One homeowner on Reddit was excited to find a loophole in their HOA's frustrating garden ban.
When it comes to yards, many HOAs are strict, verging on nitpicky. For example, one family claimed they were fined and forced to remove their garden bed because it was just four inches too long.
For this Redditor, though, there was a way through. "Our HOA doesn't allow in-ground gardening, so I made this sweet setup," they said, sharing several photos of their front yard.
Inside a white picket fence, the Redditor had placed a dozen flowerpots and planters. An assortment of vegetables and herbs flourished in the lively container garden.
In a comment, the Redditor elaborated on the post: "Our patio doesn't get much light so I set all my veggies in the sun by the fence. I have a Meyer lemon tree, grape tomatoes, a few random tomato plants (donated by a local nursery and brought back to life by me), red chili peppers of some kind, various herbs, lettuce, kale, and Waltham 29 broccoli."
According to the original poster, the container garden fit their HOA's guidelines, which were "no in ground gardens allowed and must be able to move everything off the lawn when they ask."
"I'm super proud of my workaround to the HOA rules," they added. "Hopefully most of this will last into fall."
"This is wonderful!" said a commenter. "I do have to say though — your HOA sounds horrible. I understand needing to regulate things like outdoor storage, satellite dishes, and other aesthetic things, but a garden?"
"Most HOAs are awful," the original poster agreed. "Apparently it causes uneven workloads for the landscapers on properties with 'landscaping elements,' and they're likely afraid it will require extra work to repair if we sell. We already pay extra yearly to have a fence, and residents complained about it."
They also added, "In all honesty they might allow it, but would charge us even more for landscaping, and I like container gardening."
While this Redditor got what they wanted by following the exact letter of the law, other HOAs have tighter restrictions. Sometimes the best way to get control over your home and yard is actually to change the HOA's rules or dispute a ruling. To do that, check out this guide.
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