I also think the world would be a better place if one or 2 more people were brave enough to stick their nose in and be (as you so beautifully called me) became a busy body.

Unbelievable. What kind of soul less bitter "person" would begrudge children enjoying the outdoors a few flowers? Especially daffs, they're hardly rare. I'm not at all surprised that the mother told the OP to eff off.
It's the kind of countryside nazi type of thing you'd hear from the anti-bike ramblers.
I'm almost (but not quite!) speechless that anyone would find it acceptable to tell children not to pick some daffodils.

In moderation without causing harm you might be fine but there are others that deliberately go out for major harvesting. Take only ...

SaxonRider, I would agree with your father ... so I suppose you are not going to pass on the message to your next generation?

* to all the busy bodies who stifle the innocent play of children.

Was it your kids kicking the ball against my fence this afternoon?

The little shits have smashed a hole in it.

I am astonished anyone thinks it acceptable to pick wild flowers - especially by the armful as in this instance..

Wahtever happened to " take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints"

If eveyone picks them there soon are none left

And it does affect everyone that the flowers get taken by a few rather than left for the many to enjoy

'gerrra life'.

+1

Its just a few daffodils they'll grow back

I am astonished anyone thinks it acceptable to pick wild flowers - especially by the armful as in this instance

Daffodils? As in this instance?

I also think the world would be a better place if one or 2 more people were brave enough to stick their nose in and be (as you so beautifully called me) became a busy body.

Unbelievable. What kind of soul less bitter "person" would begrudge children enjoying the outdoors a few flowers? Especially daffs, they're hardly rare. I'm not at all surprised that the mother told the OP to eff off.
It's the kind of countryside nazi type of thing you'd hear from the anti-bike ramblers.
I'm almost (but not quite!) speechless that anyone would find it acceptable to tell children not to pick some daffodils.

Met me have you wrecker?

I will repeat one more time ...... This woman had 3 children, they picked armfuls (not just one or 2) of flowers, that I believe should have been left there for everyone who walks down the lane and the footpath daily to enjoy.

Telling someone to 'F' seems to be the norm. nowadays.

Nazi - a bit stong there?

 

chakaping - Member

* to all the busy bodies who stifle the innocent play of children.

Was it your kids kicking the ball against my fence this afternoon?

The little shits have smashed a hole in it.

When I said innocent, I meant innocent. Little shits deserve to be treated as little shits. Smashing a hole in something is different than picking flowers. End of.

Narcissi are not native to the British Isles. Your common daffodil is a hybrid of plants native to southern Europe and north Africa. By taking the flowering heads you still leave the bulb, which instead of putting energy into producing seeds will produce more flowers next year.

Bunnyhop - I admire you for challenging this family (and I would probably have done the same) but nevertheless you have to wonder whether it's worth it. Some people are just too blinkered and stupid.

Having said that, I had a driver sound his horn at me in a petrol station last week. I went to explain why I was doing what I was doing and he blanked me. Oh yes, too frightened of a biddy like me! I muttered 'idiot' and that seemed to amuse others. 🙂

We came home one day to find an eastern european family picking Daffodils from along our driveway. The kids were really into it, and their parents looked really embarrassed and apologetic when we caught them. The flowers were just about over so we weren't too fussed, had they knocked on the door, we would more than likely would have said yes, go ahead. The thing about our Daffodils is we planted them all with our own hands. You wouldnt expect to go into someones garden and just help yourself to which ever flower you took a fancy to.

There is a lot of Holly which also lines our drive, our neighbours often ask if they can cut some around Christmas time.

[i]If eveyone picks them there soon are none left[/i]

TJ, in the case of Daffodils 'everyone' is/are NOT going to pick them are they? I know what your'e saying but it's hypothetical, Daffs are not going to vanish because of people picking them. If they were it would've happened by now.
I know what your'e saying though!

I too think its despicable to do this such act!a punishment would be a good thing to deal with such people who do this crime. 👿

wildflower should be left in it's natural enviroment and not picked by human scum.

TJ, in the case of Daffodils 'everyone' is/are NOT going to pick them are they?

It's the kind of countryside nazi type of thing you'd hear from the anti-bike ramblers.

Well. That's Godwin.

End of thread.

North Sea Cod stocks on the other hand.......

Nazi - a bit stong there?

[i]Which is why the second conditional should have been used over the first. Poor and misleading use of english.[/i]
What, no capital E for 'English'? shame on you, bog off back to spain.

