'Rose rage' sweeps UK's gardens

Roses are red, but neighbours are often green with envy according to new research

Neighbourly goodwill is going down the garden drain as 'rose rage' has taken root in the UK, according to new research.

Statistics unearthed by BBC Gardeners' World Magazine reveal almost a third of UK residents admit to having argued with neighbours over a garden issue.

The three most irritating things in a neighbour's garden are a barking dog, loud music and late night garden parties, according to a UK-wide poll of 2,000 people.

The research also says one fifth of the homeowners polled think their neighbour's garden could be vastly improved.

And 76% of house hunters claim they would not make an offer on a perfect house if the garden next door was not up-to-scratch.

Problem neighbours

The research was commissioned by the BBC publication in response to an increase in letters from readers asking for advice on dealing with their problems with neighbouring gardens.

People do get genuinely worked up about what goes on over the other side of the fence and this research shows they are acting on it Adam Pasco, Editor of BBC Gardeners' World magazine

The research, carried out by independent researchers YouGov, revealed a number of examples of so-called 'rose rage'.

It showed that:

28% of those asked have cut off communication and stopped speaking to their neighbours.

26% said they had called the council or police to complain.

5% have actually had a fight with a neighbour over a garden issue

5% have held a garden party and deliberately not invited their neighbours.

3% have gone as far as actively sabotaging their neighbour's garden, such as cutting the tops off flowers and throwing litter over the fence.

However, people surveyed appeared to be more liberal-minded on some issues.

The poll indicates people are more likely to object to a dog barking in the garden next door than to watching amorous activities or topless sunbathing.

Top 10 GARDEN GRIPES 1. Barking dog 2. Loud music 3. Late night garden parties 4. Neighbours arguing 5. Half-finished building projects 6. Over-amorous activity 7. Noisy children's games 8. Topless sunbathing 9. Early morning lawn mowing 10. Wind chimes

And the research indicated that 18 to 29 year-olds were three times more likely to complain about it than the over 50s.

Britons' general opinions of neighbours' gardens are also reflected in the survey, which shows:

A fifth of people think their neighbour's garden could be vastly improved.

17% would raise their fence so they couldn't see their neighbours' gardens.

One in 10 people in the UK are actually ashamed by the state of their neighbours' gardens.

Editor of BBC Gardeners' World magazine, Adam Pasco, said: "We're all investing more time and effort in our gardens than ever before, so when things go wrong, we want to find answers.

"As the nation's number one hobby, gardening inspires a huge range of emotions but we would encourage people to focus on the more positive ones rather than giving way to 'Rose Rage'".