"Anne Jackson" wrote

I think it's utterly disgraceful, that *anyone* should seek to
impose
their idea of a "perfect" garden on somebody else!

Okay, I can sympathise with the neighbours, but that still doesn't
give anyone the right to dictate what someone else does with their
own garden!

Wouldn't it be _so_ boring, if everyone thought alike, or was
prepared
to dictate what _everyone's_ idea of perfection should be?
Anne

This thread has triggered a discussion in our household about the
rights people have to do as they wish with their own plot....

The garden of the house opposite ours at the end of our cul-de-sac is
very messy. The side garden is full of stinging nettles 2 metres high.
There are various odds and ends of things strewn all over the garden
and (small) driveway. We are talking things like old cable drums as
garden table, broken deckchairs (still out there now!), dead
houseplants in their pots, broken toys, old flower pots, three years
dead Christmas trees etc etc etc..........

The lady who lives there is, as you may have gathered, somewhat of an
eccentric ! She does not seem to see the junk, but does complain about
the stinging nettles being so high, as they are a nuisance when she
gets the grandchildren out of the car (she is babysitter while her
daughter is at work). She did get them chopped down last year but was
very put out when they grew back. She seems to think that maintenance
is not required !!!! She took me to task once about weeding of
dandelions from my front garden, "They are so pretty, why are you
digging them up?", my reply was that "Yes they are a nice colour but
if I don't get rid of them that's all I'll have in the garden. Besides
you have more than enough of your own.............." She did not take
the hint !!

I don't really have a problem with the mess, as I do feel that
everyone should be able to live as they see fit, BUT we already have
visitors asking us about the junk yard opposite..........What about is
we ever want to sell the house ????

Not that we do, as yet, want to move, but we will one day. Should I
offer to help her out with the stinging nettles and in the process
cautiously have a clear up ??

Any other ideas about how to tackle the situation ??

Jenny