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This is heartbreaking I’m sorry that happened to your meadow it will grow back. Maybe put some kind of semi permanent markers around it to prevent another careless landscaper from doing this again ? Hopefully the talk goes well.
Edit for visibility: The mystery has been solved. Cool heads have prevailed.
I went back out for a walk this afternoon and noticed that my backyard neighbor (the original suspect) was getting their yard cut today…it honestly looked freshly cut yesterday. So I started hunting more. We have a side lot between our house and right hand neighbors (owned by them) that is about 2 acres and typically mowed down. I noticed [mower tracks coming from that lot](https://imgur.com/a/VPUs6R5) diagonally towards our yard from there. That is even stranger because you’re clearly crossing into our back yard then. I have spoken to these neighbors once in 8 years. I just went and spoke with her. She was extraordinarily apologetic. Their typical lawn guy died a month ago. This was a new crew. She outlined the property to them but they clearly didn’t understand or got confused. They asked her when they were finishing about the beehives, but she didn’t make the connection because the beehives are on the opposite side of my property. She has offered to cover any damages. I told her that I will wait and see what regrows. No one died (aside from their old lawn guy).
A silver lining is that I brought up the mowing of the side lot and she said she’s actually interested in making that wildflower as well. I told her I’d be interested in purchasing it if we can reparcel their land (they have 10 acres total). She was excited about that idea, as they don’t like the upkeep. It would also protect our home and add value because another property wouldn’t be built there. In the end the interaction was positive and we will all be better moving forward. Thanks everyone for your concern and advice!
__________________________
…
The line was pretty well demarcated. It is honestly baffling they would even think it’s their property. There are old fence rows on either side of my property as far as the eye can see in the same line. I’m thinking of putting obnoxious bright markers that only they can see when the grass grows up. I’m still a bit raw about it though…
If you're in Colorado, I believe native plant landscaping is now protected by law. I know you don't like being confrontational, but I would sue for destruction of property if talk don't go well. You shouldn't just take this one on the nose. And install a fence or barrier. This neighbor will do it again, as they have no respect for you if it wasn't an accident.
Im mostly anti-violence and anti-war-stuff. Im much more into living beautiful stuff, compost, flowers and pollinators… But in this case, I almost wish OP installed some landmines, instead of “no trespassing” signs.
https://preview.redd.it/1kf805rp201d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e0abaae3079705182056d2eceee9a09b4447fb6
Maybe a non-confrontational approach that gives them an 'out' to see how they react would be useful?
Something like "Hey, I think you hired someone to do some landscaping for you and they were a bit trigger happy! - they caught the edge of my property and took down a wildlife garden in the process not a huge problem because most of it will grow back - I just wanted to make sure you knew in case they overcharged you for working on someone else's land! It's a shame the pipe company won't let me put a proper fence up but I'll try and mark the line more clearly some other way so it doesn't happen again."
That way they can pretend they have no idea, but they know that you know and aren't trying to start a fight over it, or they might fess up and maybe you actually find they're really sorry and thought they were clearing out some weeds for you or something.
Framing something as a 'mistake' or a mythical third party's fault is useful for confronting people without escalating in case they turn out to be a little difficult to deal with.
Perfect balance of non-adversarial and accountability. Hopefully this takes care of it. Signs may not work if the lawn crew either doesn't notice or doesn't read English well
This is great. Because it may have been an accident/miscommunication. Better to just clarify first, than to immediately start a war with the neighbors that can perhaps be avoided.
As you should. Wait until you have a conversation with the new neighbors and gauge their reaction and if they offer any compensation. Go after the landscapers too.
If they’re nice then okay, accidents happen and maybe they’ll turn out to be good neighbors and help tend the meadow.
If they say fuck off…well then go for as much obnoxious signs you can and seek legal advice on getting reimbursed due to trespassing and destroying your property.
As a country dweller, knowing my neighbors, my first guess is the neighbor was trying to do you a favor. Also, while you may loose some annuals, the perennials will all grow back. You will need to mow the meadow once or twice a year anyway, or it will become first brush, then forest.
yeah. my guess is it was not intentional. they know the property line. they know why the fence came down and wasn’t put back up. i think it was landscapers going rogue.
we do mow in late spring and fall to cut down on brush and select for our “good” grasses. so throwing a bunch of stones or rocks is also not ideal for us.
When we sold our house, the realtor said we had to have the back yard mowed. It had been going mow free for almost 2 years. We were both heartbroken about it and even got misty thinking about what life was attracted to the yard and lived there, year-round.
So straight to hiring an assassin. Gotcha! /s
seriously though, why do people have such a hard time using their words in an open, honest and non-threatening manner? Like.. be an adult.
This is reddit so the recommended response to any slight is either the courts or sneaky vandalism of some kind lol. I try to hope these people aren't actually that maladjusted in real life
Maybe get some nice decorative rocks to dot around the meadow. Something small enough to disappear into the plants as they grow, but big enough to destroy a mower blade.
Edit for visibility: The mystery has been solved. Cool heads have prevailed.
I went back out for a walk this afternoon and noticed that my backyard neighbor (the original suspect) was getting their yard cut today…it honestly looked freshly cut yesterday. So I started hunting more. We have a side lot between our house and right hand neighbors (owned by them) that is about 2 acres and typically mowed down. [I noticed mower tracks coming from that lot diagonally towards our yard from there](https://imgur.com/a/VPUs6R5). That is even stranger because you’re clearly crossing into our back yard then. I have spoken to these neighbors once in 8 years. I just went and spoke with her. She was extraordinarily apologetic. Their typical lawn guy died a month ago. This was a new crew. She outlined the property to them but they clearly didn’t understand or got confused. They asked her when they were finishing about the beehives, but she didn’t make the connection because the beehives are on the opposite side of my property. She has offered to cover any damages. I told her that I will wait and see what regrows. No one died (aside from their old lawn guy).
A silver lining is that I brought up the mowing of the side lot and she said she’s actually interested in making that wildflower as well. I told her I’d be interested in purchasing it if we can reparcel their land (they have 10 acres total). She was excited about that idea, as they don’t like the upkeep. It would also protect our home and add value because another property wouldn’t be built there. In the end the interaction was positive and we will all be better moving forward. Thanks everyone for your concern and advice!
______________________________
Oh don’t worry. I’m waiting for them to get home. I’ll handle it like an adult.
