A Michigan resident went to r/NativePlantGardening for advice on how to handle an ongoing feud with his neighbor.
The Redditor posted that after noticing a large amount of plants shriveling along a shared fence line, the neighbor admitted to spraying Roundup.
The plant killer was adamantly unapologetic for the damage she caused because she hates having to look at the "untidy weed yard."
The original poster cultivated every plant in the yard and informed the herbicide offender that there were no weeds and they would be reseeding.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time they've had this conversation.
"I really don't want to start a war with them," the OP wrote. "I just want them to leave us alone."
Neighborly disputes aren't uncommon, particularly when it comes to landscaping and other climate-friendly home solutions.
One couple lost a 70-year-old rose bush to a neighboring landlord. Another homeowner was harassed by a neighbor to cut down perfectly healthy trees while others battled over solar panels. A renter in Washington was denied his proposal for a money-saving EV charging station.
Because the original poster's land is a flood plain, they aren't allowed to build a higher fence or change to wood to create more of a divide between the two yards.
"Is there anything I can do to discourage my plants from dying if she decides to douse her side of the fence again?" they asked.
"She is knowingly and maliciously destroying your garden. First, seek legal advice. You could also put screening shrubs to block the view and then plant in front. The question of adding chemicals to the floodplain prompts me to ask if a conservation authority or municipal department could help you," one Redditor advised.
"You can get in serious trouble for spraying anything out of code," another agreed.
The OP was already in the process of certifying their yard as a monarch way station but took the following advice and applied for that as well.
"Make your yard a Certified Wildlife Habitat from the National Wildlife Federation. That should really give you some legal teeth," another Reddit user suggested.
Rewilding your yard with native plants like the OP has is a great way to save time, water, and energy, since native plants need little to no help to thrive in the conditions they're adapted to. Both the plants and the local wildlife benefit — especially pollinators, which are essential to our survival.
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