Flower girl depleting my bush

[TeaGinandFags]

I feel that I'm being mean but I also want her to stop.

My lovely neighbour has an adorable little girl who's been picking roses off my bush for her teacher. She does this every day.

The bush is a mature Alida Lovett, so clusters of pale pink fragrant single layer flowers. It is a large plant and smells and looks bloody amazing.

While I would never bedrudge a bloom or two to others, especially a long suffering educator, I think that every day is a bit much.

YABU don't be so stingy. She's only small and her teacher deserves appreciation

YANBU once or twice is fine, but not all the time. Offer the school some cuttings instead.

How can an actual adult not cope with this situation? Speak to one of her parents ffs.

Buy her a dvd of beauty and the beast and tell her terrible things happen to people who steal roses. It's for her own good, today roses tomorrow armed robbery, it's a slippery slope.

And how is she getting the cut flower to school without the petals falling off?

Just say 'don't pick any more flowers darling, the rose bush will die, why don't you draw your teacher a lovely picture or the rose instead, she can put it on her wall'.... or something similar?

A little girl wandering into someone else's garden is a safeguarding issue surely? Report to Social Services. I'm surprised she hasn't been abducted by one of the paedophile gangs who lurk on every street corner.

Well, someone's bush obviously needs barbed wire around it....

thanks 😂

Oh just bang really loudly on the window and shout "don't pick my flowers " that's what happened to me when I took a daffodil from a ladies front garden about 30 years ago and it absolutely shit me up the banging, I've never forgot it. 🤣

When I was a child, a family up the road had a raspberry bush in the front garden. I always used to take a raspberry as I walked past. Once the mum spotted me and said "Excuse me, can you not take my raspberries please?" in quite an angry way. I was mortified! It never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong.
I can tell you I never went near her raspberry bush again! Do tell her! She probably doesn't realise you don't like it. Once you tell her I'm pretty sure she never do it again. Children hate being told off by grown ups who aren't their parents. She'll get the message!

The flowers will die quicker once picked than if left on the bush.
Is something that gives pleasure to others therefore automatically fine for others to help themselves too.
Would you feel this way if it was a lovely plant flowering in your own garden?
Can I pop round and pinch stuff from your place?

She needs to leave your bloody bush alone. Hands off!

🤣 you and me both 😂😂

OOOOOOOh matron!

C'mon.

You thought long and hard about your subject line .😂

You wanted us to think it was a young bridesmaid giving your bush a pre-nup intimate trim.

I was expecting a post involving a pre-honeymoon bride, a flower girl and a Gillette intimate grooming device. Misleading subject line?

Oh we crossed posts! Glad I’m not the only one whose mind veered off down that path.

I'm sorry, but as a gardener that made me grin. Roses have been grown as grafts (clones) for, um, centuries.

I have rose bushes in my garden and I have never picked one. It seems wrong!

I’d actually take a different tone…

id get a cutting or indeed a small inexpensive rose but and go to the little girl and tell her that you know she finds your rose bush so pretty but the bees need it more than picking it. Then give over said smaller rose bush and say ‘so I’ve brought you your very own rose bush for your garden to love and watch it grow so you can leave mine alone now’

mum/ dad should definitely get the hint!!!

I think the OP knew what she was posting- for traffic :)

Be out there before her tending to your rose bush. Cut one properly and give to her.
Say: you must tell your teacher that this is the last flower. the rose bush needs the flowers now. . You must always ask permission.

Yes, This.

Additionally, perhaps offer her some of the blooms when pruning the bush yourself.
That way she understands she can present your flowers to her teacher only when you gift them to the little girl first.
(Thus, its aways with your blessing and the blooms/frequency of your choosing.)

This was my immediate thought.
They aren’t an easily pickable flower
especially for a small child.

Yes , agreed.
A silly title , an unlikely story and op hasn’t been back.

I suppose if you were worried then you could suggest to her mum she picks one flower a week on a Friday for her teacher. I’m pretty sure most people would get it though if you said to mum you wanted her to stop picking the flowers of your bush!

Does the rose bush grow over the boundary into their garden? They're entitled to pick/trim it back but should offer it to you first. Presumably the first time they spoke to you and that's how you know they're for her teacher? Either she's just pulling the heads off or she's coming equipped. I would point out to the parents the danger of thorns as well as the illegality/bees etc.