Neighbours interfering with my hanging baskets

[BasketCaseBug]

We recently moved house and our new home is set out in a U shape with 6 houses all kind of facing each other. The house next to us is empty, our two houses make up the bottom of the U and there are two houses each side making the vertical sides of the U.

It seems that none of our neighbours work, the two at the ends are much older and retired, they have large front gardens and they look lovely. The other couple on one side have a small garden with some nice plants in pots but said they aren't very good gardeners and the last couple are similar age to us and don't have any plants.

When we moved I bought a hanging basket and a lovely planter full of plants, both of which died in the sun. Seeing a basket of dead flowers wasn't very appealing so I bought another one, however I couldn't reach to put it up so left it by the door to put up later. When I returned the dead basket had been replaced with the new basket.

New basket has since been watered, (hopefully it won't die this time)

Today when I got home both the planter and the old basket have been emptied and stacked neatly.

So one of my neighbours is interfering with my baskets, which they don't actually mind, however AIBU to wonder why they haven't mentioned it at all. I have no idea which neighbour is doing it and I have passed them all either on my way out to work or my way back in. (All of my neighbours seem to spend a bizarre amount of time in their front gardens)

I will ask next time I go out but it's a bit weird that they just keep coming into my garden unannounced. I was in the house when they hung up the new basket.

They are being helpful. When my eldest 2 were little we had a lovely neighbour who was retired. He cut our grass every week. He knew dh was out at work long hours. He did the bins too.
Now we are older with more time. Our current neighbours are not gardeners. Dh happily cuts their lawn when he is doing ours. Takes all of an extra 10 mins.

Some really rude comments have been made. Your neighbours sound like they are being helpful but if you want to stop it then keep on top of looking after your own plants!

I find it extraordinary that this is seen so badly by some. They have helped rather than made style choices. I have lucked out over the years with neighbours who have cut hedges and watered and potted stuff and I have baked them cakes and fed their cats. This is normal - no boundaries rude people are a problem - unobtrusively kind are great neighbours.

Looks like you a 'The Elves and the Shoemaker' situation. If its not bothering you don't sweat it. I'm sure in the fullness of time the Elves will be revealed and you can buy them a bottle of wine at Christmas!

Our old neighbour used to do things, bringing bins in, weeding etc.
He was always pottering around doing stuff.
I repayed at Christmas bottle of wine and biscuits it was a thanks for all the things he did during the year.

It sounds like it might be really convenient, if you can't keep a planter and basket alive for a few weeks (this isn't a criticism, I have been the same with plants), to have someone who's so obsessed with the look of their immediate neighbourhood they'd do this for you.

If you'd like the front of your house to look even a little like your gardener neighbours, I would consider putting a little note in the planter thanking them and asking if they'd have the time to help you figure out how to make the front nice in a way you have the time to manage. It's an opportunity to make some deep connections with neighbours and possibly make your house look (more) lovely.

If you're not interested in that then I'd just leave it, unless they did something that you didn't like. It doesn't sound like you're upset with what they've done so far.

I’d see it as helpful bordering on overstepping - wouldn’t mind the plants but would worry what was next. Definitely find out who and then thank them profusely (neighborly relations and all that) but be ready to stand firm if it becomes an issue. They might just be lovely and then you’ll have made a nice friend.