omg - what fun!! Yes, red mulch, and the black too. Also white stones - they have to go!!! lol.

Vicki7 - instead of a spray bottle, you need one of the pump sprayers. The nozzle can be directed anywhere. It's a shame the instructions don't mention this.

Web sites about flowers, etc, that don't have pictures...not even a drawing. That's just not right!!

People who respond to posts without reading the original - you know, when you say you're putting flagstone paths, and they suggest some kind of path...aaarrrggghhhh.

Nancy.

Just one more, then I have to start thinking happy thoughts!

PE#1: People who hang birdfeeders or other wildlife enticers and spray chemicals in their garden.

A lot of my pet peeves have been hit upon here so far. The red mulch and white stones are definitely at the top of the list, yuk!
About meatball type shrubs, I once drove past a house in May with a rectangular shaped shrub with a lone lilac sticking out of it. I almost drove off the road in amazement that someone did that to a lilac, lol.

A pet peeve of mine is people who don't understand a garden shouldn't be a sea of mulch with plants far apart. That is how a garden should look when you START a garden not for its entire life.

CMK,
Oh, I'm not much of one for ornaments, but I get them from my well meaning relatives and friends. Oh and I have a gnome. It was my husband's Auntie Nana's. He got it when she died. How could I tell him no? So the gnome is tucked in a corner.

Janie,
I learned something new. I never thought asking what kind would be a bad thing. I'll have to remember that.

Brenda,
I can't imagine anyone coming to your house and making bad comments! I remember thinking I can't believe how much gardening stuff you had going on and with the kids, how it looked so good!!
Remy

I worked at the big blue box home improvement store last spring. They drowned more plants than they sold. In early spring, they don't need THAT much water, lady! Walk around. Water everything, not just the petunias and marigolds. The poor shrubs hadn't seen the end of the wand in a week.

And every pallet of red pine nuggets that came through the back door was sold before we could even get them unstacked. I have never in my life understood why people want red mulch when we already have red/orange clay. It's just not natural.

As for customers that drove me nuts, the ones that wanted to know why the mandevilla and tropical hibiscus plants wouldn't come back next spring. "My morning glories do!" Yeah, lady, from the seed you didn't seem to notice in the fall. Really? Would it hurt to learn SOMETHING before you start buying plants to kill? And then they bring them back in the spring. One year guarantee. Doesn't matter if it wasn't supposed to die in winter.

My pet peeves:
husbands who weed-whack down plants (he always apologizes though), tree roots where I want to dig, blackspot on roses, my full time job (takes up my gardening time!), armadillos!
Jen

People jogging through the neighborhood with their dog way ahead of them off leash and they are holding the empty leash. The dogs poop and pee wherever they like and run through flower beds in wild abandon. I'm usually sitting at the computer early in the morning in front of the window and I can see lots of dogs going around. I love dogs - but REALLY!

Mosquitoes, black flies, and deer ticks. I hate being all swaddled up/head netted in humid weather. Woodchucks.

People who drive their vehicles on my grass  especially big commercial trucks who mistake my driveway for a road and are too lazy to jockey around in the parking area 4 or 5 times to turn around. "I'm on the clock and time is money." Yeah, right. What about my time repairing the damage?

Agree about catalog photos. Even worse, I think, in how-to magazine articles and books. I grow lots of perennials and have learned to buy them for how they look when not in bloom. Also the constant hype about how new and improved this variety is when it isn't an improvement at all.

Guilty of asking "What kind?" I appreciate generosity, don't mean to be rude. But if it doesn't fit in with my scheme, I'd rather someone else benefit. Wouldn't it be just as rude to accept and then have to explain why it isn't in my garden when the giver visits me? I generally don't offer unless someone admires a specific plant, and then it's often "Would you like me to keep you in mind when I divide it? Might not be for a couple years."