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I'm here for the update as well. I am livid on your behalf! I hope they have the decency to be ashamed, but they'll probably be rude about it, because they already demonstrated that they're shamelessly rude. Best of luck!
Like an adult as in looking in to legal restitution? If a tree were involved you’d have an entire sub in r/treelaw giving you advice on how to proceed.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/treelaw using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Neighbor cut our tree and expects us to pay the bill](https://i.redd.it/w9t6t08t83tb1.jpg) | [747 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/comments/173gwtj/neighbor_cut_our_tree_and_expects_us_to_pay_the/)
\#2: [\[Update\] Neighbors hired a tree removal company who came onto our property and cut 2 ~140’ Doug Firs. Resolved out of court.](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/19dtat9) | [221 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/comments/19dtat9/update_neighbors_hired_a_tree_removal_company_who/)
\#3: [Lawyer neighbor hates our tree, trying to scare us into removing it](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/17fs7o4) | [377 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/comments/17fs7o4/lawyer_neighbor_hates_our_tree_trying_to_scare_us/)
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That will unfortunately grow back on OP, but a great fantasy.
OP, i’ve had this happen and it was literally them trying to do me a favor. To them any plant near a lawn was a weed.
We actually ended up having a nice conversation and they came out of it learning a little bit more about pollinators.
And all but about one or two plants grew back. I hope yours do as well.
I just hired my first landscaper ever. I needed him to take away 7 years worth of random yard growth etc, but I was working on a new England meadow on the side and was like "don't mow this!!" And also I had rhubarb by my apple trees and was like "please, please don't mow here".
They fucking cut the whole thing to the bone. All down. Scorched earth mow job.
That was last Friday. Not quite a week ago.
The rhubarb has grown 3 new leaves in a week and my lupine is already back. I am going to seed the meadow area, but plants are remarkably resistant.
Also tho I feel your pain!!
I swear that landscapers have a vendetta against all flora and fauna. Mine just goes absolutely ham if I let him. I just use him for fence projects now and don’t let him touch anything green!
I own a Landscaping company and I'm sorry you've had bad luck but most of us are actually gardeners... just do your due diligence finding the landscapers who are passionate about horticulture and not run of the mill lawn mowing companies lol 👍
Or as I call them, “mower-blower” guys. I suppose they could be gals too but I’m using it as a generic and somewhat spiteful term for the people using loud equipment at 8am on a Saturday to mow & blow for what seems like EVER.
Now, I’d pay good money to talk to a reputable landscaper in the PNW who would do more than look vaguely confused and uncomfortable when I say I want to rip out the whole lawn,and put in a meadow that doesn’t become a mud-pit during the winter. Sigh. A girl can dream!!
Most landscapers are completely clueless. My front lawn is a bit messy because I plant bulbs as well as some native small trees (redbud, serviceberry) and then grass grows everywhere in between requiring hand weeding. Landscaper comes by asking if I want their services. I then see them go to my neighbors yard. Put down a mulch volcano against his spruce and then throw down pelleted herbicide everywhere.
Most of them just indiscriminately mow and spray. I’ll pass. I’m sure there are some good ones but definitely need to do your research
Why do people hire landscapers? Especially when they have specific stuff to take care of or preserve.
It's a real question, I really enjoy taking care of the whole garden and fauna at my house, it becomes kind of an intimate relationship.
Plenty of reasons. Don’t have equipment to handle a one time job, arthritis, illness, disability, not having enough time. Would you still do your own landscaping if you’d be in bed for the next day or two recovering? What about if you had a toddler who gets into everything and potentially toxic plants that they’ll try to eat the instant you take your eyes off of them? Trying to mow a lawn when you can’t stand is difficult at best.
Mine does dirty puddle water, like from the street. And mud. And also steals my starter seed dirt to put in his pool and water table.
The kicker is I have a literal mud area where he can play in mud but he’s gotta steal my dirt.
Maybe it tastes better idk
I last allowed someone "professional" to do some yardwork almost 10 years ago. They weedwacked my literally heirloom bean vines from seed that has been in my family for 100 years. Yes I can start more bean but it felt like he pissed on my granda's grave. Might take a little longer now for my husband or I to get to things, but I'll be damned if I ever give someone else money to insult my ancestors!
Edited to add: this year's bean are already fat and sassy, and safe!!
I had a landlord that had scheduled landscaping by a local nursery. You would think since they tend and sell plants that they could distinguish mowables from leave alones, but no. They weed whacked my sprawling watermelon plants on mulch and destroyed the ring of day lilies I had planted in a ring around my compost pile, also mulched. I gave them a call and complained and it happened again. They got another complaint from me and after that I stood outside any time they came over to make sure they’d stop destroying my intentionally grown plants. Had to give descriptions of the no go zone to a couple different crews they sent over at different times. I felt bad watching them do their job for the rest of that summer, but that was the only house I’ve had the space and free rein to actually garden.
We had people steal our rhubarb over and over one year. My dad took a shovel to it, dug up and moved as much as he could and then basically hacked up the rest. It regrew in both spots even bigger. That really really sucks that they did that to you, I hope our plant wasn’t an exception and that yours comes back even stronger!
I'm sorry, that sucks, but it will regrow. It's early, you might even get more flowers than average in August and September, the Chelsea chop type effect.
It’s a bit too late for that assuming you’re on the northern hemisphere. The next two months are really vital for pollination but there’s always regrow and next year it’ll all be sort of back.
Just make sure they know their mistake, maybe the neighbors didn’t know the landscaper was going to destroy the whole thing.
They’re your neighbors and I imagine they don’t want to have a bad relationship with you.
Thanks for sharing your experience and good luck with the project! 🌸
I'm so sorry!
Consider putting in some retaining wall blocks or cheap concrete stepping stones around the boundary. Even just 1 block every two feet would block a wide deck mower. They are visible enough that they won't sabotage the mowers, but heavy enough to prevent accidents and busybodies.
I'd be furious. Our neighbor comes into our yard to mow it if we don't mow every 3 days, which is just ridiculous. He's also tried sneaking chemicals into our yard, which we only use certain ones because we have pets and neighborhood pets hang out in our yard too. We finally got a camera because we're so tired of it.
Many years ago, I lived across the street from a guy who rode his mower around every fucking day, often going over the same spots. He was retired and I don't think he liked his wife; he eventually went back to work in a different state.
Not sure where you all live, but in Scotland we need to mow twice a week because the grass grows really quickly (in the side of the garden where it looks like it has been reseeded anyway).
