An elderly couple in Hallow, Worcester, is facing a significant bill after a neighbor complained about them planting flowers and shrubs on a small patch of scrubland adjacent to their home. Hilary Garner, 82, and her husband Christopher, 84, spent over £700 cultivating the approximately 3-square-meter area, planting species such as aubrieta, eucalyptus, cherry trees, and an acer to enhance the verge outside their house on Coxs Close.
The couple received letters from Ground Solutions UK Ltd, acting on behalf of the developers, instructing them to cease "encroaching" on the land and to "rectify" the area. Failure to do so would result in a bill of £953.40 for contractors to remove the plantings.
The Garners, who moved into the new-build estate in August 2024, stated they were initially assured that wildflowers and plants would be present along the verge. Seeing the bare ground, they decided to plant the flowers themselves, believing the land was communal. They noted that their immediate neighbors approved of the plantings.
"It feels like a witch-hunt - we can't understand it," Hilary Garner said. "We've got nothing, so we thought we'd go along and do it ourselves."
They have been receiving correspondence about the issue since September 2025, suspecting a complaint from a resident further down the road. The couple pays £320 annually for maintenance on the estate and questioned who this payment was directed to.
"I can't see how that little bit of land is causing problems," Hilary added. "If someone wants to bring their chairs and have a picnic there, then brilliant."
The couple refused to remove the plants by the June 22 deadline. Christopher Garner stated, "At the moment we are standing our ground, it will be interesting to see if they have the nerve to come and do it."
Mike Pett, managing director of Ground Solutions, confirmed that the company has contacted the couple on five occasions. He explained that the action was taken due to "concerns and complaints raised by residents." The land remains the developer's property and is slated for transfer to the Residents' Management Company. According to Pett, covenants within property transfer documents stipulate that managed open spaces are intended for recreational use only and cultivation without prior authorization is prohibited.
"Our reason for issuing repeated correspondence has been to provide Mr and Mrs Garner with every reasonable opportunity to resolve the matter voluntarily," Pett stated. "Our preference is to avoid the need to instruct contractors to remove the trees and plants at additional cost. The matter can be resolved simply by relocating the planting from the managed land onto their own property."
Ground Solutions maintains that despite attempts at communication, a resolution has not yet been reached, but they remain committed to finding an amicable solution and are open to further discussion with the couple.
