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Horrid neighbour

(41 Posts)
AlgeswifeVal Mon 16-Jul-18 19:41:57

On Sunday afternoon my plants, tomato, runner beans and flower borders were wilting. The temperature was 30c as it was practically all over the country. I used the hose pipe on my plants. Suddenly my next door neighbour called me to the fence and got really aggressive because some water had sprayed over the fence in to his garden. I was amazed at his attitude. I said to him 'are you for real, you are having a pop at me because I accidentally sprayed a few drop of water in your garden'. He just carried on ranting at me. I finished what I was doing and stopped listening to him. He wouldn't have shouted if it was my husband doing the watering.

Jalima1108 Mon 16-Jul-18 20:12:55

Did you soak him when he was sitting out in his garden? grin

He needs cooling down anyway by the sounds of it.

Iam64 Mon 16-Jul-18 20:22:12

The water companies have asked people to be careful about their use of water and not to use hose pipes to water gardens or wash their cars.

I've used the hose pipe on the tubs and in the greenhouse because I can't life several watering cans. I haven't watered the borders or established plants but I have watered the new climbers I put in otherwise they'd die.
if I was growing vegetables I'd water them but I wouldn't water flowers in the borders with the hose. I've been re-cycling any water used for washing up etc and pouring it on the borders.
By the way - I'm not having a go at your, just wondering if that's what rattled your neighbours cage. Do you usually get on well?

ninathenana Tue 17-Jul-18 09:26:23

As long as I wasn't getting wet I'd be greatful for any water that landed on my garden.
Silly man !

grannyactivist Tue 17-Jul-18 09:44:03

If you were watering plants during the heat of the afternoon perhaps your neighbour was concerned that his plants would be scorched.

Eloethan Tue 17-Jul-18 15:13:43

He sounds a bit unhinged.

ninathenana Tue 17-Jul-18 15:18:23

Fair point ga but it dosen't excuse the rudeness.

farview Tue 17-Jul-18 22:21:31

Oh he was very rude!!! BUT better to water early a.m or late p.m.to benefit plants.

lemongrove Tue 17-Jul-18 23:23:29

Suppose he was sitting there happily reading a book and quite a lot of water spray came over the fence?
Much better just to say sorry and be careful with the watering in future, whatever you think about his attitude I would have thought.

BillieW Wed 18-Jul-18 06:47:32

We have a gardener who cuts our lawns and keeps shrubs bushes n trees trimmed. He hasn't been for a few weeks because of the lovely weather, but told us of a neighbour who had complained about the nose of his tools last time he visited!!
He only visits between 2/3 weeks and not all year! My hubby is in his 80s and we have a very large garden.
I think we know who it is! I put it down to the hot weather!!

Juggernaut Wed 18-Jul-18 12:24:36

Those of us who have our water services provided by United Utilities are getting a hosepipe ban starting on August 5th, unless we have torrential rain for at least two weeks before that date!
We've been saving water for an absolute age, using shower water, washing up water etc to fill buckets and watering cans, but obviously some in our area have shown a total disregard for requests to save water.
So, although your neighbour was rude, forgive me if I have no sympathy for someone who was using a hosepipe in the heat of the day when most of the water would just evaporate and therefore do the plants no good at all!

grandtanteJE65 Wed 18-Jul-18 12:27:45

Are you sure he wasn't drunk? Sounds like it to me.

Nonnie Wed 18-Jul-18 12:41:23

I don't think you should have been wasting water with a hosepipe in the afternoon, what a waste of water.

It is quite easy to spray further than you think and quite possible you wet him more than you think. For the sake of neighbourly relations I think you should have apologised. There could be many reasons he was grumpy but there would have been no reason for his complaint if you hadn't wet him.

Esspee Wed 18-Jul-18 15:06:58

He was bad mannered and aggressive. Is he normally like that or just fractious/intoxicated in part due to the heat?
Whilst I agree with the posters who question the sense in watering plants in the heat of the day that wasn't the issue here. Nor was he complaining about getting wet himself or the ethics of using water when a shortage is looming. He was simply being obnoxious.
OP, just ignore him (and try to water surreptitiously in the eveninggrin)

BlueBelle Wed 18-Jul-18 17:54:12

His attitude only makes sense if you wet him, so sorry I think you may have watered down the story somewhat ( see what I did there)

JustALaugh Wed 18-Jul-18 20:52:45

What a moron he sounds. I'd have turned the hose on the fool.

JustALaugh Wed 18-Jul-18 20:53:38

Nonnie sounds a barrel of laughs, too

Jalima1108 Wed 18-Jul-18 20:55:33

Nonnie sounds a barrel of laughs, too
No, just sensible and sounds as if she has a social conscience too.

Chewbacca Wed 18-Jul-18 21:02:24

Im in complete agreement with Nonnie. The hosepipe ban in our area begins on 5th August but one of my neighbours is still using a sprinkler on his lawns most evenings. Water wastage affects us all. Sorry not to have been a barrel of laughs.

Iam64 Thu 19-Jul-18 08:47:36

That's shocking Chewbacca - we haven't watered the lawn at all this summer. I'll be sorry not to be able to use the hose to water the tubs and hanging baskets because lifting a standard size watering can up to hanging baskets is difficult for me. A friend uses a mini watering can for the baskets, I plan to use the children's watering cans I bought for the toddlers to use when they "helped" me in the garden.
It's been obvious for several weeks that we'd have a water shortage and most of us have anticipated that, so stopped cleaning paths, watering lawns or using the Kercher

Rachel711 Thu 19-Jul-18 08:53:15

Silly man, what does he he do when it rains? Scream at God or have a nervous breakdown? He needs carting off to the Sahara.

Rachel711 Thu 19-Jul-18 08:54:23

Perhaps he's got hydrophobia?

Nonnie Thu 19-Jul-18 13:36:08

Thanks Jalima and Chewbacca. I thought we were not supposed to be rude about each other on here. If JustALaugh thinks it is OK to call someone they don't know a moron I doubt any of the more intelligent or sensitive on here will take a lot of notice. Such comments lead one to ignore future posts by the person concerned. I'm glad most on here are nicer natured.

JustALaugh Thu 19-Jul-18 13:39:50

Ooh dear, there are some sensitive souls on here....

Alexa Thu 19-Jul-18 13:44:10

I feel really cheered up by those grans who replied saying have been frugal with water quite voluntarily. I've been saving water and it feels good to know others do it too .