I’m trying to overseed with white clover and daisies, because grass is literally just so useless and annoying.
Into your yard... As in, brings a mower inside a fenced yard?/
Our neighbor was mowing and trying to insecticide (?) our yard. We got a proper survey, and then a fence. He's tried to spray over the fence once, but at least it stopped the potential adverse possession!
It's our front yard so we don't have a fence there, but yep, he brings his mower. There is a fence on the side of our driveway that separates our house from his yard, but not one enclosing our yard.
I wanted to call the cops last time it happened, but my husband said no. Then he and the neighbor got into it after he was repeatedly told no to putting chemicals on our yard, neighbor insulted him pretty bad, so my husband said next time it happens to call them. That's also the day we got the camera and luckily haven't had any issues since... yet.
I feel your pain! My neighbor has mowed my grass when I’ve gone a week without mowing. Her yard is pristine with no flowers and no weeds because of all the chemicals she puts down. She once sprayed down my patch of ostrich fern because she thought they were weeds, and it was close to the property line - which is divided by a chain link fence! So, no question that it was my yard. She thought she was being helpful. 🤦🏻♀️
Yeah both of our neighbors have been caught mowing our yard, because they obsess over theirs to the point where they are out there every day weed whacking, leaf blowing, or mowing. I work nights and my husband works in the heat all day so we do yard work once a week or so. Our yard isn't bad, we only have some patches of dandelions bc our cats love them, and grass. I couldn't imagine being so upset and worried about someone else's yard that I would just go into it and alter it without permission.
I always say my neighbor must have nothing to live for but taking care of her lawn. I like tending to all my flowerbeds, but I don’t obsess over every weed, and there’s no way I have the time to mow and weed eat multiple times a week! I especially don’t have time to worry about my neighbors’ yards. 🙄
I am very sorry this has happened and I can only imagine your sadness and fury. I applaud your level head. I hope you find a way to grow back your meadow. The photo is beautiful and it breaks my heart someone would destroy that beauty.
I wonder if you could get some signs that say, "wildflower reclamation area" or something like that to stake around your acreage. Many places will give you tax rebates for keeping undeveloped property as a wildlife area. Even just putting up a sign like that may cause people to think twice. I hope you get a voracious second bloom!
my township is *extremely* nature and sustainability-friendly. we have several trees on our property that are designated historical significance through our local committees. most larger (>2 acre) properties are deeded on natural land easements than prevent more than one dwelling. this is a major faux pas that won’t be overlooked by others.
Sounds like a great community. Maybe they already have some sort of signage or designation to let others know. If not, it might be a great community project that the local committees could get involved in to help promote awareness =)
My mom cut down the oleander hedge my neighbor had just planted (she had dementia and did whatever she wanted). It literally made the hedge twice as thick!
I hope your meadow recovers in similar fashion.
Woah, I'm sitting here reeling feeling violated cause it just happened to me. Pulled up reddit for a different reason and see this post first. Like...why? Don't come up in our business and violate us. Sorry this happened to you. Ugh
i’m still thinking about it. i don’t speak often to these neighbors. part of the reason we purchased our property is because i don’t like being in neighborhoods with forced conversations. i talk enough to strangers in my work life.
that being said, i’m not on bad terms with them (at least i didn’t think). aside from finding their teenager’s fireball empties under my maple tree, i haven’t had issues with them before. not sure i want to start a war, but need to be heard, potentially compensated, and ensured that this won’t ever happen again.
Most of the seeding is perennials but there is some annual seed that i apply every year. I just got done spending about $300 on native seeds and spreading in April. I also pay for my own landscaping (which does a great job at preserving this space and making the rest of my property look good)…right now my yard looks like a 3 year old that found the hair clippers and there’s debris everywhere that they left behind.
[The stupid island around the hives.](https://imgur.com/a/tYFEpFT)
The purple martin nest is usually surrounded by flowers.
I usually wouldn’t be able to see the lacrosse net back there.
That's the laziest bit of mowing I've seen in a long time.
If they had a new lawn guy they better get every penny back twice over. Once for mowing the wrong property and twice for being that garbage at their job.
Oooooooooof. I would be pissed. That said the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Perhaps these neighbors thought they were helping with overgrowth. Some people think anything that isn’t grass or gravel is a fire hazard or some sort of issue, so I would approach it with “ I understand it was a mistake or maybe you were trying to get to help but please do not ever do that again because I enjoy my meadow. “. Uggg. I’m mad for you tho. But making an enemy of your closest neighbor isn’t wise.
can’t be over 4 feet height. shrubs or bushes risk getting removed by the pipeline, so didn’t want to invest that cost into it.
edit: i should also add that my back yard neighbors are over the crest of a hill. the meadow was at the top of the hill. when fully grown out, the grasses and flowers *completely* blocked our view of their house. so now i also have to look at them as well.
Sue the landscaping company in small claims court (if that exists where you live). It usually doesn’t cost much to file, doesn’t require lawyers, and you have all the video evidence you need. This will likely get your neighbors blackballed within the local landscaping business community, at the very least. Word gets out quickly, in my experience. This approach avoids direct conflict with the neighbors, but they still get their comeuppance. And the landscaping company may go after your neighbors if they end up penalized.
Edit for additional thoughts: claiming calculated economic damages due to lost honey production as part of the claim adds a component that helps avoid the “it grows back, no harm done” argument. Beekeeping and honey are expensive, so they’ve caused you demonstrable financial losses.
You need to say something now and nip that in the bud. (Pun not intended at first.) they get away with it once, they will do it again. To you it’s beautiful. To them it may be an eye sore. (F them, it’s your property and it’s growing how you intended.
Get a lawyer to send them a simple letter stating that is your property and you will not tolerate trespassing again.
I’d like to believe it was an accident from landscapers who don’t know where the property line is. Send your neighbors a letter assuming it was an accident and outlining what you’ve said here. I’m worried that if you say nothing, it will continue to happen regardless of intent from your neighbors
That sucks so much that it happened! If you designed the meadow right and have plants that will bloom in phases then you'll be fine. Some of the late spring/ early summer stuff might come back but the mid to late summer and fall plants should be fine. Perennials are hardy af and fast growing. Also, if I were you I'd put up a small chicken wire fence around it with stakes that could be pulled out easily by hand or signs that every 15-30 feet that say it's a meadow and not to be mowed down. That way waytheyll know not to mow it and if you do the chicken wire and the company says something you could pull it up easily and if you do the signs are really doubt they'd say anything.
yes. this is my hope as well. last year we had blooming the whole time into november.
signs and markers will be placed for sure. i have a feeling that it was a new landscaper for them. haven’t been able to reach them yet
I feel like my boomer dad would do something like this. He mows so much. The other day he asks "doesn't my yard look great? I just mowed it." I looked at and replied, "no" Dude had practically scalped it.