Wahtever happened to " take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints"

It's never really existed, people have picked flowers, fruit for 1000 of years and used the countryside forever, I've heard people even ride bikes in it on trails cut into the countryside just for this. Wilful destruction is of course is a different kettle of fish but picking some flowers is pretty harmless. Granted in this case it sounds like it was over the top and given there was an adult there who was letting it happen makes it worse. Bravo for bunnyhop for defending what she thought was wrong but I'd not of for someone picking flowers.

wrecker - Member

Nazi - a bit stong there?

Possibly a bit.
The point is, they were doing no harm and probably having a lovely day out. Nobody with any sense of proportion is going to feel aggrieved at not seeing some (very common) flowers, so why poke your nose in?
Do you not believe in "live and let live"? Do you not have anything more pressing to fret about than some daffs?
The whole thing smacks of a daily mail rant.

You make my heart glad, Wrecker.

wrecker - they are doing harm - they are taking the flowers away so no one else can enjoy them. Live and let live - the flower pickers ended that.

If its acceptable for one person to do this its acceptable for everyone and we end up with no wild flowers

By taking the flowering heads you still leave the bulb, which instead of putting energy into producing seeds will produce more flowers next year.

s'nature innit..
and to be honest.. I think the child innocently picking flowers is a more natural act than the auld geezers out for a jaunt on their technological masterpiece..

I understand that both are human acts and as such are both natural.. but the child would win by a strong margin in ecological top trumps

What, no capital E for 'English'? shame on you, bog off back to spain.

If its acceptable for one person to do this its acceptable for everyone and we end up with no wild flowers

http://www.farndale.org/daffy.htm

[i]100% deliberate to show my lack of respect.[/i]

Likewise.

[i] they are taking the flowers away so no one else can enjoy them[/i]

I make daisy chains, gather armfuls of nettles for tea, and I take thousands of blackberries every year.

If everyone agreed with TJ this forum would cease. But just like flowers aren't going to get wiped out by people picking them, this isn't going to happen.

If everyone agreed with TJ this forum would cease

It's a long shot, but it just might work....

Let's try it.

I make daisy chains, gather armfuls of nettles for tea, and I take thousands of blackberries every year.

Madam. You're worse than Hitler.

/invokes Godwin on oneself.

[i]If everyone agreed with TJ this forum would cease. But just like flowers aren't going to get wiped out by people picking them, this isn't going to happen[/i]

Think thats been mentioned before but TJ's not listening to it. 😉

spanish bloody trawlers in the North Sea are a different matter though. If they keep picking there'll be nowt left.

wrecker - they are doing harm - they are taking the flowers away so no one else can enjoy them. Live and let live - the flower pickers ended that.

If its acceptable for one person to do this its acceptable for everyone and we end up with no wild flowers

Sounds like you've been out picking mushrooms TJ, not flowers 😕

Like Drac intimates, just another form of foraging, isn't it?

It's as natural to pick them as old people moaning, I always pick garlic flowers in season as theyre £9 for 15g to buy, I only pick enough for what I need and never from all in one spot. Garlic leaves get picked too for purée, but I guess I'd be judged badly for that too.

Mothers day and my wife's birthday next week, and her favourite flowers are daffs, must get out onto the SDW and see if I can get some, may even take the kids along.

Narcissi are not native to the British Isles. Your common daffodil is a hybrid of plants native to southern Europe and north Africa. By taking the flowering heads you still leave the bulb, which instead of putting energy into producing seeds will produce more flowers next year.

Good point, well made.

^ why thank you kind sir.
But is it enough to add some colour to TJ's black and white world

Sorry, but Narcissus pseudonarcissus is native to the UK: Geoffrey Grigson says so. And in case anyone's forgotten, the OP said the children were picking armfuls.

Why do people have flowers in vases?
Because they're nice to look at.

Therefore picking wild flowers reduces the enjoyment of everyone else.
So don't.

Why do people have flowers in vases?
Because they're nice to look at.

Therefore picking wild flowers reduces the enjoyment of everyone else.
So don't.

I enjoy looking at forests. The trees still get chopped down. I don't die.

TJ - where do you stand on brambling or picking elderflower for cordial or wine? That is something I not only do but encourage my kids to do. If everyone did it there would be a shortage - but they don't so there isn't. I'm not sure "harvesting" cut flowers is actually that different.

