Furthermore, perhaps Neighbor A would feel that you are checking up on her about watering the plants and that would put pressure on her to do something that she really has no interest in doing. My hunch is that Neighbor A likes the appearance of the plants, but is not interested in the work needed to maintain them. Next time, let your Neighbor A just do the work herself if she really wants the plants. If Neighbor A questions about your taking the pots back, just say that you had room on your own porch for them and thought it would be best since you did not hear from her any further about the plants. With neighbors, it is best to stay within your own boundaries, especially after the experience you had last year. Since you have the area to use those containers in your own area, I would suggest just to take them and use them in your own area and if Neighbor A wants to visit and see them, have her come over to your porch. I think that is her way of saying that she does not want the commitment to take care of them, which is her right too. I think that her silence is answer enough for you about the container plants for this summer. I would suggest to just respect his right to have a minimalist porch area.Ĭoncerning Neighbor A.that is a different story. It seems that he feels that his 'area' is being encroached upon with the plant containers, even if he didn't object to them last year. With Neighbor B, I would just respect his right to do what he wants with his portion of the porch, even if he wants nothing there. You have an interesting balcony garden problem. Sorry this is so long-winded, but I appreciate any advice! Or should I wash my hands of the whole lot of it? Should I remove the things I put up there? I don't want to seem petulant, taking my ball and going home, but I could probably find places for the plants and planters - and I'm sure I could find some use for 40' of rope lighting. Should I talk to neighbor A again, and ask if she wants the plants and will have time to water them? (Stressing how depressing it will be for both of us if they all die again.) Should I talk to neighbor B, and find out what he object to that he was okay with it last year? He's not very pleasant, and his mother seems convinced that I stole some of his porch furniture - so I'm not relishing that logical next move. I don't want to feel martyred about sneaking up there to keep the plants alive, but I don't want to see them die.

On the other hand, it's not my porch, and I don't want to impose my hobbies on other people. I don't mind having made the investment, if people are enjoying what's up there.

She said she had to go, and insisted she'd call right back. I asked her if she was going to have the time to water the plants, since I wasn't planning on going back up unless she was there. I called neighbor A that evening, told her I was feeling a bit unwelcome up there, and asked her if she still wanted the plants up there. Apparently he told neighbor A he wanted his side to be 'clear'. Thursday morning when I went up to water the plants I found he'd shoved all the planters and containers off his side of the porch. I left him a note, but I haven't seen him since him yet. I like taking the cat and a cup of coffee up there in the morning after everyone has left for work, have a leisurely wake up before I have to go to work.Ģ weeks ago neighbor B returned from a four month stint in Saudi Arabia. The lilies are starting to bloom, the bees have discovered the flowering herbs, and the annual vines are just getting long enough to start climbing up the wrought iron. (At least I was a bit smarter this time, and only planted things I had tons of or cuttings.)īut it's really nice. and we already had the planters and soil there. neighbor A was so interested in all the plants I started this year. So I was a little reluctant to put anything out there this summer. When I came back from vacation, all but the hardiest plants were goners.

I was a bit more disappointed that she never watered anything, as she'd promised she would before we started anything. Neighbor A never made a move to pay me back any of the roughly $100 I spent, as she said she would - but I didn't really expect to see any of it, so that wasn't a big deal. We all enjoyed it last summer, together and individually. I even figured out a system to easily get water from the back of the building to the second floor front porch. I bought plants, divided some of mine, and put in things I'd grown from seed. Planters, hanging baskets, lighting - I even found her a large table with matching chairs. I okayed everything with upstairs neighbor B (it's a shared porch) then I went to town. It's a fun space, three times the size of mine, and I agreed. Last spring, my upstairs neighbor A asked me to 'help' her spruce up her front porch make it homey, like mine.

Should i just pull the pin song