A homeowner was reeling after their HOA's landscaper destroyed their lawn and hours of hard work.
They posted about their frustration in the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit, causing many commenters to sympathize with them.
"Landscapers cut my 'weeds' for me," the homeowner said. "Yesterday I had two city workers trample a freshly planted bunchberry and anise hyssop to basically a pulp, as well as some seeds that were just sprouting up. And today the landscaper 'trimmed' down my weeds for me, chopping down two more anise hyssop."
While the homeowner understood the risks of planting in a public-facing area, they said historically the HOA had left small plant beds alone, as many residents like to garden.
This changed after they had maintained a native plant garden just outside their fenced property for three years.
The broader issue reflects a common frustration among homeowners who live with HOAs. Many have faced challenges when making eco-friendly updates, such as installing native plant lawns, which are beneficial because they save money and boost the environment.
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For example, one homeowner met resistance when they tried to install raised vegetable beds even though state laws supported gardening. The HOA blocked the project in the name of aesthetic concerns, but similar setups were in neighboring yards.
In Utah, a homeowner's plan for drought-resistant landscaping was thwarted by an HOA, which dismissed it as "cheap and ugly" despite state laws encouraging such initiatives.
"HOA-hired landscapers are the bane of my existence. I have footage of them running over my garden bed 3ft from the bed's border," one commenter said.
Handling HOA challenges, especially in relation to eco-friendly updates, can be tricky. However, clear communication about your native garden can help reduce trouble with hired landscapers and the HOA itself.
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