I don't much care for red mulch, white chips, shrubs pruned to unnatural shapes and plastic ornaments either, but I put that down to differences in taste. At least folks who use them are taking some interest in their yard. Unlike the new neighbor who leveled years of lovingly tended raised beds so the kids would have a place to ride their 4-wheelers. Fortunately, the former neighbor gave me carte blanche to raid all I could dig right before the closing. (I dug lots).

Vikki - if it's something that needs to be diluted, there are also gizmos which attach to hoses or sink faucets which can spray upward, too.

So, Annette, how did you solve the pressure problem?

Ouch, Jen. I had an ex- who offered to help prune... used a chain saw. Notice ex- . Not the reason, but a symptom of the reason ;-)

Ana

My pet peeve:
I'm right there with ya, token and gottagarden and the rest of you on most everything. But no one has mentioned MY pet peeve. When someone visits most say (especially guys), "Wow, you really need to get a service in here to spray for all these weeds in your lawn - they are taking over." Weeds? My 1+ acres of violets? buttercups? a host of other low, creeping, spring blooming wildflowers? my heals-all? or in summer when the fragrant white and pink clover is 6-8" blooming in creamy drifts for the honeybees? They look at my wonderful environmentally-friendly "meadow" and all they want to do is bring in the heavy herbicides. Every year I have less grass, more 'weeds' and am a happy camper! I'm tired of explaining this...honestly this year I'm printing up pamphlets to hand out when this happens! LOL
Kris

I agree Kris. I didn't realize I had an "eco-lawn" until seeing another post here about it. I just don't like chemicals and I prefer to let the plants that want to grow, grow. It kills me to see people pay big money for fertilizer only to kill half of what benefits from it. And don't they know, that clover is a better source of nitrogen than any bag of chemicals.

People who post pictures of plants with dead flowers. Especially iris with dead flowers mixed in with beautiful blooms.

People who leave dead trees and bushes in their yards for YEARS!

I also hate when I hear from people 'admiring' my garden who say 'wow, that's a lot of work' with that tone in their voice that shows they see none of the reward I do in all that hard work - like there's something wrong with me for even wanting to garden at all.

Plantings at commercial buildings and complexes that are mostly mulch, liriope and shrubs - boring, boring, boring!!

Just found a new peeve the other day. I was visiting an online nursery and they had no plants below zone 4a altho I grow a lot of their listed ones in zone 3. Guess they don't want any cold zone gardeners to be disappointed but many new gardeners would be reluctant to try those hardy perennials and would miss out on a lot of good ones.

Probably my greatest peeve is people who try to grow plants in infertile soil. This should be just common sense but many don't realize the need to build soil first, then plant. Instead they post on forums telling about how many plants have not survived in their "garden". Don't even call it a garden until you have some real soil in which to plant. I almost mourn for all those poor plants that couldn't survive.

Of course as a mostly organic gardener I'm also peeved by the number of people who have to spray for everything. They are often the ones with the poor soil. Of course they'll have bugs, they have unhealthy soil and therefor unhealthy plants which are at risk for every bug that comes along. It's an unhappy situation from the beginning but they often don't take advice either and don't seem to "get" the composting thing. Probably because they want "instant gratification" without the work. Good gardens always take work.

I also really dislike the 3 shrubs and gravel mulch bed but can understand it for those who are not gardeners and who have no time. Have relatives who do that and I know they think I'm crazy for wanting to garden. They also think my wild garden is a mess. Probably think anything not blooming at the time they visit is a weed!

We just have to let it all roll off, the only ones whose opinion matters are those who try and work at it.

My pet peeves....

rattiness...general unkempt....lack of lawn mowing, weeds up against anything that a mower can not reach that are two feet tall... garbage laying around....year round christmas lights on the evees....faded silk flowers

Red mulch, fresh silk flowers that are somewhat natural in color or variety...plastic mulch...white gravel....garden ornaments....all those things do not bother me much. I lean towards the thought process of to each his own...we all have a right to our tastes and styles and that is ok with me...long as it is not obnoxious and well kept. I might not like it....nor choose it for myself..but as long as YOU keep it clean and respectable it won't peeve me. I might laugh at it... but it won't annoy me really...now....let it get old and ratty, faded or neglected and then it will peeve me.....I like tender loving care no matter what the style or choices.....

