Would you feel guilty?

[BrianC9379]

My wife and I moved to a somewhat upscale gated community in VA last year. House prices range from $500,000 to $1,500,000+, with some quite higher. We are located in the “cheap seats” section of the development as my wife puts it. It’s a large scale community with 3 golf courses and the common areas are very well maintained by an active HOA. There are HOA guidelines for what building materials, paint colors, fencing, trees, etc. can be used. I’m ok with all of this, as the community is attractive and shows well. The HOA would have a problem if property owner’s lawns were uncut or unkempt, but otherwise owners are free to landscape to their heart’s content. I, however, do not have green thumb, nor do I want to spend time or money on bushes, flowers, weeding, etc. Our immediate neighbors have the opposite mindset and spend a lot of their time personally working on their yard. While our property is not quite “Sanford & Son” in comparison to our neighbors, we clearly have differences in what is important to us. I would rather spend my outdoor time cleaning one of our cars or enjoying a beer on the deck instead of sweating over weed pulling. Should I feel guilty?

[ltusler]

NO! Lifes too short for that stuff unless you enjoy it. As long as your lot is not an eyesore, have another beer. I have one while watching the guys do mine.

[rwest]

Depends. Are your weeds encroaching on the neighbors yard causing them more work to keep their yard to the standard the want? If so, then yes, guilt is in order and probably the right thing to do is either take care of them yourself or hire a lawn care company to remedy it.

[aschen]

We are in nearly the same situation, though houses in are neighborhood are sub 7 figure.

We do enough to avoid HOA letters, barely. I think there is at least one house worse than ours in the couple hundred in the development but not many.

Do I feel guilty? Not for a pico second.

[BrianC9379]

Originally Posted by rwest

Depends. Are your weeds encroaching on the neighbors yard causing them more work to keep their yard to the standard the want? If so, then yes, guilt is in order and probably the right thing to do is either take care of them yourself or hire a lawn care company to remedy it.

Rwest: no, we do not have anything like weeds encroaching onto their yard. Our small areas of weeds are self contained. It’s just that there is a large contrast between the garden show exposition next door and our yard.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by BrianC9379

Rwest: no, we do not have anything like weeds encroaching onto their yard. Our small areas of weeds are self contained. It’s just that there is a large contrast between the garden show exposition next door and our yard.

Why even waste a moment of time thinking about it?

[herr_oberst]

I was born a catholic and spent 12 years in parochial schools.

Of course, I would feel guilty.

But I'm like you and my interest in gardening is limited at best, so I 'd be sitting on the deck feeling bad, while watching my neighbors on their hands and knees pulling weeds. In fact, that's exactly my life. I have 3 direct neighbors with gorgeous lawns and gardens, while mine is nondescript. Tidy, but little else.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by BrianC9379

Rwest: no, we do not have anything like weeds encroaching onto their yard. Our small areas of weeds are self contained. It’s just that there is a large contrast between the garden show exposition next door and our yard.

It sounds like you may be feeling guilty already. If so then start a potted garden. You can decorate your front yard very nicely with potted arrangements and they do not require maintenance other than watering.

[BrianC9379]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

It sounds like you may be feeling guilty already. If so then start a potted garden. You can decorate your front yard very nicely with potted arrangements and they do not require maintenance other than watering.

Well that is ok, but my wife is sure that if we look long and hard enough we can find plastic shrubs that require no weeding or watering.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by brianc9379

well that is ok, but my wife is sure that if we look long and hard enough we can find plastic shrubs that require no weeding or watering.

:d

[Alan A]

Why move somewhere with an HOA? If you lived in a normal house you wouldn’t need to worry…

[GH85Carrera]

It all comes down to pride in ownership, and do you want a house that looks nice, or just plain.

My wife is a master gardener, and we have lots and lots of flowers, and new flower beds added in regularly. We are putting in a new 10x8 flowerbed in the middle of the front yard this spring. Areas I used to mow and now flower beds. We have people stop in the street and take pictures of the flowers all the time.

[stevej37]

My next door neighbor still has her Christmas tree and sleigh with reindeer in her front yard.

[Baz]

A better Thread title would be:

"Would you feel guilty if your landscaping wasn't as nice as your neighbors?"

You're welcome.....

[porsche tech]

We have an HOA and NO grass! We’re on the cheap side of the street…other side is water front and big $$$.

[KFC911]

Plant some bamboo along your property line and enjoy your beer

Don't drink cheap beer....

Life is too short

[red 928]

Yes.
I would.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

It sounds like you may be feeling guilty already. If so then start a potted garden. You can decorate your front yard very nicely with potted arrangements and they do not require maintenance other than watering.

I concur. There are some low, low maintenance shrubs that more or less take care of themselves if you want to make a small token of difference. Your local nursery can advise you and might even plant them for a fee.

This will help out the value of your property, other's if you care, and provide some environment for some critters that you may approve of. Hummingbirds come to mind as they eat mosquitoes. I'm sure that would help some with enjoying the beer!

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by stevej37

My next door neighbor still has her Christmas tree and sleigh with reindeer in her front yard.

Heathens! Easter is coming ... I rode by two bigly inflatable Easter bunnies in a yard yesterday....

Methinks a 20' inflatable Jesus would cover both holidays .... with an added bonus....

I wouldn't shoot Jesus with a pellet gun

[masraum]

Could you pay a company to do get things in line, and then pay them or someone else to keep things in line?

How about a pic showing what you're curious about?

"would you feel guilty about this? It's not quite Sanford & Son" is a bit hard to judge. Presumably it's not bad or your HOA would be breathing down your neck.

Different folks have different priorities. I generally don't give a darn if mine don't align with someone elses.