Couple face £1k bill for planting flowers on verge next to their home | UK | News

A couple faced a £1,000 bill after a neighbor complained about the planting of seedlings flowers and the bushes in the bush next to their house. Hilary Garner, 82, and husband Christopher, 84, spent more than £700 decorating the property at Coxs Close, Hallow, Worcestershire.

green fingered the couple planted colorful aubrieta, eucalyptus, cherry trees and a maple to brighten the border, but Ground Solutions UK Ltd. They were shocked while working for him. developersHe sent them letters forbidding them to “encroach” on the land.

They have now been ordered to “level up” the 97 square meter site or face a £953.40 bill from contractors to carry out the work.

Retired lecturer Hilary said: “This feels like a witch hunt, we can’t understand. “Ours was the last house to be built and we were assured it would be full of wildflowers and plants.

“We don’t have anything, so we thought we’d go ahead and do it ourselves. This little piece of land needs to be shared, going through the fence with our neighbours.

“Our neighbors next door love it, they think it looks beautiful. A young couple said ‘the more beautiful the flowers, the better’. I can’t understand how this small piece of land can cause problems.”

After moving into the property in August 2024, the couple decided to turn the land into a public garden area.

Hilary said she and her husband, who pays £320 a year to maintain the space, thought a neighbor down the road had complained.

He said: “It’s nobody’s business so we were absolutely shocked to receive letters saying if we didn’t remove it all they would and we’d be charged £1,000.”

The grandparents were given until June 22 to remove the plants, but they refused. Retired insurance claims specialist Christopher said: “We are standing our ground at the moment, it will be interesting to see if they have the guts to come and do this.

“I thought everyone would be pretty pleased – the neighbors are certainly pleased – but that’s not the case with the company that was contracted to do the mowing work.”

The couple’s son Nathan Garner, 54, added: “Where is the common sense? My family understand that they do not own the land and access for any maintenance, sewage etc is not an issue.”

“I see this as guerilla gardening that should be celebrated. It encourages wildlife and beautifies a bare grassy corner. The world has gone crazy.”

Mike Pett, managing director of Ground Solutions, confirmed the company had written to the couple five times.

He said: “This approach has been adopted following concerns and complaints raised by residents. The land in question will remain the property of the developer and will be transferred to the Residents Management Company in due course.”

The MD said the use of the land was governed by the covenants contained in the transfer documents completed upon the purchase of each property.

Mr Pett said the contracts stipulated that all managed open space on the project was for recreational purposes only and no cultivation or planting was permitted without prior consent.

He added that the reason for the repeated correspondence was to give Mr and Mrs Garner “every reasonable opportunity” to resolve the matter voluntarily.

Mr Pett said: “Our preference is to avoid the need to instruct contractors to remove trees and vegetation at additional cost. “The problem could easily be resolved by moving the trees from managed land onto their own property.

“Although we tried to reach out both through written correspondence and by phone, we have not been able to reach a solution yet.

“Nevertheless, we remain committed to finding a practical and amicable solution and welcome the opportunity to discuss the matter in more detail with Mr. and Mrs. Garner.”