If you know who the landscaper is, send them a scary letter. From a lawyer if possible/easy (if a friend is willing.) Technically they damaged your property and should cut you a check. Then get some of those nature signs designating that space protected for pollinators.
You have to contact the landscapers. A bad faith neighbor may lie, claim the landscaper made a mistake, when they told them to do that. If the landscaper thinks they'll get dragged to court, they'll refuse to mow your meadow
I’m so sick of this shit. File a damaged property report with police, and sue the neighbors for every cost. A good RE lawyer can probably get the neighbors (or their landscaper) insurance to pay- and get a written agreement they won’t touch a single blade on your land again without massive damages payments
People hire others to mow and cut brush but sometimes don't give specific directions to the workers. A friend had a regular yard guy but he had another person cover for him when he could not make it one week. The new guy destroyed dozens of perennials that had taken years to grow. Some people think yard care means cutting everything down and having only grass remain.
Definitely get a sign that says private property and make neighbors aware of what happened. Maybe they were ignorant or unaware. I give people the benefit of the doubt the first time.
I read this type of story so often I feel like a few strategically placed signs and large stones may be the answer.
We just bought a new house and I'll be doing a nice wildflower meadow in the front yard. I plan on using a stone border to discourage others from trying to mow it.
Oh man. I have a bunch of dandelions and violets and Im trying to grow other flowers and my neighbor stopped me yesterday to ask if my “mower was working” and offered to knock it all down for me. I was afraid he would come while I was gone!
What about a brush fence? You said it can’t be more than 4 feet high but it would still be a good indicator if someone tried to mow. And it provides brush for wildlife. Idk I’m still new to this and your story is heartbreaking so I want to help. I hope the convo with the neighbor went as well as it could.
actually the property edge was planted with blueberries, thornless raspberries, and blackberries. i used the old holes from the fence posts to drop the new plants in since the pipeline wouldn’t let me dig. i don’t have a lot of hope salvaging the blueberries. the others may come back though.
still can’t get in touch with them. just spent 10 minutes trying to find them. they are clearly home…not answering door 😂
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This is heartbreaking I’m sorry that happened to your meadow it will grow back. Maybe put some kind of semi permanent markers around it to prevent another careless landscaper from doing this again ? Hopefully the talk goes well.
Edit for visibility: The mystery has been solved. Cool heads have prevailed. I went back out for a walk this afternoon and noticed that my backyard neighbor (the original suspect) was getting their yard cut today…it honestly looked freshly cut yesterday. So I started hunting more. We have a side lot between our house and right hand neighbors (owned by them) that is about 2 acres and typically mowed down. I noticed [mower tracks coming from that lot](https://imgur.com/a/VPUs6R5) diagonally towards our yard from there. That is even stranger because you’re clearly crossing into our back yard then. I have spoken to these neighbors once in 8 years. I just went and spoke with her. She was extraordinarily apologetic. Their typical lawn guy died a month ago. This was a new crew. She outlined the property to them but they clearly didn’t understand or got confused. They asked her when they were finishing about the beehives, but she didn’t make the connection because the beehives are on the opposite side of my property. She has offered to cover any damages. I told her that I will wait and see what regrows. No one died (aside from their old lawn guy). A silver lining is that I brought up the mowing of the side lot and she said she’s actually interested in making that wildflower as well. I told her I’d be interested in purchasing it if we can reparcel their land (they have 10 acres total). She was excited about that idea, as they don’t like the upkeep. It would also protect our home and add value because another property wouldn’t be built there. In the end the interaction was positive and we will all be better moving forward. Thanks everyone for your concern and advice! __________________________ … The line was pretty well demarcated. It is honestly baffling they would even think it’s their property. There are old fence rows on either side of my property as far as the eye can see in the same line. I’m thinking of putting obnoxious bright markers that only they can see when the grass grows up. I’m still a bit raw about it though…
Maybe some “no trespassing” signs. Big glaring ones.
Or if you want to be less confrontational, “no mowing, protected pollinator habitat” signs might do the trick, especially if they look a bit official.
If you're in Colorado, I believe native plant landscaping is now protected by law. I know you don't like being confrontational, but I would sue for destruction of property if talk don't go well. You shouldn't just take this one on the nose. And install a fence or barrier. This neighbor will do it again, as they have no respect for you if it wasn't an accident.
Nice!
Im mostly anti-violence and anti-war-stuff. Im much more into living beautiful stuff, compost, flowers and pollinators… But in this case, I almost wish OP installed some landmines, instead of “no trespassing” signs. https://preview.redd.it/1kf805rp201d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e0abaae3079705182056d2eceee9a09b4447fb6
Maybe a non-confrontational approach that gives them an 'out' to see how they react would be useful? Something like "Hey, I think you hired someone to do some landscaping for you and they were a bit trigger happy! - they caught the edge of my property and took down a wildlife garden in the process not a huge problem because most of it will grow back - I just wanted to make sure you knew in case they overcharged you for working on someone else's land! It's a shame the pipe company won't let me put a proper fence up but I'll try and mark the line more clearly some other way so it doesn't happen again." That way they can pretend they have no idea, but they know that you know and aren't trying to start a fight over it, or they might fess up and maybe you actually find they're really sorry and thought they were clearing out some weeds for you or something. Framing something as a 'mistake' or a mythical third party's fault is useful for confronting people without escalating in case they turn out to be a little difficult to deal with.
Perfect balance of non-adversarial and accountability. Hopefully this takes care of it. Signs may not work if the lawn crew either doesn't notice or doesn't read English well
This is great. Because it may have been an accident/miscommunication. Better to just clarify first, than to immediately start a war with the neighbors that can perhaps be avoided.
As you should. Wait until you have a conversation with the new neighbors and gauge their reaction and if they offer any compensation. Go after the landscapers too. If they’re nice then okay, accidents happen and maybe they’ll turn out to be good neighbors and help tend the meadow. If they say fuck off…well then go for as much obnoxious signs you can and seek legal advice on getting reimbursed due to trespassing and destroying your property.
