Everyone likes wildflowers, right?
That's what TikToker Rosemary (@rosemary_grows) was thinking when they planted beautiful flowering plants in their Texas lawn. Evening primrose, wine cups, and firewheels painted the space with bright and soft shades.
@rosemary_grows This is what happened when the neighbor called the city on me for growing wildflowers in my front yard. #gardening #wildflowers #homesteading #pollinators #fyp ♬ original sound - Rosemary_Grows
Then, a neighbor complained.
"So it finally happened, someone called the city on me," they said in the video. "Honestly, that was a little bit scary."
The flowers in question happened to be native to the area, and Rosemary planted them specifically for the low-watering, pollinator-friendly beauty they brought to the yard. In fact, native plants of all varieties can be a real asset to home gardeners and environmentalists alike.
"In that moment I had to decide, is this something worth fighting for?" they explained. "The answer is yes."
When the city came to inspect the so-called violation, the neighbor who complained learned that sometimes it doesn't go according to plan when the only issue is pretty flowers.
Rosemary recited what the city wrote in their response to the complaint after reviewing the lawn.
"No violation found. Just bunches of flowers," they said. "So, shout out to that city employee."
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Since no action was taken, the flowers got to continue providing water bill savings and eco-friendly habitat to the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, Rosemary used the experience to not only double down on their commitment to a native wildflower garden design, but also to reach out and connect with other local gardeners who had done the same thing, faced resistance, and moved forward.
The comments section also offered support for the perseverance and positive outcome.
"I love that you planted flowers in the strip that separates the road and sidewalk!! I've been wanting to do this," one viewer wrote.
"I think it's beautiful," another said.
"Let's normalize this," a third added.
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