Am I truly at the Cottage Garden Forum? This, for me, has mostly been a dreadful thread to read. It's even made my stomach tighten up in a knot.

MeMo

I hope it wasn't my comment about "What Kind" that did it- I didn't mean to offend anyone.

Janie

This thread was certainly not meant to offend anyone, Memo. If I offended you, I'm sorry, and it was not intentional.

I thought since things are slow in the garden right now (not much is blooming in mine) that it might be interesting to discuss the little garden things that bug us. I'm certainly not a negative person, and the thread was meant to be light-hearted not "I hate _____."

I thought everyone has some pet peeve. Life, gardens, & people aren't perfect. I think it takes both the good and bad to make life interesting.

There are definitely many things to be thankful for such as our beautiful plants, a sunny day, a loving family, good health, earthworms... Again, it's not my intention to upset anyone.

For me, I was just wishing I could see a complete picture of a plant and not just the photos of the blooms so I can make better decisions about the plants I put in my cottage garden...

Pet peeves - rattlesnakes! One found its way into my automatic hose reel last fall. It really, really scared me!

Red, I like to see the plant as a whole living in a garden environment also. I usually google the plant and select 'image' instead of 'web'. I usually get lucky and find a picture of the plant living in a real life garden!

Necia

First I thought this was funny too until Memo responded.......then I really thought about it and decided maybe it was a bit mean. We each have different tastes and different budgets and we should all just do our own thing and let others do theirs without too much negative thoughts about it.

So, I will decline to comment.

Don't mean to say you all shouldn't but some of these comments made me a bit sad.

Ana, how I solved my pressure problem... since we have lengths of hose permanently placed around the garden with snap on fittings I bought a faucet extension from Lee Valley, just have to turn the water on once down at the house and then regulate the flow up at the pool. Great for toping up the pool and once the sprinkler is snapped on easy to regulate the flow so it doesn't hit the roof of our so called pool room. If one does enough constructive staring like I do :o) one can usually come up with a solution. Annette
{{gwi:641241}}

I am shocked by some of the comments in this thread!!! I agree with memo, I did double check to make sure this was the cottage. Very sad indeed! Like some others, I won't comment further.

Sierra

I see nothing to be shocked over. Maybe I'm missing something. Opinions vary. That's how it is in life.

Well, I am shocked also but not at the peeves but at the negative reactions to people having peeves. I see very few comments re: pet peeves that anyone should be shocked over. Perhaps if those who are shocked use some of those things others don't like they might be a "little" offended but cannot imagine why the extreme reactions. I never expect everyone to like everything I do or have and often hear online criticisms of things I like. Doesn't matter to me. I can like something even if the rest of the world doesn't.

The internet is for everyone, regardless of their viewpoints. If people don't want to read pet peeves or rants they can just scroll on by. Which I am now doing with this thread.

It's just winter boredom; we're all good.

If I hurt the ground ivy's feelings for talking mean about it; I'm not apologizing! I meant every word of it.

Mickie

In my opinion, a healthy 'peeve' session is good every now and then. Ever hear the term, confession is good for the heart? Venting does the same thing. It is an emotional release. And it offers a form of commaderie from like minded. If it's not one's cup of tea, please don't read this thread.

