I've been living in my current house for less than two years, and I have a neighbor who seems to take a lot of interest in what I have growing in my yard. This neighbor is a retiree and really focuses on his own lawn, while I like to keep a more natural and wild approach to my garden, including wildflowers and some medicinal plants. Recently, he approached my partner (who's not involved in yard care) and asked that we remove a plant he referred to as a 'weed' from my backyard. I only found out about this after I came home, and it felt a bit strange that he chose to talk to my partner instead of me. I suggested to my partner that I wouldn't mind trimming back the fruiting parts of the plant to prevent it from spreading, but I wouldn't have it in my yard if I didn't want it there in the first place. I'm trying to remain open-minded and not overly defensive, but I also feel it's my yard to manage as I see fit. This neighbor has previously entered my yard over the fence to pull some plants he deemed weeds, and it's left me feeling uncomfortable. How would you approach this situation?
2 Answers
You might want to consider educating him a little! Something like, "Hey, we actually enjoy having pokeweed because it supports local wildlife and has its benefits!" If you offer some seeds or share info about it, he might lose interest in complaining. I tend to nerd out about plants, and it usually makes people reconsider their approach!
Honestly, I think the best response is just not to engage with him on this. You don’t want someone else dictating what you can or can’t have in your own yard. If he persisting, maybe you could kindly remind him that you enjoy the plants you have and they serve a purpose for you. Just keep it friendly and hopefully he’ll back off!
Haha, that’s a great idea! If he’s upset, you could bombard him with cool facts about the plant, and hopefully he realizes it’s not just a weed to be yanked.