A meadow garden stands out among neighbors with traditional lawns.
Have You Had a Visit from the Weed Police?
As more people add pollinator-friendly plants, they might hear criticism about the look of their “messy” yards. Here’s how to handle crabby neighbors, HOAs, and town officials while adhering to ordinances and laws.
You might get a visit from the “plant police.” The fault-finders often don’t realize that those “weeds” are actually native plants that require less water and pampering than traditional lawns and exotic species do while providing habitat for birds, bees, and butterflies. Check out our favorite plants that attract butterflies.
Photo: Barbara Smits/Shutterstock
If the haters do show up, don’t freak out and mow everything down. Are they giving you a citation or just a warning? Is there a law, or do you have a negative neighbor complaining to officials instead of talking with you? Politely ask to see what law you are supposed to have broken. Does that ordinance actually define what a weed is? This is a teachable moment for you to educate officials and complainers about your native plants.
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They are not weeds! Like most perennials, native plants have periods of time during the season when they are not in blossom and may look shabby to an outsider. This also may be the time in their life cycle when they are most attractive to the wildlife you are trying to support, like in the fall when flowers have gone to seed, offering food for migrating birds. Learn about some of our favorite native plants and flowers.
Photo: Barbara Smits/Shutterstock
Many of us now leave stalks standing all winter and into spring to give the insects that overwinter in the hollow stems a chance to emerge once the weather warms. Invite officials and the neighbors over for a tour and explain how native plantings can benefit not only homeowners but the entire community.
If there is a law, how old is it? Can it be updated to include native plantings? You might find stiff opposition to this idea, but if you offer some suggestions and volunteer to work with officials on this, it might help them see these plants’ value to the community. The native plant advocacy group has a sample of a native plant ordinance on their website that you can download and use as a model to create your own.
Photo: Boykov/Shutterstock
Some ordinances only mention the height of the plants in your lawn. This is a hard one to fight, and you may have to throw a fence around your wildflower meadow to make it look more like a garden to passersby. Mowing a strip near the sidewalk can appease some officials.
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Putting up a sign that designates your yard as a certified wildlife area may help too. There is a certification process for many different types of plantings, including pollinator habitats, butterfly gardens, wildlife sanctuaries, and monarch way stations. Some are state-sponsored, and others are national. .
If you are cited, and your case is not dismissed, you may have to appear in court. Be sure to know the law you are accused of breaking and what the citation says. For some advice, you can contact Wild Ones. They have a team of lawyers who can offer ways to handle the situation so you can come to a resolution that works for everyone.
Don’t feel like you are in this alone. Call your cooperative extension, local experts, master gardeners, and other native plant lovers for support. There is power in numbers, so band together and make yourselves heard!
Have you ever had an encounter with the “Weed Police?” Tell us all about it!
Robin Sweetser
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Monarch butterflies are the state butterfly here, but milk weed is just one of many "illegal noxious weeds" now included and listed in an over 200 page booklet put out of all the "weeds" that you can be fined for. Includes most medicinal plants ... including those for herbal teas and herbal flowers such as Chamomile. About the only thing it doesn't include is dandelions, fruit trees (although there are some "invasive species" not allowed) and rose bushes (again, except for "invasive species"). Tons of seeds and plants including vegetable seeds prohibited that can't be purchased/ordered from nurseries out of state, but can be purchased in-state at a higher price. Certain hedges and bushes are okay and some are not. Most grasses, however, are on the list so limited to only three types of lawn grass. Supposed to mow weekly whether it is needed or not in spring and summer -- and they love send warning letters even if it is rainy and too wet to mow; it's like they actually lay in wait most especially for it to rain! Vines of any type (except temporary vegetables) are prohibited. Goat's heads, burrs, puncture vine, etc. definitely on the list, and should be, yet difficult to keep out of the yard since growing everywhere including in the cracks and potholes of neighborhood streets, curbs, street gutters, etc. They also expect everyone, including elderly and disabled, to be responsible for weeds to the center/middle of any public street ... the half in front of their property (presuming somebody else lives across the street to deal with the other half), no matter how little or how much traffic, that runs in front of their property if they live within the city limits. Different rules apply for those outside town/city limits. However, being mobility impaired, I called to see if privately hired help (no professional service would do it) would be covered in case injured or killed if hit by a car, and my homeowner's insurance said NO and that nobody should comply with that crooked dictate and at the very most could ONLY be held responsible for sidewalk and top edge of the curb, but NOT the public street nor even the gutter. So, ignored that edict and when they sent a "final warning" I decided to call them up and told them what insurance company had said and told them I wouldn't pay any fine, I paid my taxes and the street was their job, so they might as well arrest me, a physically disabled widow, because I would love to make sure that it made national news as well as was sure it would go viral online. No more public street related weed warnings or dictates after that!
Yes, I was contacted by the "weed police" 4 years ago. I promptly called and asked to speak to the manager/supervisor and when I completely educated him on the use and benefits of native plants, he told me he would dismiss the complaint and even told me his wife would love to see my garden.
I think the subject of "invasive" versus " native " plants is far more nuanced and complex than this article acknowledges. For one example, the location and management of a species influences its affect on the ecosystem around it. Never say " never".
Am new to having a yard. Was allowed by local golf club to dig up honeysuckle and it is now on our trellis. AFTER that, many complaints in local literature popped up about "invasive honeysuckle." BUT it was in our yard when me a kid...never strayed from its corner... and that was 1961 on.
MEANWHILE... neighbors nearby have planted and nurseries nearby have sold (for years): chinese fringe flower, chinese verrigated privet, japanese holly, english ivy, russian olive, etc.
Am I a bad person? I got a free plant from the golf course...
There are honeysuckle varieties and cultivars that do not produce seed. Perhaps that is what you had as a kid and what you have now. Observe closely and make inquiries. You are not a bad person, just frugal!
I have a neighbor who "kindly" trims my overwintering shrubs and rakes my mulching leaves. sigh...
How “lucky” you are…
I wrote a whole essay about being fined by the NYC Dept. of Sanitation, and why I keep doing my lawn my way nevertheless, if you'd like to see it. :^)
We would love to, Susan!
