One environmentally conscious homeowner on Reddit recently shared an angry note that they received from an impatient neighbor who didn't seem to understand that plants take time to grow.
Like many on the r/NoLawns subreddit, the original poster said they were replacing sections of their lawn with native plants. Native plants need less water than grass, making them cheaper to maintain, and because they're a natural part of the local ecosystem, they also provide food and shelter for wildlife.
Transitioning from grass to any other kind of plant is a process, but this Redditor's neighbor seemed to expect immediate results. "Since calling the city on us didn't work, our neighbor is resorting to mailing us notes," said the Redditor.
They included a photograph of the note, which said that the writer was "all for native plantings … when done right."
However, the neighbor continued, "Yours looks like absolute s***. I can tell by the rest of your house this was purely a move of laziness vs. the environment saving tactic." The note was signed "Your neighbors."
According to the homeowner, though, the neighbor couldn't be more off base. "The city and our HOA love the project and even asked us for the company we used so they can do similar plantings in public spaces," they wrote.
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The only problem with the new garden beds was that they hadn't had time to grow in fully. "I guess since the native grasses aren't all sprouted yet, it wasn't 'done right!'" said the Redditor. "In the photos the garden does look pretty sparse, but that is because this is a new planting with wildflower plugs and seeded native grass. The company is coming back to reseed the areas that didn't germinate once the weather cools down, so we should have full coverage next year."
While it might seem like common sense that anything newly planted would need time to sprout, the neighbor seemed not to have gotten the memo. "This neighbor has yelled at us about our native garden, called the city on us, and is now sending notes," the homeowner said.
Hopefully, the Redditor and their family will not have to deal with that behavior much longer. "We have planted some bushes that will grow quickly to block her window that looks into our yard," said the homeowner. With any luck, that should leave the neighbor with nothing to complain about.
Many people left comments supporting the original poster. One said, "It looks pretty good for starting out. It will fill in nicely … people are so stupid."
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Another added, "Imagine being that big of a karen, your yard is beautiful!'
A couple of Redditors suggested the OP get the law involved. "Mail a certified letter of cease and desist to the neighbor," one person said. "Then the next time they contact you, go to the cops and press charges for harrassment."
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