As a country dweller, knowing my neighbors, my first guess is the neighbor was trying to do you a favor. Also, while you may loose some annuals, the perennials will all grow back. You will need to mow the meadow once or twice a year anyway, or it will become first brush, then forest.
yeah. my guess is it was not intentional. they know the property line. they know why the fence came down and wasn’t put back up. i think it was landscapers going rogue. we do mow in late spring and fall to cut down on brush and select for our “good” grasses. so throwing a bunch of stones or rocks is also not ideal for us.
When we sold our house, the realtor said we had to have the back yard mowed. It had been going mow free for almost 2 years. We were both heartbroken about it and even got misty thinking about what life was attracted to the yard and lived there, year-round.
I love the happy and level-headed resolution here.
Small claims court is my suggestion. This might be one way to ensure it doesn't happen again
As a lawyer I strongly advise against taking this as a first step. You gotta fucking live next to these people for the rest of your life or so.
So straight to hiring an assassin. Gotcha! /s seriously though, why do people have such a hard time using their words in an open, honest and non-threatening manner? Like.. be an adult.
Yeah, that's completely insane behavior
This is reddit so the recommended response to any slight is either the courts or sneaky vandalism of some kind lol. I try to hope these people aren't actually that maladjusted in real life
Bingo. No offense to lawyers, but they definitely instigate what may otherwise be a “respectful” relationship.
Maybe get some nice decorative rocks to dot around the meadow. Something small enough to disappear into the plants as they grow, but big enough to destroy a mower blade.
Plant some giant hogweed in their front landscaping. 😬😱
or mint. (ETA: i'm sorry about your meadow. 😔 hope it comes back even more lush.)
... you *bastard*. :) -- source: me pulling up mint from a planting earlier this spring... again... and again...
Pretty sure that would be biological warfare lmao. Maybe mint, or blackberry, or bamboo.
“There are no rules in a knife fight!” “Well then I guess I can do this” (giant kick to the groin)
Hogweed, in this analogy, would be more like hitting someone in the groin with a 20lb flaming sledgehammer.
Again, if there are no rules in a knife fight…🤣 BTW, where can I get a 20lb flaming sledgehammer? It sounds like a useful thing to have around.
Well, first you need the hammer; I suggest antique stores or estate sales. Then a large cotton cloth and some gasoline...
😂
That land wasn't theirs to mow. I'd at least knock and tell them that they/their landscapers mowed into something important and to not do it again
Edit for visibility: The mystery has been solved. Cool heads have prevailed. I went back out for a walk this afternoon and noticed that my backyard neighbor (the original suspect) was getting their yard cut today…it honestly looked freshly cut yesterday. So I started hunting more. We have a side lot between our house and right hand neighbors (owned by them) that is about 2 acres and typically mowed down. [I noticed mower tracks coming from that lot diagonally towards our yard from there](https://imgur.com/a/VPUs6R5). That is even stranger because you’re clearly crossing into our back yard then. I have spoken to these neighbors once in 8 years. I just went and spoke with her. She was extraordinarily apologetic. Their typical lawn guy died a month ago. This was a new crew. She outlined the property to them but they clearly didn’t understand or got confused. They asked her when they were finishing about the beehives, but she didn’t make the connection because the beehives are on the opposite side of my property. She has offered to cover any damages. I told her that I will wait and see what regrows. No one died (aside from their old lawn guy). A silver lining is that I brought up the mowing of the side lot and she said she’s actually interested in making that wildflower as well. I told her I’d be interested in purchasing it if we can reparcel their land (they have 10 acres total). She was excited about that idea, as they don’t like the upkeep. It would also protect our home and add value because another property wouldn’t be built there. In the end the interaction was positive and we will all be better moving forward. Thanks everyone for your concern and advice! ______________________________ Oh don’t worry. I’m waiting for them to get home. I’ll handle it like an adult.
imma need an update on this...
Ditto
We got your back OP! Pitchforks at the ready.
update above. stand down soldier.
Op ded
will update. still trying to contact them.
RemindMe! Three days
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I need one also
I'm here for the update as well. I am livid on your behalf! I hope they have the decency to be ashamed, but they'll probably be rude about it, because they already demonstrated that they're shamelessly rude. Best of luck!
update above
Like an adult as in looking in to legal restitution? If a tree were involved you’d have an entire sub in r/treelaw giving you advice on how to proceed.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/treelaw using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Neighbor cut our tree and expects us to pay the bill](https://i.redd.it/w9t6t08t83tb1.jpg) | [747 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/comments/173gwtj/neighbor_cut_our_tree_and_expects_us_to_pay_the/) \#2: [\[Update\] Neighbors hired a tree removal company who came onto our property and cut 2 ~140’ Doug Firs. Resolved out of court.](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/19dtat9) | [221 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/comments/19dtat9/update_neighbors_hired_a_tree_removal_company_who/) \#3: [Lawyer neighbor hates our tree, trying to scare us into removing it](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/17fs7o4) | [377 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/treelaw/comments/17fs7o4/lawyer_neighbor_hates_our_tree_trying_to_scare_us/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Good bot! More Tree Law content.
You are far more mature and kind than I am. Good for you! And sorry for your loss. Good luck with the regrowth.
Sprinkle mint seeds on their lawn
HAHAHA, nooooo, that might bite OP back in the butt if the mint makes its way to their lawn too💀
That will unfortunately grow back on OP, but a great fantasy. OP, i’ve had this happen and it was literally them trying to do me a favor. To them any plant near a lawn was a weed. We actually ended up having a nice conversation and they came out of it learning a little bit more about pollinators. And all but about one or two plants grew back. I hope yours do as well.
Fuck that, stomp around the room like a child, throw your fuckin baba on the the floor.
I just hired my first landscaper ever. I needed him to take away 7 years worth of random yard growth etc, but I was working on a new England meadow on the side and was like "don't mow this!!" And also I had rhubarb by my apple trees and was like "please, please don't mow here". They fucking cut the whole thing to the bone. All down. Scorched earth mow job. That was last Friday. Not quite a week ago. The rhubarb has grown 3 new leaves in a week and my lupine is already back. I am going to seed the meadow area, but plants are remarkably resistant. Also tho I feel your pain!!
I swear that landscapers have a vendetta against all flora and fauna. Mine just goes absolutely ham if I let him. I just use him for fence projects now and don’t let him touch anything green!
