Am I allowed to go picking bits of greenery for wreath ?

morganlefay

I was watching Kirstie Allsop last night and want to make a wreath like hers. She just collected conifer barnches (just small ones) and ivy and stuff from her large garden. I don't have any of those in mine (plenty of ivy tho). Does anyone know if I can legally just stop the car and pinch a few bits of conifer from here and there ? We also have huge Forestry Commission woods near here and I wondered if a bit of fir tree twig gathering is allowed from there - does anyone know, please ?

Farway

Not really, same as theft as all belong to someone, bit like snipping a "few" holly twigs & berries" from someones front garden

However, same as blackberrying IMO, use common sense and all should be well

sophieschoice

I believe the charge would be criminal damage rather than theft.
I don't think denuding the woodlands is a good idea, supposing we all did it?
There's probably enough bits on the ground without resorting to chopping off branches anyway.
Or find a local friendly landscaper or gardener who'd probably be thrilled to give you offcuts as it would save him disposing of it.
Garden centres also trim the bottom from conifers or Christmas trees and these are usually left lying around.
By the way, I do know someone who was fined £80 for picking a flower in the park!!!

Farway

sophieschoice wrote: »

By the way, I do know someone who was fined £80 for picking a flower in the park!!!

Not surprised at this, why on earth did they think they were entitled to do this?

Bit like picking daffodils from road roundabouts in Spring, there for all to enjoy
Sorry, bit OT but some folks actions just leave me flummoxed

As i said, common sense applies

sophieschoice

Farway wrote: »

Not surprised at this, why on earth did they think they were entitled to do this?

Mystifies me too.

sophieschoice

sophieschoice wrote: »

Or find a local friendly landscaper or gardener who'd probably be thrilled to give you offcuts as it would save him disposing of it.


A very good female friend is a landscape gardener so, of course, I should have said him or her!
Just to keep the PC/feminist brigade happy :rotfl:

morganlefay

Ooops, I wasn't suggesting picking huge branches, or doing so from clearly-owned property but I live in a very rural area, we have miles and miles of woodland criss crossed with public footpaths. Obviously picking up fallen stuff seems Ok (but perhaps even that isn't); it's not always clear who owns any of this land so I wouldn't even know who to ask permission from. I was thinking more of very small twiggy bits - tho I quite take the point that everyone out with their secateurs would cause havoc....BUT I've lived here for years and no one ever does that. They don't pick the blackberries or sloes (I mean that surely would be theft too ?), they don't seem to go out looking for mushrooms, they just take their dogs to poo in the woods (one might regard that as unacceptable too). I think I'll ask the Forestry Commission if I can 'glean' a bit in their woods. Thanks, all.

Suzy_M

If all you want is enough greenery for one wreath - just knock on someone's door and ask. Worked for us in the past and have ended up with the better quality stuff from the back gardens and on one occasion had a Landrover tour of someone's farm!

Lotus-eater

I'm sure gathering enough heavy timbers from a forestry commission wooded area to make a wreath is ultimately theft in the eyes of the absolute law....... however, I can't see a FC worker giving two hoots to the taking a a few twigs of holly and conifers.

As faraway says, common sense is the order of the day, go nicking a whole chrimbo tree and they aren't going to be too chuffed, snip 4 x 2 ft pieces of conifer needle branches off from the middle of 100 acres of forest and I don't really think anyone will have a problem....

Dustykitten

A neighbour from another street asked to snip a few bits of my lovely holly tree this week and I didn't have a problem (he is an expert gardener so would do no harm). If people knocked on my door I'd happily give them a few sprigs but I'd be none too pleased if somebody went along the verge and started helping themselves. If you do collect a few bits from public places do it with care as if you were pruning your own plants.

foxgloves

I have collected a few bits and pieces to add to stuff from my own back garden when I've been out walking in woodland or local footpaths. I think the same sensible ethos applies as with foraging, in treating nature with respect and not being greedy or damaging. I find there's usually quite a lot of good things to pick up from the forest floor, i.e fircones, acorns, that can be wired & added to decorations. Also that twiggy stuff that I call 'witches hair', usually plenty of it lying around. I've picked the occasional spray of greenery when it's something hugely plentiful and won't cause damage. A few years ago, I bought a little bundle of ceramic red berries, each on an individual wire (from a garden centre Christmas decorations shop - about £2) and these help loads as you can wire them on to really quite ordinary greenery, even privet, bay laurel & conifers from the garden & the whole lot just looks really festive, then you can re-use them every year.