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Old 02-18-2014, 06:35 PM
 
13,395 posts, read 13,438,414 times
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Gotta question. If there aren't any signs posted, is it theft to take clippings or cutting from flowers or plants that are in public places?

For instance, say there are pretty flowers planted in the median of a large street or a nice foliage plant collection in the courtyard of the local city hall? What if a restaurant has large planters outside of their restaurant and they have some nice English ivy trailing out.

Is it stealing to take a little snip? Again, there are no signs posted. Of course, one would never take any clippings from private homes.
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Old 02-18-2014, 06:45 PM
 
Location: SC
8,793 posts, read 8,118,256 times
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Legally, probably. Ethically probably not. Why not ask the manager (email the city, state) or better yet the gardner (when they are there) if you can have a clipping? Otherwise, i wouldn't worry much about it.
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Old 02-18-2014, 06:51 PM
 
7,099 posts, read 27,128,604 times
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Would you be proud to tell everyone that you took it without any kind of permission?

What would the plantings look like if every one took a little snip?

Plantings in public places are "owned" by the taxpayers. In some areas, they don't even want you to walk on the grass.
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Old 02-18-2014, 07:03 PM
 
Location: southwestern PA
22,341 posts, read 47,322,635 times
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If it is not yours, you should not take it... unless you get permission.
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Old 02-18-2014, 09:53 PM
 
25,619 posts, read 36,568,173 times
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Yes it's stealing.

1) Someone paid for the construction of that landscape including design, hardscape, irrigation, dirt, ammendments, plants and trees. Not to mention insurance, permits, wages, taxes etc....

2) Someone is also paying for the continual maintenance of that landscape.

3) Would you like it if lots of people took clippings from your plants for free without asking? Are there signs posted in front of your home saying dont take or damage my property?
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Old 02-18-2014, 10:12 PM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
36,499 posts, read 53,879,234 times
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in a word YES.

Don't do it. What if someone saw you and decided they should do it too. What if a child saw you and decided all things public are fair game?
DON'T TAKE THINGS WHICH DON't BELONG TO YOU.

and what is "a little snip"? most public places pay a crew to maintain these planting areas and their job might be compromised because you took "a little snip".
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Old 02-18-2014, 10:14 PM
 
6 posts, read 12,484 times
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Yikes! My mom is a world class criminal then. She's a world traveler and often takes an interesting leaf right off the plant. Her rule "if it's something that will fall off, like a leaf or a seed, AND you can take it without damaging the plant physically or aestheticly, go ahead." Obviously if there's someone to ask...like it's at a restaurant or business, she asks. But public areas, like traffic medians? No one to ask. And she collected specimens from medians in all sorts of places.
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Old 02-18-2014, 10:34 PM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
36,499 posts, read 53,879,234 times
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just because someone does it and gets away with it does not make it right!
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Old 02-18-2014, 10:41 PM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,743,466 times
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No, I agree, it is not right to do it. If everyone did things like this how would that be ?

Don
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Old 02-18-2014, 11:20 PM
 
Location: On the Ohio River in Western, KY
3,387 posts, read 6,611,151 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charlygal View Post
Gotta question. If there aren't any signs posted, is it theft to take clippings or cutting from flowers or plants that are in public places?

For instance, say there are pretty flowers planted in the median of a large street or a nice foliage plant collection in the courtyard of the local city hall? What if a restaurant has large planters outside of their restaurant and they have some nice English ivy trailing out.

Is it stealing to take a little snip? Again, there are no signs posted. Of course, one would never take any clippings from private homes.
For publicly funded places, I say no. If it is a part of the plant that will fall off, like a seed or a leaf, then again I don't see a problem, but if it is a private establishment, then I think you should ask first.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pitt Chick View Post
If it is not yours, you should not take it... unless you get permission.
If it's a taxpayer funded area, then you kinda are already paying for it.



Now, I don't just walk all over the place and take blooms, seeds, cuttings, etc... from whatever and wherever I want; but 2 yrs ago the public park in my town had the most beautiful (and super stinky!) marigolds planted near a gazebo, and I waited till they deadheaded, and yes I did pluck a seed head, and grew them as a garden barrier last year.

I've also asked neighbors when I see them splitting bulbs, how much they would charge for a few bulbs, and 99% of the time, they just give them to me. Or if they have a cool plant if I could pay for a cutting, etc...


And as far as the English Ivy goes; that stuff is practically impossible to kill, lol! I chop it all to crap every year, and in Spring, it's back again, more annoying than crabgrass or kudzu!
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