I remember when I was about 9 a group of children at my school went on the rampage in the dafodils kicking them down with their feet - bascially pure vandalism. That would be wrong, but cutting them and putting them inside, perhaps in a place where more people (school, church, old folks home, etc) will actually see and enjoy them. Since it was armfuls this sounds possible - unless of course they were going to flog them.

Do you think the "woman" in the original story has gone home raging tonight and posting on the internet? I doubt it. So you have lost by letting it get to you. She probably identified that you were a little 'unusual' from your choice of bike... ...people don't like "weirdos" talking to their kids so I can almost understand her attitude.

Do you not believe in "live and let live"?

i really struggle with that phrase - does it mean "readily accept what people do without regard to consequence to others"?

in this case the consequence isn't a big deal but it seems a bit sad when we simply accept the destruction of something beautiful, that could be shared, because one group of people don't have any appreciation that others might like to enjoy it

The children of today, picking daffodils will be foresters of the future, chopping down trees,

I enjoy looking at forests. The trees still get chopped down. I don't die.

Stands corrected, there is a native narcissus. Were the flowers picked of this species?
My other point still stands.

was the op wearing lycra? could easily be mistaken for a pederast.

in this case the consequence isn't a big deal but it seems a bit sad when we simply accept the destruction of something beautiful, that could be shared, because one group of people don't have any appreciation that others might like to enjoy it

Like fox hunting, perhaps.

One point not yet raised is that by allowing ones' little darlings to pick huge armfulls of pretty flowers, you are giving them carte blanche to help themselves to other, perhaps much rarer plants in the future.

I kind of thought it was accepted wisdom (amongst those with half a civilised brain) not to go around picking wild flowers, and most especially not to rip up massive, greedy armfulls, so I'm saddened and perplexed by a good many of the responses 🙁 By the sounds of the lady in the OP, I very much doubt she was taking the kids round any hospitals or old folks homes...

Woman, gets up and storms off and shouts to me 'gerrra life'.

but cutting them and putting them inside, perhaps in a place where more people (school, church.....

see "gerra life" actually meant join me in church

poly - Member

TJ - where do you stand on brambling or picking elderflower for cordial or wine? That is something I not only do but encourage my kids to do. If everyone did it there would be a shortage

Fine - you are not depriving anyone else of the beauty of seeing them.

Different to the flowers

Is there a union to protect the rights of Daffodils.

Fine - you are not depriving anyone else of the beauty of seeing them.

Different to the flowers

^different to the elderflowers TJ.
Daffodils do not suffer and die from having their flowers picked. It is common practice to dead-head narcissus to promote more flower growth in the following season.

The plural of narcissus is narcissi.

This is important.

Yes I know see my first post

Wild! I bet they were livid.
< apologies to NTNOCN >

😀

CaptainFlashheart - Member

in this case the consequence isn't a big deal but it seems a bit sad when we simply accept the destruction of something beautiful, that could be shared, because one group of people don't have any appreciation that others might like to enjoy it

Like fox hunting, perhaps.

No, we all know everyone agrees that fox hunting was jolly good fun and a spiffing traditional lark and that the sight of an animal being ripped apart as nature intended was as good as it got, it is very sad the impact that the ban has had on the UK economy - we were warned!

@ Paul - I couldn't tell them apart anyway.

They had armfuls. They were children. They have little arms.

Thank Tard they weren't MMA trained cage fighters.

Not everyone likes, picks, takes notice or even cares about daffs. They won't vanish from the British countryside (I don't have any interwebz sources to back this up btw).

And I thought AirgunBBS was full of mentals with nothing better to do 🙄

One point not yet raised is that by allowing ones' little darlings to pick huge armfulls of pretty flowers, you are giving them carte blanche to help themselves to other, perhaps much rarer plants in the future.

That's right they go out and as adults to pick bee orchards, it's well known fact and it's encouraged by video games like Plants Vs Zombies. It makes me sad to be British, won't somebody think of the children etc.

I kind of thought it was accepted wisdom (amongst those with half a civilised brain) not to go around picking wild flowers,

I have a fully civilised brain so therefore realise there isn't any real harm from kids picking a few odd flowers. I'm pretty sure it's gone on for generations and the impact it's had is tiny, we probably damage more rare plants riding our bikes.

Fine - you are not depriving anyone else of the beauty of seeing them.

Pffft, TJ's shallow - the ugly plants have less rights than the pretty ones in his world! 😛

I was always discouraged from picking wildflowers. My dad would show them to me, tell me what they were and what cultivated plants they were related to, and any interesting features like whether they were horribly poisonous. I kept a flower diary in the spring and summer, drawing pictures of wild flowers and plants I'd spotted. Yeah, I was a cool kid. 😆

I was allowed to pick (non-poisonous) flowers from our garden though, and was taught how to press them. I also used to make 'perfume' from rose petals and water in milk bottles.

