Some people respond to a complaining neighbor by building a taller fence. TikTok creator @bloodmoonbotanica_ responded by making a list. The gardener, who lives on what she calls a “very large lot,” counted down the perfectly ordinary things she plans to keep doing at her own home, even though they seem to bother the woman next door. Her list starts with bean poles and builds all the way up to a native wildflower meadow.
In her video, posted in May 2026, she frames it with a wink. These are things that are “kind of normal, but not for her,” she says of her neighbor. Her caption is a playful warning to her neighbor that she is not the one to mess with.
Her List of Perfectly Normal Things
First on the list: the compost bin stays. Second, she plans to grow pole snap beans where the neighbor can see them “flapping about in the wind” in the garden. Third, she will be planting “beautiful flowers everywhere” on her lot, and the neighbor “will have to look at them. So sorry.”
Next, she will keep using her favorite laundry detergent. She says the neighbor gags outside to make it clear she does not like the scent. The creator is not changing brands.
She is also expanding her garden, with a bean and squash patch planned for a large, open part of her yard. And at the very back of her lot, she intends to plant a native wildflower meadow, made up specifically of native wildflowers. “I hope she hates it,” she says.
Then comes the move she admits is “a bit petty”: parking her car at the front of her driveway, where the neighbor can see it from her kitchen window.
@bloodmoonbotanica_
The list keeps going. She explains that her house has big southwest facing windows and no air conditioning, so on cool mornings she will keep the windows open and run a box fan. Her dog will be allowed to bark a quick hello, which she describes as “just an I see you,” not nonstop yapping, when the neighbor is lurking and watching her and her child. Her son will get to play in their own yard at 7 a.m. if he wants to, with voices kept down. And she will play music at reasonable times of day, “not too loud.”
Taken one by one, almost nothing on her list is unusual. That is exactly her point.
Why Gardens Spark So Many Neighbor Fights
Gardens are personal, and so are opinions about them. One person sees a tidy lawn as the goal, while another sees it as a wasted space that could be growing food or feeding pollinators. Compost bins, tall flowers, vegetable trellises and meadows can look messy to someone who prefers clipped grass, even when they are completely legal and well cared for.
Native wildflower meadows in particular have become popular in recent years. They support bees, butterflies and birds, often need less water than lawns and do not require weekly mowing. But because they look wilder, they sometimes draw complaints.
Tips for Gardening in Peace
If you love to garden and have a neighbor who does not share your taste, a few steps can keep you on solid ground.
Know your local rules. Many cities and counties have ordinances on grass height or overgrown vegetation. Some explicitly allow natural landscapes or pollinator gardens, while others require them to be registered or kept a set distance from sidewalks and property lines. If you live in an HOA, read the landscaping rules before planting a meadow.
Give a meadow a frame. A mowed border, a short fence or a small sign that says “pollinator habitat” signals that the wildness is on purpose. It can head off complaints to code enforcement.
Keep compost balanced. A well managed bin should smell earthy, not rotten. Mix green materials like food scraps with plenty of brown materials like dry leaves or shredded cardboard, turn it regularly and avoid meat, dairy and oils. That keeps odor and pests away and removes one of the most common neighbor grievances.
Mind the property line. Make sure vines, squash and bean plants stay on your side. Most places allow a neighbor to trim branches or growth that crosses onto their property.
Watch noise hours. Early morning play and music are usually fine at reasonable volumes, but many towns have quiet hours. Knowing them lets you stand firm when you are within your rights.
Document, do not escalate. If a neighbor touches your property, moves your things or harasses you, write down dates and take photos. Calm records go further with code enforcement or police than heated exchanges.
Petty or Just Living
Is the list a little petty? The creator herself would likely say yes, at least about the car. But most of what she describes is simply what people do at home: grow food, plant flowers, open windows, wash clothes and let a child play outside.
For anyone who has ever felt watched from a neighbor’s kitchen window, her message is a familiar one. Your yard is yours to enjoy. As long as you are following the rules, the beans can keep flapping in the wind.
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