My own list of peeves

Dog urinating in another person's yard
Red and black mulch, white stone mulch
Garden ornaments of the tacky form
Loud waterfountains from a neighbor's yard
Noisy wind chimes
Invasive plants from another yard
Weedy front yard gardens.
Giant tree in small lot casting dark deep shadows to neighbors yard.
Porch person who regularly discards his/her cigaret butts all over his/her front yard.
Tremendously modernistic garden (think broken glass as mulch)

Ianna

Not for the squeemish:

{{gwi:641242}}

red-
this IS a fun thread, and I'll list a couple of mine:
The practice of keeping squirrels away from bird feeders. They're hungry, too.
When the local 'lawn & garden expert' told me that "it's a weed" so I yank it out, only to find out later in the season that it was probably a foxglove (my yellow one's foliage looks diff't than the pink's foliage). Ergh! Fortunately, there were more to take its place so I know better this year.
Weed-whacking fools that don't pay attention.
Weed whackers that don't start. Tell me why is it that they can make a motorcycle with a button-start, but they can't make a (good) weed-whacker with one.
Cow birds in flocks of 10,000 at a time.
Lawn maintenance men that drive by my eye-level bird feeder outside my office window twice a week, and never fail to bump it and empty the thing all over the ground. I'm going to paint it fluorescent orange.
Being mooned by a tacky lawn ornament.
Ants building colonies beneath a section of my garden and accidently shoveling into it while planting stuff and getting attacked.
Ignorant/ill-informed garden 'experts'
What I call "Little Red Hen" people: those who really love the look that is created by avid gardening, and who will ask questions, but glaze over when you try to answer them because they simply aren't interested in the process...they just want you to do it for them/give them the final product.
I need therapy for this one: 'screening' recipients of anything I might want to give away, or 'monitoring' how well they are taking care of the plant/are likely to take care of the plant- because it's not "just a plant" to me- it's a living thing with feelings, and if you're not going to take care of it, well, I'm sorry, but you won't be allowed to take it home.

mmqchdygg

You mentioned the people who want only the final product - or prefer you to do it.... Does this not reflect what many of our non-gardening colleagues feel? Uninterested in gardening but want to have that impact. How about HGTV shows that aren't about 'gardening' but more to do with instant landscaping or backyard design. I lament on how 'gardening' is portrayed to our younger colleagues. Makes me think the message is - if you have the money for it, you can hire the people to create your garden. Unfortunately this sort of portrayal of gardening has affected us in ways such as the dwindling no. of gardening hobbyist and the rising costs of gardening materials, and the lesser nos. of ornamental plant options. It's a sad trend.

HGTV is quite possibly one of the most evil channels on tv. Sure, the homeowners do a little work on their gardens, but a crew comes in and does the real heavy lifting. They learn nothing about how to care for their plants and only want immediate satisfaction. I understand that in today's world, but there are lots of us left that want to do it all ourselves and only hire out what we physically can't do. For me, if I can't do it with my own hands, it's just not going to be done.

Neighbors who allow their dogs to poop in my flowerbed beneath my mailbox! I promised myself I would post a sign this year asking these inconsiderate people to not allow their animals to poop anywhere near my mailbox. This infuriates me! Why would anyone stand there and wait for their pooch to poop at my mailbox? I haven't planted there for the past two years because of this.

And I'm a nature lover, but I really don't like the birds who also use my mailbox as their poop-perch. I guess my entire mailbox area is a poop-magnate.
: )

Next culprit/peeve:

Ants, cutworms, and those other worms who entangle their bodies around the leaves of my plants and flowers and eat the buds off, and then leave their droppings as a gift.

My pet peeve is that I have become allergic to bee/wasp sting! And the flowers need the bees. I feel chased out of my garden often. :(

And there's this really stubborn vine weed (I don't know what it is) that I keep pulling out and it keeps coming back. It's indestructible.

I'm not very good at identifying plants or remembering where they are. So another frustrating thing is that I don't know exactly what and where plants are going to come up in my beds (I planted bulbs & perennials) so 1) I can't mulch until things come up 2) I don't know if the thing coming up is a weed or not most of the time so I let it grow until I'm sure.

