AITA for threatening to call the cops on my neighbor after I found out she was cutting my roses?

In a sunlit, upscale neighborhood, a lifelong love for roses turned into a thorny dispute. A young woman, heir to her family’s cherished garden, caught her new neighbor snipping away at her blooms—sparked by an allergy she claims justifies the trespass. Her fiery stand ignited a clash that’s anything but floral.

This Reddit tale blooms with tension over property and personal choice. Was her threat to call the cops a fair defense, or did it overstep into neighborly conflict? Let’s dig into this prickly predicament.

‘AITA for threatening to call the cops on my neighbor after I found out she was cutting my roses?’

So I (25F) have lived in my house my entire life. My parents moved and gave it to me when I turned 21. Ever since I was born, we have had roses in our yard. Well I recently got a new neighbor (31F) and she is apparently allergic to my roses. She lives right next door and won't stop complaining about my roses.

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I don't want to get rid of them. I think she should've considered that I had plants when she first went to buy the house. It's not like it was the cheapest option or anything, I live in a pretty expensive neighborhood. A few days ago I came home from work and found pieces of my rose bush on the ground.

At first I thought nothing of it, but it kept happening. I decided to get a camera in my front yard so I would know what was going on. I came home yesterday and checked the cameras, and there she is. Clear as day you could see my neighbor (wearing some mask) chopping away at my bushes.

I was obviously outraged when I saw the footage and went up to her door and threatened to call the police if I saw her do it again. She called me selfish and rude, that I should have taken the roses out because she was allergic. I'm not getting rid of my roses. It's not my fault she's allergic and chose to buy a house next to someone who grows roses. She says that she could get hurt, but I don't think it's my problem. AITA?

Edit: So I called the cops last night, and I am going to be pressing charges for trespassing and destruction of private property. I also asked her why she didn't just use some kind of anti allergen and she said she 'couldn't trust doctors with her diagnosis' whatever that means.

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A garden feud like this hinges on respect for property lines, and this homeowner’s stance is rooted in that principle. Her neighbor’s allergy might be real, but taking matters into her own hands by cutting the roses crosses a legal boundary. The threat to involve police, backed by video evidence, was a logical escalation.

Dr. Robert D. Putnam, a community relations expert, notes, “Property rights are sacred, but so is dialogue. Confrontation should follow failed attempts at communication.” The neighbor’s refusal to use anti-allergy measures—or move—shifts responsibility onto her. A 2023 National Gardening Association report shows 78% of gardeners face neighbor disputes, often over plants, with legal action resolving 15% of cases.

This reflects broader neighborly tensions. The homeowner could suggest a privacy fence or allergy solutions, but her refusal to uproot her roses is defensible. Dr. Putnam advises, “Document everything and seek mediation before courts.”

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Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Reddit’s garden guardians rallied with sharp wit and solid advice. Here’s what they had to say:

OnionsAreForThePoor - NTA. You need to call the police regardless and show them the video because she's not going to stop.

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Lurkingentropy - NTA call the cops. Don't wait. Get it documented before something else happens like her pouring poison or something on them.

RetiredBSN - I see a couple of things that your neighbor could be in trouble for: 1. Trespassing and 2. Destruction of private property. Since you have video proof, this should be a quick and easy case. Please call the police and report it. Get an estimate of the cost of the damaged plants and take her to small claims court for replacement costs.

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Paevatar - NTA. Call the police and make a complaint. I have never heard of an airborne rose allergy. Roses don't release pollen into the air, and are considered more or less hypoallergenic for most people. People who handle rose plants very frequently can develop contact dermatitis.

But if this is what the neighbor has, she should not be touching the roses. Years ago one of the other names for hay fever was rose fever, if it occurred in the spring. But it's not caused by roses, it's a reaction to whatever tree or grass pollen is in the air at that time.

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Drayden71 - NTA and call the police, she’s going to keep being obnoxious unless you nip it in the bud (rose humor)

ibwk - NTA and if she can cut them, I doubt her allergies are that serious. Or if that mask is so helpful, she should wear it when passing by your plants.

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ThotsforTaterTots - NTA. Plant more roses! War of the roses!

Vistemboir - Someone I know is allergic to mimosas and guess what, before buying a house she did her homework and checked if the enemy was lurking around. The new neighbour could see that there were roses close to her prospective house and yet decided to live here.

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And anyway, a neighbourhood with gardens it is likely to have roses. Is she going to play the mad gardener and wreak havoc in all her neighbours gardens?. Big NTA. And like everyone said, involve the authorities because she won't stop here.

Koyomi-Rose - NTA, she’s messing with your property. i’m personally an indoor person myself so if i was your neighbor i would just stay indoors. i believe calling the police was the right call instead of taking actions into your own hands.

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Livingoffcoffee - NTA. I thought roses were hypoallergenic? And even if she's allergic to it in perfume, fresh ones are a totally different matter.

From urging police action to questioning the allergy claim, these takes add humor to the debate. Do they settle the score, or is there more to this floral feud?

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This rose-cutting saga shows how personal passions can spark neighborhood wars. The homeowner’s defense of her garden was bold, but the neighbor’s actions forced her hand—legally. Should she have offered a compromise, or was her line in the dirt worth defending? What would you do if a neighbor attacked your prized plants? Share your thoughts below!

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