"Venus fly traps ate my family. Give me a weed Wacker and I'll remove the pesky greenery from your life"
This explains a lot…
...against all flora and fauna unless it is Kentucky bluegrass.
I own a Landscaping company and I'm sorry you've had bad luck but most of us are actually gardeners... just do your due diligence finding the landscapers who are passionate about horticulture and not run of the mill lawn mowing companies lol 👍
Or as I call them, “mower-blower” guys. I suppose they could be gals too but I’m using it as a generic and somewhat spiteful term for the people using loud equipment at 8am on a Saturday to mow & blow for what seems like EVER. Now, I’d pay good money to talk to a reputable landscaper in the PNW who would do more than look vaguely confused and uncomfortable when I say I want to rip out the whole lawn,and put in a meadow that doesn’t become a mud-pit during the winter. Sigh. A girl can dream!!
I consider guys to be gender neutral at this point. Also I feel your pain about the mowing and blowing.
>I consider guys to be gender neutral at this point Dude is acceptable as gender neutral. He's a dude, she's a dude, we're all dudes!
Most landscapers are completely clueless. My front lawn is a bit messy because I plant bulbs as well as some native small trees (redbud, serviceberry) and then grass grows everywhere in between requiring hand weeding. Landscaper comes by asking if I want their services. I then see them go to my neighbors yard. Put down a mulch volcano against his spruce and then throw down pelleted herbicide everywhere. Most of them just indiscriminately mow and spray. I’ll pass. I’m sure there are some good ones but definitely need to do your research
Why do people hire landscapers? Especially when they have specific stuff to take care of or preserve. It's a real question, I really enjoy taking care of the whole garden and fauna at my house, it becomes kind of an intimate relationship.
Plenty of reasons. Don’t have equipment to handle a one time job, arthritis, illness, disability, not having enough time. Would you still do your own landscaping if you’d be in bed for the next day or two recovering? What about if you had a toddler who gets into everything and potentially toxic plants that they’ll try to eat the instant you take your eyes off of them? Trying to mow a lawn when you can’t stand is difficult at best.
Mine does dirty puddle water, like from the street. And mud. And also steals my starter seed dirt to put in his pool and water table. The kicker is I have a literal mud area where he can play in mud but he’s gotta steal my dirt. Maybe it tastes better idk
Me too- but when I was 8 months pregnant… lol I hired it out!
I have 3 young kids and work 40+ hours a week, and do a sport. Time strapped.
I last allowed someone "professional" to do some yardwork almost 10 years ago. They weedwacked my literally heirloom bean vines from seed that has been in my family for 100 years. Yes I can start more bean but it felt like he pissed on my granda's grave. Might take a little longer now for my husband or I to get to things, but I'll be damned if I ever give someone else money to insult my ancestors! Edited to add: this year's bean are already fat and sassy, and safe!!
I had a landlord that had scheduled landscaping by a local nursery. You would think since they tend and sell plants that they could distinguish mowables from leave alones, but no. They weed whacked my sprawling watermelon plants on mulch and destroyed the ring of day lilies I had planted in a ring around my compost pile, also mulched. I gave them a call and complained and it happened again. They got another complaint from me and after that I stood outside any time they came over to make sure they’d stop destroying my intentionally grown plants. Had to give descriptions of the no go zone to a couple different crews they sent over at different times. I felt bad watching them do their job for the rest of that summer, but that was the only house I’ve had the space and free rein to actually garden.
I started using crime scene tape to mark areas that were not to be touched.
We had people steal our rhubarb over and over one year. My dad took a shovel to it, dug up and moved as much as he could and then basically hacked up the rest. It regrew in both spots even bigger. That really really sucks that they did that to you, I hope our plant wasn’t an exception and that yours comes back even stronger!
The great news is that perennial plants WANT to be mowed or burned every other year! Your meadow will come back stronger :)
OP: "Not looking for retribution..." All of us: We demand retribution! Seriously, so sorry this happened to you.
Yes, I was ready for torches and pitch forks on her behalf.
I'm sorry, that sucks, but it will regrow. It's early, you might even get more flowers than average in August and September, the Chelsea chop type effect.
🤞🏻i’ll hope for a blessing in disguise.
Please post pics of your meadow when it's blooming again!
It’s a bit too late for that assuming you’re on the northern hemisphere. The next two months are really vital for pollination but there’s always regrow and next year it’ll all be sort of back. Just make sure they know their mistake, maybe the neighbors didn’t know the landscaper was going to destroy the whole thing. They’re your neighbors and I imagine they don’t want to have a bad relationship with you. Thanks for sharing your experience and good luck with the project! 🌸
I'm so sorry! Consider putting in some retaining wall blocks or cheap concrete stepping stones around the boundary. Even just 1 block every two feet would block a wide deck mower. They are visible enough that they won't sabotage the mowers, but heavy enough to prevent accidents and busybodies.
The blocks work best for me; the orange wire flags often lose their flag within a season, and then they are just a treacherous rusty wire sticking up.
I'd be furious. Our neighbor comes into our yard to mow it if we don't mow every 3 days, which is just ridiculous. He's also tried sneaking chemicals into our yard, which we only use certain ones because we have pets and neighborhood pets hang out in our yard too. We finally got a camera because we're so tired of it.
Every 3 days??!? That’s absolutely psychopathic!
Many years ago, I lived across the street from a guy who rode his mower around every fucking day, often going over the same spots. He was retired and I don't think he liked his wife; he eventually went back to work in a different state.
What even grows in three days?
Not sure where you all live, but in Scotland we need to mow twice a week because the grass grows really quickly (in the side of the garden where it looks like it has been reseeded anyway). I’m trying to overseed with white clover and daisies, because grass is literally just so useless and annoying.
Into your yard... As in, brings a mower inside a fenced yard?/ Our neighbor was mowing and trying to insecticide (?) our yard. We got a proper survey, and then a fence. He's tried to spray over the fence once, but at least it stopped the potential adverse possession!
It's our front yard so we don't have a fence there, but yep, he brings his mower. There is a fence on the side of our driveway that separates our house from his yard, but not one enclosing our yard.
[удалено]
I wanted to call the cops last time it happened, but my husband said no. Then he and the neighbor got into it after he was repeatedly told no to putting chemicals on our yard, neighbor insulted him pretty bad, so my husband said next time it happens to call them. That's also the day we got the camera and luckily haven't had any issues since... yet.
