Omg I can't be the only one that has neighbours, both frigging sides, that copies every damn thing I do in the garden. I painted the fence grey, they both went and bought the exact same color and painted theirs. I changed it to black, guess what? Yep one of them painted theirs black. I had a ton, yes an actual ton of pea shingle delivered to finish off areas around my shed and paths, my neighbours did the same, I made a raised flower bed, they are in the process of doing the same. I bought a flower wreath to put on my shed, she's gone and got one today and put it up. What the hell am I supposed to do??? It's driving me nuts. I put up an arch, she did too. I took it down, yep, she took hers down. I mean it's relentless. Is this weird or does anyone else have neighbours like this?
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You’re not doing anything original so I wouldn’t get wound up over it. Those are all things that’s trendy at the moment so just let it go or take it as a compliment that they think it looks good.
We actually have a group of student boys that live behind us and as their garden is slightly raised we can both see into one another’s gardens. Most of our garden is decked, with nice garden furniture, fairy lights, bbq and fire pit. We painted the fence and the decking so the boys decided to do their fence a few days later. They also bought the exact same bbq after seeing us use ours one day, at the start of summer, And they’ve put up fairy lights too. They’ll get a fire pit next. Haha I’m so petty as it’s not a big deal 
But it’s fine, they’re harmless and it’s quite nice to see them look after their garden rather than the group that lived there before. It’s actually really nice to see as they’re quite young.
Take it as a compliment if you think someone is copying you!
But it’s fine, they’re harmless and it’s quite nice to see them look after their garden rather than the group that lived there before. It’s actually really nice to see as they’re quite young. Take it as a compliment if you think someone is copying you!
Oh my goodness, I’ve heard of a lot of neighbour problems but this is a new one! I would be quite miffed too, when they’re blatantly copying your ideas but like a pp said, take it as a compliment - imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all that!
Watching you from their windows is a completely different kettle of fish 
are they a similar age to you?
are they a similar age to you?Yes, a couple of years older.Watching you from their windows is a completely different kettle of fish
Interesting
and also, slightly creepy. I’d be looking to get some plants/privacy barriers put up immediately.We've done some planting that will hopefully give us some privacy and erected a couple of the baton type privacy screens, hoping they'd get the hintWatching you from their windows is a completely different kettle of fish
Haha I beat you to it. Its been done. I approached her and said hop you don't mind but we're putting up a privacy screen as we feel a bit overlooked. She just smiled and said that's a shame I like to see what your up to next. I said yes I've noticed and walked away.Interesting
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Mine is not so much copying but if I’ve got someone doing something to the house whether it’s window cleaner, gardener and more recently new windows and kitchen, my neighbour always has to ask them something about her house . Oooh ‘ I need a new window could you do that?’
‘ could you quote me for some gardening’
etc etc. Without fail she’s always got her beak in what I’m having done .
‘ could you quote me for some gardening’
etc etc. Without fail she’s always got her beak in what I’m having done .
No but I do have a sister what copies everything I do 
Eurrggghhh nosey bloody neighbours. The worst.
Growing up, my sister would copy everything I did and bought and it pissed me off big time! Actually, she did that into adulthood too, even copying my car type and buying an investment property when I did. As a joke one time, I told her I'd just returned from a six month cruise around Europe (lie, but she was none the wiser as we live in different cities and rarely see each other). Lo and behold, she booked a cruise! (But then backed out of it for some unknown reason [not my circus, not my clowns / aka I don't care]). Now, my mother does it - the latest thing is my curtains, which my delightful yet gossipy cousin told her where I got them from - and she went and had some made the exact same! I might have to play the cruise trick on her too.
So yeah, I understand your pain and I feel angry about it for you.
I'm sure people will say you should be flattered but I don't quite see it that way.
So yeah, I understand your pain and I feel angry about it for you.
I'm sure people will say you should be flattered but I don't quite see it that way.
Its that 'keeping up with the Jones' behaviour, prevalent everywhere.
I remember being in the front garden a few years ago & planting some pots when the hideous woman next door approached & announced "we're not into gardening, we like the minimalist look!"
"Very good, that's nice" I thought.
Fast forward a few years & their place is like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon now with a mix of tacky plastic flowers & baskets, little barrels, solar powered squirrels etc.
Thing is she does zero in the garden, I believe they get a local gardener to fill their many hanging baskets for them, where's the fun in that?
I mean, plant your own things & enjoy watching them grow.
I remember being in the front garden a few years ago & planting some pots when the hideous woman next door approached & announced "we're not into gardening, we like the minimalist look!"
"Very good, that's nice" I thought.
Fast forward a few years & their place is like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon now with a mix of tacky plastic flowers & baskets, little barrels, solar powered squirrels etc.
Thing is she does zero in the garden, I believe they get a local gardener to fill their many hanging baskets for them, where's the fun in that?
I mean, plant your own things & enjoy watching them grow.
No i don't see it that way at all either. They were there when we moved in, had never done anything to their house or their garden, lo and behold we move in and start work and it's like we triggered something in them. All the examples I told have happened in the last 2 months as we decided as we weren't going away we'd get the garden done. Even to decking, we paid someone to come and lay decking as it was a large area and I wanted steps and on two levels etc, next thing they're having decking delivered from wickes and he spent the weekend laying a deck. It def is keeping up with the Jones. She even one time said to me, I wanna get shutters like you've got oh and we wanna brick the front up like you have, so far that hasn't materialised but give it time.
I’m so thankful the neighbours on my street aren’t like that, because I am petty as hell and it would wind me up lol. I’ve taken it as a compliment the student boys copying us purely because they’re young and it’s surprising to see young lads actually give a tit about their student property. If it was a couple doing it around our age, I’d likely be a bit annoyed about it.No i don't see it that way at all either. They were there when we moved in, had never done anything to their house or their garden, lo and behold we move in and start work and it's like we triggered something in them. All the examples I told have happened in the last 2 months as we decided as we weren't going away we'd get the garden done. Even to decking, we paid someone to come and lay decking as it was a large area and I wanted steps and on two levels etc, next thing they're having decking delivered from wickes and he spent the weekend laying a deck. It def is keeping up with the Jones. She even one time said to me, I wanna get shutters like you've got oh and we wanna brick the front up like you have, so far that hasn't materialised but give it time.
I wouldn’t even notice. Houses in the same street tend to look similar anyway. If a neighbour sees your decking and fairy lights and thinks they’d like some, where’s the harm? Both are hugely popular at the moment, it’s not exactly rare.
Omgoodness, I can totally relate! It is extremely frustrating. We got a puppy and a few months later my neighbors went and got the same exact breed. We got a pool-they got a pool. Every time there is a holiday she will either copy my decorations or try to one up us. It is insane. The worst part is her and her husband are complete snobs to me and my husband. If she was at least nice it wouldn't even bother me. But the fact they act like they are 'better' than us just irritates me. Crazy part is she is an entrepreneur and apparently lacks creativity of her own. I was so annoyed but after reading that so many people experience the same things it makes me realize the best way to take it is...as a compliment!
Some people will try so hard to appear creative or better than you but anyone with a brain can see right through it!
Some people will try so hard to appear creative or better than you but anyone with a brain can see right through it!
This really cracked me up, I would probably end up doing weird things to mess with them like a realistic ghost project I saw. Ooh. Found it -
Doooo it OP!!!
Doooo it OP!!!