia, camelia. There are some blossoms out too.

Do you mean blossom flowers? I don't think it would bother me too much if it was blossom.

Bushes

So blossom?

If the plants are growing within your boundary, then absolutely YANBU!

You said they are on a bush, so could be sloe flowers or various cherry plum varieties which can make up a hedge. All of which I use each year and cook with. A one off, fine, but every day- NO.

Wait outside tomorrow. Ideally spring up from behind the bush and ask them to stop.

I missed the bushes part. But still plenty of blossom around now, it's Spring!

Our neighbours have a beautiful tree/bush in their front garden which is currently blooming with large deep pink flowers - definitely not blossom

why does it matter what type of flowers they are? they are still stealing/damaging her garden.

I’d be there tomorrow and would ask her not to do that please as they are your flowers and not picking

Agree.

I enjoy gardening, put a lot of work into it and would not be happy with anyone just picking flowers off especially since I specifically put them there to attract pollinators. I’ll admit I was excited to see bees a few days ago on my salix tree.

Would you try to start an argument in an empty room?

If you know what time they come I’d pop up at an opportune moment

I always think daisies and dandelions are fair game

Snip off the child's plaits as they pass by as a warning.

Seriously, I would not like that and would have to say something next time or put up a sign -

'Please do not pick the flowers in MY garden'.

I agree daisies and dandelions are fair game. My DS (7) has been asking me for weeks to pick a crocus to take home, I've been saying no because they are for everyone to enjoy and if we pick it, it will die. In the end I let him pick one, he put it in water and it died quickly. He doesn't ask to pick them anymore so lesson learnt I think! People definitely shouldn't be picking your flowers in my opinion