Does it bother you when your neighbor copies your landscaping ideas?

Question

I know some people say that imitation is the highest form or flattery or why should it bother me because I don't have a patent on the style, but it does. My copycat neighbor across the street has a bigger house than ours--one of the nicest on the block (no big deal). Our builder had a natural looking fountain professionally installed before we bought the home. It sets our home apart from all the others and it gives our home its own individuality. This year I put spiral trees in two concrete pots on each side of our front door. Now these neighbors then bought bigger spirals and put them on each side of their front door. I took my spirals out and put in palms. We're in the midwest, so it is not something you see everyday--original. The neighbor walks across the street to our front entry area, landscaper in tow. They were looking at our fountain. Now they're having a fountain just like ours (only bigger) installed in the middle of their front lawn with real 7' palms. WTH?!?

I forgot to mention our home was designed to look like a lodge home from Colorado. It is very "resortish" looking. We have the natural fountain, landscaping beds around the home that have large boulder-type stones wedged in between leafy plants for a natural appearance to go with the fountain. I After they first moved in they had a landscaper come in and create a natural looking landscaping bed where they are NOW doing the fountain. They had the same boulder-type stones brought in and wedged between their plants as well. So this is actually the third copy of our landscaping. I guess the second one will be a combo of the stones, fountains and palms so they can "have it all" (our style).

One more PS:
she had the exact flowers (same flowering plant) on top of my fountain put in batches around through the bed.

Oh for Pete's sake-the third bed will be the combo. frustrated.

Answer 1

Well you could go the other way. Pitbulls chained to dog houses. Cars up on blocks. Lots of cement lawn statues. Non-working appliances on the front porch.........
It's a lot harder to duplicate something like that.

Answer 2

Don t listen to these P.C. people. Straight out, you should have pretended to be going for the mail and casually caught them studying your landscaping design. I would have said, excuse me but if you are going to copy the rest of my design, wouldn t it be considerate to ask me if I minded??? Then say, in case you were wondering, I spend a lot of time planning my ideas and to have someone just replicate them is not nice. I really strive to make my interior/exterior unique. Then just leave. There is no rule that says you have to be "neighborly" when someone is just flat out a dick.

Answer 3

You sound funny, I mean in a pleasant way.

Yes, it would bother a little, but then I'd laugh it off, that someone actually enjoyed your taste. Think of it that way!

Also, as long as the neighbor keeps up his landscaping beautiful--it could be worse-- I mean a jungle with monkeys, and rodents running down the street.

I feel confident. That's funny.

Answer 4

Yes it would actually bother me. It is ok to have some things similar....but it seems to me your neighbor is trying to out-do you. I hate it when people have to have what you have but bigger. This is only to say "i have a BIGGER and BETTER one" when someone points out how nice something you have is. People consider it a form of flattery when someone is copying what they've done, but when they are copying what you've done but making it bigger.....it's just flat out annoying. My advice, if you can, try to do something that you know they can't do (ie. something you made yourself, using a certain angle that you may have and he doesn't to emphasize something). BRING HIM DOWN. JEEEZ he's gotten on my nerves too already.

Answer 5

When I first saw your question, I thought "Of course it wouldn't bother me." But, after reading the whole thing, I can certainly see why it does bother you.

Go and talk with your neighbors. Tell them that you understand that they used your ideas because they like them. But add that it does bother you. Ask if their landscaper could maybe come up with something else so that both houses could be unique.

Answer 6

Few years ago we painted our house with nice combination of colours and then neighbours around us start painting their houses with the colours exactly like ours:) We were quite flatterd about that, like we are setting the trends and people will follow the trend;) I'm quite honoured if I were you because it shows that you had brilliant creative ideas and your neighbour can't help but imitating it. i understand your feelings, though..

Answer 7

Nope! we are one in each of four homes in our cul-de-sac. We take each and each others parcels in if one human beings is away. We change playing cards at Christmas and on the stroke of recent 3 hundred and sixty 5 days all of us look on our doorsteps ingesting and observing the great firework exhibit contained in the sky from different distant neighbours. and that is about it. Bliss sheer bliss

Answer 8

live your own life - don't worry about others do or don't do - life is too short for that! I would definitely NOT talk to them about this - take it as flattery, and that they love your style and don't feel confident in their own... why do you feel the need to stand out anyway?

Answer 9

I would consider it a compliment for neighbors to "copy" my landscaping. It means that it's really good!

Answer 10

You gave the blueprints....smile.
When he walked over with the landscaper, you could've walked out and told him how honored you are that he likes your ideas. You can still do that. (satisfy your feelings)

In this case creativity is better than "bigger."
What's it matter if he mimics your creativity? Be nice...LOL