I don't think I'd get het up about a child picking a couple of common wild flowers and making a posey, but stripping an area of flowers is a bit out of order.

EDIT: Also, top points for having a thread arguing about daffodils! 😆

You want middle(-ish...only one car now) class rant? I think I have missed Sienna Miller's norks in Layer Cake.

it is very sad the impact that the ban has had on the UK economy - we were warned!

yossarian - Member Nail 'em up
Nail some sense into 'em.

Brilliant. Nearly choked on my badger and swan sandwich.

Fascinating! A number of you seem to think " my dad told me so" is good enough a reason to not pick daffodils.
Your dad mght have been clueless and just making it up.

No - its that the countryside code and good practice is " take nothing but photos. leave nothing but footprints"

Who decided it is good practice? How was that decision made?

Do you really have to ask?

If people pick wild flowers then only they get the pleasure - if they leave them everyone does.

To pick them is selfish. Ok an odd one does not great harm but as in the OP here?

Its so simple and obvious I am astonished it is even questioned.

FWIW, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code says not to intentionally damage or disturb plants.

OTOH, daffodils are appearing in all sorts of weird and [i]un-natural[/i] places and as far as I am concerned are a often no better than a weed - in the same way as Rhododendrons.

Oh biggity-bell-ends. Can't really bring myself to take this thread seriously anymore, but; this doesn't sound to me like a cute six year old picking "the odd flower" to take home for her cute cot-side table. It sounds like a couple of brats ("9 and 10 year old") senselessly ruining a nice patch of daffodils whilst their mum tells anyone who'll listen to F off.

Never mind the whole lightfooted-in-nature ethos; something which was pleasant to look at is now gone - not hard to get yer head round really...

But seeing happy children picking flowers gives pleasure to me and many others. Stopping children from doing this is selfish as it stops us from enjoying nature. This basic joy of seeing kids enjoying themselves is so obvious i'm surprised people are questioning it.

*sends kids round to SamC's house to enjoy themselves wiping bogies on the rims of his coffee cups* They do so love that game 🙂

If the council spent thousands giving out bulbs for people to plant - were they wild? The daffodils existential existence probably means they were put out of their misery.

I struggle with long sentences (well I did read some of it) but I was always taught not to pick wild flowers, because by picking them you are killing them. The flowers put all that work in for nothing, and the bees/insects go hungry (or hungrier). And they are there for everyone to see, not for you to help yourself to.

Ask yourself what would happen if everyone did it.

Friut is different because it (mostly) isn't admired for its beauty, and the plants have made them specifically for the purposes of eating. However I wouldn't encourage going on a picking spree taking everything you can reach because a lot of animals depend on this stuff, and the plants want their seeds spread further than the sewage plant. Plus in the case of blackberries there are more than the birds can eat, at least round our way - half of them wither on the bramble.

i agree with tj, albeit that he's wrong on one key point.

that is that these kids were obviously into their plants and could therefore distinguish narcissus pseudonarcissus from the more common and introduced cultivars. they would know then that the native stock had indeed been in decline due to a combo of changing argricultural practice, change in environment and people generally just taking them.

tj's implication that these expert children will go on to wreak havoc on rare species (bunch of fritillary guvnor?) is churlish and any attempt by him to make parallel with any other 'gathering' such as butterfly collecting is entirely spurious.

No, we all know everyone agrees that fox hunting was jolly good fun and a spiffing traditional lark and that the sight of an animal being ripped apart as nature intended was as good as it got, it is very sad the impact that the ban has had on the UK economy - we were warned!

Sad indeed. You only have to look at the correlation that exists between the banning of fox hunting and the global financial criss, the rise of Muslamic Rayguns and the burgeoning careers of Akon and Pitbull to know that not having dogs tearing up foxes is a terrible mistake.

Ask yourself what would happen if everyone did it.

I wouldn't encourage going on a picking spree

I'm not sure anyone is actually encouraging anyone else to go on a picking spree. As the whole world is following the sage advice regarding fruit rather than the scare tactics and unlikely scenario first suggested, I think we're OK with the status quo.

Well I did my phd on wildflowers and spent years doing research on hay meadow and chalk grassland restoration and I'm not in anway outraged by kids picking daffs.