Oh, and last time I was annoyed that hubby decided to prune the forsythias exactly the way I DIDN'T want them. Grrr. (I want them thin & weepy, so I thinned them, then he came along a couple of weeks later and whacked the tops off).

I hear what you guys are saying about HGTV. It's all about spending the money. :(

I hear what you're saying about HGTV, reruns of the OLD Victory Garden with Jim C. and Bob T., Gardener's Journal with Kathy R. and a few more of the programs from years gone by would be IMO be a breath of fresh air compared to the, well I won't say what I really think of the programs they're spitting out today. HGTV at one time was my favorite channel, I can't remember the last time I turned to it, so sad.

Annette

I watch PBS more than cable. In an effort to save money and stop filling my head with useless crap.

There's a NC gardening show that I catch on Saturdays usually. Tony Advent is a regular guest.

Agree that HGTV is totally unrealistic w/regards to time, materials and labor. They seem to be playing to the instant (cheap) gratification crowd.

I get ideas from the shows, but no way do I think any of the projects can be done their way in the real world.

I don't really have any pressing 'pet peeves' ..... unless hating the roller-coaster weather counts! One week I'm all fired up to get out there, then the temps drop and I have to shift back into neutral again.

My winter diversions are my birds and squirrels who consider my yard to be their 'country club' - with good reason! Nearly a dozen fully stocked feeders mark the spot. And while I do endeavor to outsmart the squirrels - that'll never happen and, believe me, they get plenty to eat!

I hate weed whackers and leaf blowers. Why does my neighbor think every time I sit on the porch with company that he has to run one or the other.

flowermum, I'm experimenting with a plant called PISS-OFF from Richter Herbs. It supposed to deter dogs and cats. it might be avail. in the US.

Ianna

Ianna,

That's so funny. The nerve of some people. I did find a website that offered no-poop signs, so I'm not alone.

http://www.allsignsco.com/nopoop.html

PISS-OFF, Plectrantus caninus, syn. Coleus caninus is being sold as a natural repellant for cats and dogs. This plant was being sold around here a couple of years ago, haven't heard if it works or not. It does have a very pungent scent tho :o).

Annette

I am of the opinion that HGTV has contribute to the housing problem we are in.
The buyers today are unbelievable.
Now when people are looking at houses to buy the want everything perfect. If it does not have granite counters and stainless appliances, it is "out dated".
These are probably the same ones I heard, the other night, let their 10 years old daughters GET BIKINI WAXES.

I was so thrilled to be able to buy my first home, that I didn't care or notice the counter material.

Pet Peeves:

Armadillos (digging holes)
unlabeled plants at Home Depot (and no staff that can identify the plants)
HGTV

By the way, I do not see why some people found the comments in this thread to be offensive. The comments seem harmless enough to me and many were funny! The implication seems to be that those people who complained were somehow "not nice".

WOW, plantmaven ...... we are so on the same page and I apologize for not saying it like it is in my post above - I soft pedaled. The cable tv shows definitely present homeownership in a very jaded light and have created monsters.

Like yourself, I was thrilled to be able to get into a home of my own and interior fluff just didn't factor into the equation. My house is sturdily built, has a good floor plan flow and is in a good 'hood. That the nice formica counters and serviceable popcorn ceilings are detrimental doesn't bother me one bit (they both work!)

Should a potential buyer - later, much later - snub the property, well ...... they'll be the loser. I've added a delicious sunroom, professional landscaping all around, interior solatube skylites, a master carpenter upgrade of the stairwell with spindle, rail and chair rail wainscotting and a host of other stuff - but, woe be me, no granite or stainless steel appliances. Gimme a break! (insert Bronx cheer/raspberry here!) :o)

Just a few questions...I pretty much don't watch T.V. I do watch it when I'm in a friend's home or visiting one of my kids or when I'm at the dentist. (I don't have anything against T.V. either. I just got out of the habit when we moved to this house without a cable connection.) Anyway, I always thought if I were going to watch T.V. that I'd like HGTV because of their gardening shows. So I want to know what they do on these shows that I'm not aware of?

