CF Stole my hedge

[12FreeRangeEggs]

We live in a naice part of London which thinks it’s the countryside but is actually just a green suburb. To the side and front of my property is our hedge. It’s a mix hedge; Holly, Ivy and other trees. Our Holly has been very good this autumn and we have lots of red berries. I make a door wreath for my front door each Christmas, and I usually forage from my own hedge to make my wreath. So far this year I haven’t gotten around to it but was hoping to make my wreath this weekend.

Well, I returned this afternoon and there was a lady stood on my driveway with a large blue IKEA bag in one hand and a pair of pruners in the other, helping herself to my holly.

I politely challenged her, but she didn’t seem to think that she was doing anything wrong helping herself to my Holly in my hedge. Infact when I protested that I was going to make my own wreath with my own Holly she told me she had a business making Christmas wreaths and usually only made 10 a season despite huge demand because she simply doesn’t have the time but was willing to make a professional wreath for me using my own Holly and charge me £85. I, less politely this time, declined her offer for a professional wreath and asked for my Holly back. She refused and accused me of being bitter and uncharitable.

😮
I bet she's running some little "support local businesses" racket.

When people she discovered she was nicking the holly from the neighbours, it would not have looked good.

Someone nicking some of my jolly not a massive big deal.

But someone nicking my holly in order to personally profit. Big deal.

Glad you hit your holly back Op. I bet she read this thread

That was not the update I was expecting OP but hurrah! Hope you're able to make your wreath.

I opened this thread going to my DH "oooooo a FESTIVE SEASONAL CF thread, lovely...." and was instantly slightly incandescent with rage on your behalf OP. Excellent DD sleuthing and hurrahs all round that CF had an attack of the conscious (v unusual for a CF).

Everyone saying why get so upset over it etc....where does the line in the sand get drawn? So anyone with beautiful flowers grown in the garden, it's OK to go cut them down because your doing a flower arrangement session?
Ok it's not 999 worthy but if you had a photo, video and found the business online I would report online.

That sounds plausible. No doubt as it's a naice part of London and she runs a £85 a pop wreath business she's very MN, and had never thought of herself as a CF before.

You'd genuinely take up police time and expect to be taken seriously as a victim of crime over these clippings would you?

Ok. Well I wouldn't. To each their own.

Perhaps you wouldn't ring the police for less than a murder.

I'd be quite happy to contact them about theft.

@Havalona you accuse people of being "So over the top with reactions" and yet you are "falling around in stitches of laughter"? You see no irony? You will, however, be relieved to hear that I merely rolled my eyes in an understated way at your tomfoolery.

OP, I cannot believe this woman's brass neck - especially when challenged. CFery indeed.

how blooming ridiculous !!!! No wonder our emergency services are so stretched and unable to meet those who really do have an emergency.

So you'd report this to the police? Someone taking clippings from a hedge, then later leaving them on the drive?

I agree. I think sometimes people have lost all sense of proportion.

12FreeRangeEggs · Yesterday 20:20

So the Holly thief runs a wreath making workshop from her kitchen table. No idea of dates but wondering whether she has one on this weekend??? Tempted to email an enquiry to see whether she has any spare places on one of her courses and just turn up. I haven’t made my own wreath yet after all…

Book a course and when you've made the wreath, take it away. When she demands payment, tell her she owed you, for stealing your holly and fair exchange is no robbery.

We have fruit trees in the front garden and this year someone wandered in and stripped the plums. Another day stripped pears. When I say stripped I mean every last one that wasn’t rotten and could be reached. If someone asked for a few for a pudding I actually wouldn’t mind, but they stole the whole sodding lot. It is theft, however you spin it.

But hoorah OP. Looks like thieving CF is a mumsnetter 😅

Yes, I didn't notice that.

I totally agree.

Didnt quite steal the hedge tho!!

Agree-she’s a mnetter, has seen this thread and knows it’s about her. She’s also seen that your daughter and probably other mnetters have found her business on insta and is worried about the fall out. Her DH tipping the lot on your drive is a massive fuck you. CF the pair of them. Neither behaviour is covered in glory here.

There is no need to call 999. 101 would be adequate but of course I'd report it.

Massive holly tree in the field ( public council owned) and we took a little to help out wreath making brownies, it looked a little lopsided at the bottom, but has since grown back.

It is a giant tree to be honest..Honestly.
And does look lovely when you walk past it many years later.

I felt a bit guilty, although other locals regularly take the willow to basket weave, so no one objects.

But who would steal from a garden ??

But people do.

My sister has a walled garden, with a small apple orchard of very old established trees.
She does work away a lot, but spends a lot of time with her family each year, either picking the fruit, or picking the fallen fruit. She cooks with it, makes wine, and gives lots away.
On one return home, every apple from every tree was missing, including the fallen apples.

People had broken in to the garden, it’s walled with locked gates, and stolen the lot !!!

I'm so pleased you've got it back but I was going to suggest you going to here "business" and going mental about it being your holly.

For some holly clippings left on your drive?
My neighbours had two cars stolen from their drive and it took a week for police to follow it up.

So fly tippers as well as thieves.

The problem is that if everyone who walks by takes just one sprig there won't be any left for the person who actually owns it!

She’s a CF to take foliage for a commercial business.

For personal use it’s much more a grey area and foraging rules may apply - ie she can’t come after you’ve said no, but she didn’t necessarily have to ask permission before she took some from your hedge. It depends whether “planted deliberately” applies, as a lenient view is often taken when it comes to hedgerows etc while picking your flowers from a flower bed would be illegal.

Either way, anyone wanting to ring the police over a sack of holly is in need of a nice strong cup of tea and a lie down. We had to wait three days for a car theft.

Sounds like you might have ended up with more holly than you started with?

Result!

Ever thought of running a wreath making workshop from your kitchen? 😁
I'd come!