# Could I get in trouble for this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567 "2011-04-16T00:50:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/1 "2011-04-16T00:50:05Z")
I live catty-corner to this big office building. It has a big parking lot behind it. On the south-facing sidewalk abutting the parking lot, there are these weed-infested square-shaped clearings in the sidewalk. Perhaps 3’ x 3’ big, where you would normally plant a tree. These plots are tree-less and have been that way for awhile. They are pretty sad looking. There are five of them on the block. Maybe it’s a mixture of spring fever and disappointment that my plan for having my own house has fallen through, but I want to take those little sidewalk clearings and plant wildflowers. Different wildflowers for each plot. They would beautify the street and give me a project to do. I have to stay busy or I will spontaneously combust. I have called the leasing agent of the building because the sign was out front with their number. I don’t know what the owner will say, if they say anything at all. I’m thinking no one will return my message (I just have that feeling). If they don’t call me back and I do plant some things, will I get in trouble? Could they sue me? I don’t want to get sued. I just want to plant some flowers, man. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/2 "2011-04-16T01:06:13Z")
You need to do this ninja-style, in the middle of the night. Get friends, compost, soil, tools, and plants. Swoop down upon the sidewalk clearings and take them over! Attack of the Midnight Fertilizers! Are they even on the property of the neighbouring building? They might be on municipal property. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/3 "2011-04-16T01:14:46Z")
No good deed goes unpunished. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/4 "2011-04-16T01:15:30Z")
Sounds like Green Graffitti to me, and I love it! p.s. I just made that up, I think, so if there is such a thing and it’s not like that, then please disregard. Except for the ‘I love it!’ part. I don’t see how you’d get into trouble. If the owners don’t like it, they will remove it. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/5 "2011-04-16T01:16:52Z")
Even if you don’t technically have the right to do it, I can’t imagine anyone objecting. “Hey! Who the hell told you you could pull out those weeds and plant flowers, huh? Who do you think you are, the flower fairy? I’m going to need to see some ID.” If I were inclined to do such a thing, the thought of getting in trouble for it wouldn’t even cross my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/6 "2011-04-16T01:16:58Z")
I guess I didn’t invent the term, or the concept; and I love it! [http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/moss-grass-graffiti/2147](http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/moss-grass-graffiti/2147) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/7 "2011-04-16T01:20:10Z")
When we were younger, we lived in a new development. Our house was new, some of the houses were still being built, others had yet to be begun. One night my brother and a few of his friends laid the sod that had been left on pallets by one of these houses. Maybe they were stoned; I’m not sure why they did it. The supervisor must have been scratching his head the next day when a work crew showed up and there was no sod for them to lay. As for the OP, I suppose you could get in trouble for doing that without permission, but I’d guess that the odds are low that they’d even notice, especially with wildflowers. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/8 "2011-04-16T01:20:17Z")
You go, **monstro**! The world could use a few more people willing to plant a flower. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/9 "2011-04-16T01:31:20Z")
You probably could, but then you could get famous, maybe get a book deal, more money for another down payment. Can you afford some of those inexpensive wire frame little fences to keep the dogs out? ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/10 "2011-04-16T01:37:27Z")
What’s the worst that could happen? Someone comes by and tills up the plot? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/11 "2011-04-16T01:48:54Z")
> [@j66](#): > > You probably could, but then you could get famous, maybe get a book deal, more money for another down payment. > > Can you afford some of those inexpensive wire frame little fences to keep the dogs out? I was going to stick in some little 12" stakes, like a make-shift picket fence. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/12 "2011-04-16T01:57:14Z")
Go for it, just get a jumpsuit so you look like a city worker, now worries! Great idea. You should be prepared that somewhere, on some plan, on some desk, is whatever was planned to be put there. And that something could be arriving in 3 wks and all your work could be for naught. You could come home one day, and see trees there, and everything you’ve planted just disappeared! If you’re prepared for that possibility you should do it. And take pictures. And show us. Great idea! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/13 "2011-04-16T01:58:25Z")
Sounds like a good place for some [“seed bombs”](http://www.guerrillagardening.org/ggseedbombs.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/14 "2011-04-16T02:00:57Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > You need to do this ninja-style, in the middle of the night. Get friends, compost, soil, tools, and plants. Swoop down upon the sidewalk clearings and take them over! Attack of the Midnight Fertilizers! No!!! Do it during the daytime, dressed like a gardener, with little traffic cones & tape around so people don’t walk into you. Then use your computer printer to create some nice letterhead, print a bill for your landscaping services & materials, and send it to the building owner. You might actually get paid! ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/15 "2011-04-16T07:56:13Z")
If you know someone with a white pickup truck, throw all the gardening supplies in the back and you’ll look like you belong there. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/16 "2011-04-16T08:51:33Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > If you know someone with a white pickup truck, throw all the gardening supplies in the back and you’ll look like you belong there. If caught: Shit. Isn’t this whatever address. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/17 "2011-04-16T13:03:18Z")
Or alternately fake some kind of accent and ignorance; “Hey, I just plant’a de plants, Y U no like plants?” ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/18 "2011-04-16T13:26:55Z")
In the UK it’s known as [guerilla gardening](http://www.guerrillagardening.org/). Go for it! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/19 "2011-04-16T13:45:19Z")
It sounds like the sidewalk is public property, right? Then I can’t see how you would even be charged with trespassing. The very worst that could realistically happen, as long as you’re polite, is that some cop with a stick up his butt asks you to move along, and you’ll have to quickly gather your trowel and leave. For what it’s worth, I did the same thing, at a city park that was next to my building. I finished planting my flowers in my own boxes and had about a dozen left over, and there in the park was this lovely tree with a huge bare circle all around it… People liked the flowers, and several commented on how cheerful they looked. The next summer, the city put flowers in the same spot! 😃 (The ones I put in were annuals, so it wasn’t like they killed mine to put theirs in.) I say you should do it, and post pics. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567/20 "2011-04-16T15:44:53Z")
I’ve actually started trees on public property. One I trimmed for about a decade, and the city start trimming it. I’ve seen wedding pictures being taken by the tree on occasions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-i-get-in-trouble-for-this/578567.md?page=2)