As for hiring people to garden for you, my husband (when he was alive) and I did all of the work ourself. I feel good knowing it's our own creation, but I've been tempted to hire help; however, it just never worked out. For example, I happened upon a really cool web site that belonged to a local gardening expert. I contacted him for an hour consultation to give me tips. He never showed then called two weeks later to say he'd forgotten. More recently, I contacted a native plant expert who does "garden coaching" to see if she could give me plant recommendations for the right-of-way outside my fence.--It's a difficult area with dry shade. She charged $185.00/hr and that was more than what I could afford. (I can figure it out myself, but I thought it would be nice to have someone see what I see with fresh eyes.)

I'll have to look that "piss off" plant up. :-)

I thought the Piss-Off plant was a joke. I have since googled it and it is a real plant.

I loved HGTV when it first started, but I can't tell you the last time I tuned in. They should rename it "Granite Planet Channel'.

Yes, our media teaches unsuspecting souls they are not worthy if they don't have the have-to-haves.

I'm grateful to have been brought up with the standards that appreciation is beauty in your heart; not tagged with a price gun. That a good friend sees your diamond in the coal dust. That if you want something you can't afford, you save up for it. That if I said something mean I would have my mouth washed out with soap. (Thanks, Grandma)

OK, earwigs moved down to Peeve #2

Media = Peeve #1

I just have to comment on this one. I agree that HGTV has gone over the top. Those surprise garden shows crack me up. My DH knows I would kill him if he called someone in to give me an "instant garden". What fun would that be?
I'll say one thing for this economy, it's sure to curb some of that mentality mentioned by organic. Everyone knows the most frugal and content generation is the one who lived through the depression. I hope that, if nothing else, this economy will teach this generation to appreciate the little things, spend less, and live more. Wouldn't that be something?

flowermum, Oh I wasn't joking but perhaps the guy who came up with the name was... Here's the website to the Richters Herbs http://www.richters.com and look up the plant's name. They do swear that the smell isn't at all offensive to people but only to cats and dogs. I'm just excited to see how the dogs will react. There are plenty of dogwalkers in my neighborhood, many are respectful but there are those who are terrible about this. So for me, it's a worthwhile experiment.

It's a rather unattractive looking thing, isn't it? I can't say I'd want a row of them lining my gardens, unless it was a low-growing thing that I could put on the 'outer' part and then put my prettier (taller) things in back of it so that the view from my own vantage point would be somewhat prettier. (Well wasn't THAT a fine run-on sentence...)

organicmickie, I have to agree with you. Media is on the top of my hate list. They are so manipulative -- everything is for profit or benefit of their sponsors/owning companies. Even (or specially?) news media.
Anytime we watch tv with the kids we end up dissecting commercials & shows.
Sorry for the OT rant.

mmqchdygg, I wouldn't think you'd need to have a row of these plants to be effective against the animals. The seller does say it only takes a couple plants to be effective. The catalog mentions that one plant can protect a 3 feet area... and it may be used more like a foliage plant - so more of a filler background plant.

Redthistle, HGTV has one "garden" program only, that I am aware. That program is curb appeal and focuses on painting the house, shutters etc. Then a few shrubs thrown in.

The "media" runs around saying the sky is falling. Thereby creating a falling sky. Almost the moment they mentioned the word recession, people stopped spending.

imho - HGTV is more like a home renovation channel now....all of the good garden shows are gone. I loved Re-creating Eden, The Secret Life of Gardens, Bugs and Blooms. I found Kathy R. to be tough to watch, as she was knowledgeable, but awkward before the camera. She was best when she went to RBG and interviewed the gardeners there. I have also enjoyed specials by David Tarrent.

I suspect that gardeners are the equivalent of sail boaters!!! Lovely to look at, but worth nothing to the marina!!

Nancy.