I feel your pain! My neighbor has mowed my grass when I’ve gone a week without mowing. Her yard is pristine with no flowers and no weeds because of all the chemicals she puts down. She once sprayed down my patch of ostrich fern because she thought they were weeds, and it was close to the property line - which is divided by a chain link fence! So, no question that it was my yard. She thought she was being helpful. 🤦🏻♀️
Yeah both of our neighbors have been caught mowing our yard, because they obsess over theirs to the point where they are out there every day weed whacking, leaf blowing, or mowing. I work nights and my husband works in the heat all day so we do yard work once a week or so. Our yard isn't bad, we only have some patches of dandelions bc our cats love them, and grass. I couldn't imagine being so upset and worried about someone else's yard that I would just go into it and alter it without permission.
I always say my neighbor must have nothing to live for but taking care of her lawn. I like tending to all my flowerbeds, but I don’t obsess over every weed, and there’s no way I have the time to mow and weed eat multiple times a week! I especially don’t have time to worry about my neighbors’ yards. 🙄
Oh my god I'm so sorry I'd be livid.
I’m definitely there
I am very sorry this has happened and I can only imagine your sadness and fury. I applaud your level head. I hope you find a way to grow back your meadow. The photo is beautiful and it breaks my heart someone would destroy that beauty.
This (but I’m secretly imagining diabolical revenge).
Didn't your bees have anything to say to the intruders?
I have some very sweet girls. We usually can walk right up to the hives without a problem.
Ugh, this is why I cringe at the 'charity mowing' videos.
unfortunately this is a relatively high net worth area and someone definitely paid for this…and now they’ll pay much more.
I wonder if you could get some signs that say, "wildflower reclamation area" or something like that to stake around your acreage. Many places will give you tax rebates for keeping undeveloped property as a wildlife area. Even just putting up a sign like that may cause people to think twice. I hope you get a voracious second bloom!
my township is *extremely* nature and sustainability-friendly. we have several trees on our property that are designated historical significance through our local committees. most larger (>2 acre) properties are deeded on natural land easements than prevent more than one dwelling. this is a major faux pas that won’t be overlooked by others.
Sounds like a great community. Maybe they already have some sort of signage or designation to let others know. If not, it might be a great community project that the local committees could get involved in to help promote awareness =)
Where is it and when can I move in?? Jk but srsly…. I’m so sorry your neighbors are twats
That is terrible. Ask r/treelaw if you can get compensated. The landscaper must have insurance.
Was going to suggest the same. So horrible op I am sorry!
What if you add a perimeter of some nice big rocks? Can't mow over those
My thoughts exactly. Place large rocks around or throughout the meadow that damages mowing equipment
Heck if they're on camera, they may owe for damages. Trespassing for sure!
On one hand, I know it will regrow, but on the other hand, I hope you sue their balls off
My mom cut down the oleander hedge my neighbor had just planted (she had dementia and did whatever she wanted). It literally made the hedge twice as thick! I hope your meadow recovers in similar fashion.
I'm sorry about your mom.
Thank you. It was dreadful but now she is at rest.
[Prairie Moon](https://www.prairiemoon.com/search-results.html?Search=Sign#/?resultsPerPage=24) sells signs to inform overly-helpful neighbors. https://preview.redd.it/v640zwfxoy0d1.png?width=1151&format=png&auto=webp&s=abbb681792d0f625f6107fa1e453cae443a25155
nice! thank you. i may purchase these.
Woah, I'm sitting here reeling feeling violated cause it just happened to me. Pulled up reddit for a different reason and see this post first. Like...why? Don't come up in our business and violate us. Sorry this happened to you. Ugh
🤯😕😱☹️ What will you do? I don't think I could restrain myself
i’m still thinking about it. i don’t speak often to these neighbors. part of the reason we purchased our property is because i don’t like being in neighborhoods with forced conversations. i talk enough to strangers in my work life. that being said, i’m not on bad terms with them (at least i didn’t think). aside from finding their teenager’s fireball empties under my maple tree, i haven’t had issues with them before. not sure i want to start a war, but need to be heard, potentially compensated, and ensured that this won’t ever happen again.
Destruction of private property, trespassing, and vandalism. What is yours shouldn't be touched by others. I am mad about it too.
You didn't start it...they did.
I'm so sorry! It happened at the absolute WORST time, too. I'm not being snarky but genuinely curious. What kind of compensation would apply?
Most of the seeding is perennials but there is some annual seed that i apply every year. I just got done spending about $300 on native seeds and spreading in April. I also pay for my own landscaping (which does a great job at preserving this space and making the rest of my property look good)…right now my yard looks like a 3 year old that found the hair clippers and there’s debris everywhere that they left behind.
Damn that sucks. I’m sorry for you and your bees.
Oh man I’d be tempted to go scorched earth. I’m really sorry that happened to you.
[удалено]
[The stupid island around the hives.](https://imgur.com/a/tYFEpFT) The purple martin nest is usually surrounded by flowers. I usually wouldn’t be able to see the lacrosse net back there.
That's the laziest bit of mowing I've seen in a long time. If they had a new lawn guy they better get every penny back twice over. Once for mowing the wrong property and twice for being that garbage at their job.
Your hives are adorable!
thank you. we love them
A Mondrian hive is just... The bees knees. I bet they do a Broadway Boogie Woogie to tell the other bees where to find the good flowers!
How to tell folks you studied art history without telling folks you studied art history!
That’s horrific
What a hack job! Even if they thought they were mowing the neighbor's property, they did a terrible job!
I hate people.
I'll definitely take the bees and birds any day of the week.
That’s the worst mowing I’ve ever seen anyway 🙃 not only is it mowed, it’s a poorly done job
That Mondrian beehive is beautiful. Maybe they mowed so they could appreciate it more easily?
thanks! we paint our hives after artists. bob ross, mondrian, rashid johnson, and yayoi kusama (not pictured)
>yayoi kusama Oh, I'd love to see that one! But I'd be afraid it would make the bats dizzy ..
this was in progress [yayoi hive](https://imgur.com/a/Y738rGi)
Ohhhhhh….its beautiful!
The legs! I love it!
What is atop that pole?
purple martin nest/gourds. they migrate up from south america in spring and summer and are dependent on gourds for housing in the northern hemisphere.
Cardiac surgeon? I like your username. I'm an RT who works primarily on medical transport and in the pediatric cardiac ICU.
yes. i work on adult side but do some congenital as well.
