A woman has claimed she’s become embroiled in a ‘gardening war’ with her neighbour after they made an outrageous demand that she refused to follow – and people are on her side
Whether you’re renting your property or you bought it yourself, you deserve to feel comfortable in your own space. That includes any garden or outdoor space you might have access to, as enjoying the fresh air can be a great mental health boost for those of us who spend most of the day stuck inside.
While enjoying your space shouldn’t come at the expense of making your neighbours uncomfortable by constantly playing loud music or even putting your rubbish in their bins because you don’t want it on your property, you can do whatever you like on your own plot of land within reason.
One woman, however, has discovered that her neighbour’s definition of being a “rude” neighbour includes just doing things that she doesn’t like – such as planting flowers that “don’t fit her aesthetic”.
In a post on Reddit, the woman explained that her neighbour has demanded she remove the flowers she recently planted in her own garden because she “deserves a better view” and doesn’t want to look at flowers she doesn’t like.
But because the plants are on the resident’s land and don’t encroach onto her neighbour’s garden at all, she has refused, potentially kicking off a petty gardening war.
She said: “My entitled neighbour came over and told me I had to remove [my flowers] because they ruin the beauty of her yard. She argued that since she spends more on her yard, she deserves a better view.
“I find this really unreasonable since the plants are on my side, and I have every right to enjoy my garden. How do people usually deal with neighbours who think their personal preferences override the rights of others?”
Commenters on the woman’s post told her that she had done nothing wrong by planting flowers in her own garden.
They also stated she should be careful around her neighbour – as the other woman might do something to sabotage her plants as part of their gardening war.
One person said: “Just be wary if she seems like the kind of person who might poison your plants. Put up cameras and prosecute her if she damages your property.”
Another added: “Get security cameras installed ASAP. Very often, this level of entitlement leads to ripping out your yard while you are not home, and if you have no proof of who did it, you will be on the hook for the damages.”
A third wrote: “I start bringing them my bills. If they want to tell me what I can and can’t do in my home, it must be because they are paying all of my bills.”
Can your neighbour remove items from your property?
Generally, your neighbour cannot enter your garden without your consent, as this is considered trespassing. However, under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992 in England and Wales, your neighbour has a legal right to access your land for essential repairs to their property. This might include propping up a ladder in your garden to access their roof for repairs.
As people cannot enter your garden in most cases, removing items such as plants would also not be allowed. However, there is a grey area when it comes to items placed on fences.
Fences can be accessed from both sides, but they still belong to someone. This is usually determined by whichever side of the boundary line the fence is placed on.
If the fence is on your side of the boundary, it is your fence, and your neighbour cannot attach anything to it without your permission – even if it can only be seen from their side. This includes hooks, screws, and even fairy lights.
According to East Coast Fencing, attachments without explicit consent could lead to legal disputes, and trespassing issues could arise if neighbours are found to have interfered with your property without permission.