# Pushin' (or Pullin') Up Daisies Legality Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 12, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717 "2002-06-12T20:55:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/1 "2002-06-12T20:55:07Z")
There’s a house under construction a couple of blocks from where I live. The “front lawn” is, right now, just dirt. In that dirt, however, are growing thousands of daisies, which I adore. I’d like to dig some up and replant them in my window box. Is this legal? The house isn’t occupied, and the daisies will only be plowed up when the driveway is put in, anyway. (Oh, and yes, I know how hard it is to get wildflowers to transplant. I want to dig deep enough to get the roots, too, and hope for the best.) ---
**Author:** ![Freedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedom)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/2 "2002-06-12T21:57:53Z")
Just ask the contractor, he could probably care less and he will probably just give you permission. Or… you could go over there right after everybody knocks off for the day:) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/3 "2002-06-13T13:58:54Z")
They must work on the house weekdays, as I never see anyone after work or on weekends—so, no one to ask! Also, no one to catch me digging up the froint yard . . . I think I will give it a try this Sunday. I’ll only take enough to fill one window box, will hardly make a dent. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/4 "2002-06-13T14:10:34Z")
I think David Niven would tell Doris Day, were she to ask such a question, that it was perfectly acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/5 "2002-06-13T17:59:22Z")
I wonder how much bail money we’ll have to raise to get **Eve** out of jail this Sunday? Most construction sites have a sign posted with the general contractors business name and phone number. They’d probably be pleasantly suprised to have someone actually ask before removing the landscaping. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/6 "2002-06-13T18:05:51Z")
Nope, no sign or phone number posted; and this is not really “landscaping.” It’s piles of dirt in front of the house with a bunch of wild daisies sprouting out of it. It’ll all be plowed under in a month or so anyway and grass-seeded. However, I do hope y’all will have a Bail party for me! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pushin-or-pullin-up-daisies-legality-question/113717/7 "2002-06-13T20:52:34Z")
Anyone else getting excited by the idea of **Eve** donning a tasteful black suit with camo face paint for her daring midnight daisy liberation raid? What kind of shoes go best with a trowel? On the practical side, daisies have pretty shallow root systems and are pretty darned hardy. So they should be pretty easy to scoop up with a hand trowel. Just slip them into a plastic bag like you get from a grocery store. And water them profusely upon transplanting. Of course, if the ground in the construction site is compacted clay, you will want to wear gloves as to avoid ruining your manicure.