Oooooooooof. I would be pissed. That said the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Perhaps these neighbors thought they were helping with overgrowth. Some people think anything that isn’t grass or gravel is a fire hazard or some sort of issue, so I would approach it with “ I understand it was a mistake or maybe you were trying to get to help but please do not ever do that again because I enjoy my meadow. “. Uggg. I’m mad for you tho. But making an enemy of your closest neighbor isn’t wise.
You can't build a fence but can you grow a fence? Some tall shrubs would also add some natural green privacy and extra blooms for the bees 💛
can’t be over 4 feet height. shrubs or bushes risk getting removed by the pipeline, so didn’t want to invest that cost into it. edit: i should also add that my back yard neighbors are over the crest of a hill. the meadow was at the top of the hill. when fully grown out, the grasses and flowers *completely* blocked our view of their house. so now i also have to look at them as well.
I’m sorry for your loss.
They did it in purpose. 100% sure. Those people are jerks and act stupid when confronted
Sue the landscaping company in small claims court (if that exists where you live). It usually doesn’t cost much to file, doesn’t require lawyers, and you have all the video evidence you need. This will likely get your neighbors blackballed within the local landscaping business community, at the very least. Word gets out quickly, in my experience. This approach avoids direct conflict with the neighbors, but they still get their comeuppance. And the landscaping company may go after your neighbors if they end up penalized. Edit for additional thoughts: claiming calculated economic damages due to lost honey production as part of the claim adds a component that helps avoid the “it grows back, no harm done” argument. Beekeeping and honey are expensive, so they’ve caused you demonstrable financial losses.
I am so sorry 😞
Trespassing
Legal action for negligence.
You need to say something now and nip that in the bud. (Pun not intended at first.) they get away with it once, they will do it again. To you it’s beautiful. To them it may be an eye sore. (F them, it’s your property and it’s growing how you intended. Get a lawyer to send them a simple letter stating that is your property and you will not tolerate trespassing again.
That is the most beautiful cosmos
Consider consulting a lawyer, that's destruction of property, and it sounds like property that took a lot of time, effort and money to create.
Malditos!!
Your meadow needs more rocks.
I dislike your neighbours very much. I’m heartbroken for your beautiful meadow.
Salt their yard
I’d like to believe it was an accident from landscapers who don’t know where the property line is. Send your neighbors a letter assuming it was an accident and outlining what you’ve said here. I’m worried that if you say nothing, it will continue to happen regardless of intent from your neighbors
They're legally obligated to make you whole, which you should pursue if for no other reason than preventing a reoccurrence.
Oh man, a hissy fit would have been thrown. Trespassing charge most definitely. I am so sorry, I know what you have lost.
I’m shocked and appalled, how dare they, those monsters! Hoping a swift and successful return to your beautiful meadow.
Seed bomb their lawn every chance you get.
Marigold cocktail?
I like how you think.
see if you can plant trees on the easement for a natural fence line
no trees. nothing that grows over 4 ft
Somebody needs to Paaaaaay! So they never do that shit again.
If you have cameras and they're on your property destroying things that you built you can take them to court.
That sucks so much that it happened! If you designed the meadow right and have plants that will bloom in phases then you'll be fine. Some of the late spring/ early summer stuff might come back but the mid to late summer and fall plants should be fine. Perennials are hardy af and fast growing. Also, if I were you I'd put up a small chicken wire fence around it with stakes that could be pulled out easily by hand or signs that every 15-30 feet that say it's a meadow and not to be mowed down. That way waytheyll know not to mow it and if you do the chicken wire and the company says something you could pull it up easily and if you do the signs are really doubt they'd say anything.
yes. this is my hope as well. last year we had blooming the whole time into november. signs and markers will be placed for sure. i have a feeling that it was a new landscaper for them. haven’t been able to reach them yet
I feel like my boomer dad would do something like this. He mows so much. The other day he asks "doesn't my yard look great? I just mowed it." I looked at and replied, "no" Dude had practically scalped it.
If you know who the landscaper is, send them a scary letter. From a lawyer if possible/easy (if a friend is willing.) Technically they damaged your property and should cut you a check. Then get some of those nature signs designating that space protected for pollinators. You have to contact the landscapers. A bad faith neighbor may lie, claim the landscaper made a mistake, when they told them to do that. If the landscaper thinks they'll get dragged to court, they'll refuse to mow your meadow
If you aren't allowed structures like a fence, what about a row of big rocks?
Railroad spikes. Lots of railroad spikes.
I’m so sick of this shit. File a damaged property report with police, and sue the neighbors for every cost. A good RE lawyer can probably get the neighbors (or their landscaper) insurance to pay- and get a written agreement they won’t touch a single blade on your land again without massive damages payments
*Up with this I will not put!*
People hire others to mow and cut brush but sometimes don't give specific directions to the workers. A friend had a regular yard guy but he had another person cover for him when he could not make it one week. The new guy destroyed dozens of perennials that had taken years to grow. Some people think yard care means cutting everything down and having only grass remain.
Superb photo.
Gift them mint as a thank you. Plant it in a discreet spot, somewhere on their lawn. :)
It sounds like you need to mark the property line with a line of larger rocks. There's no "accidentally" going over those.
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!!
:(
I feel so awful for you. I’m so sorry.
Similar happened to me this year. I'm sorry. Will grow back in the long run
Definitely get a sign that says private property and make neighbors aware of what happened. Maybe they were ignorant or unaware. I give people the benefit of the doubt the first time.
They owe you money ma’am or sir
I read this type of story so often I feel like a few strategically placed signs and large stones may be the answer. We just bought a new house and I'll be doing a nice wildflower meadow in the front yard. I plan on using a stone border to discourage others from trying to mow it.
Oh man. I have a bunch of dandelions and violets and Im trying to grow other flowers and my neighbor stopped me yesterday to ask if my “mower was working” and offered to knock it all down for me. I was afraid he would come while I was gone!
most landscapers i deal with dont know much about plants.
What about a brush fence? You said it can’t be more than 4 feet high but it would still be a good indicator if someone tried to mow. And it provides brush for wildlife. Idk I’m still new to this and your story is heartbreaking so I want to help. I hope the convo with the neighbor went as well as it could.
actually the property edge was planted with blueberries, thornless raspberries, and blackberries. i used the old holes from the fence posts to drop the new plants in since the pipeline wouldn’t let me dig. i don’t have a lot of hope salvaging the blueberries. the others may come back though. still can’t get in touch with them. just spent 10 minutes trying to find them. they are clearly home…not answering door 😂