In our last home there was a woman in the neighborhood who had a small (12") white wire fence around her front yard. The HOA made her go around and get 5 neighbor's signatures on a petition to keep the fence up.

If you have that as an option, maybe you can find people "on your side" to help you keep the beds.

As another option, can you hide the beds with flowers?

Best of luck to you!

Our HOA has rules too about things in the front yard. I half way understand them. Careful, you wouldn't want them to place a lean on your home. We, and other neighbors, agreed to keep our gardens not directly in front of the house, but on the side yard or back yard. This works out well for all of us.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Corner Yard

I think you have to decide how far you want to pursuit this and determine what you want your relationship to be with your neighbors. You could argue that compliance should be forced across the board. You could ask that you be allowed to continue to use them for the rest of this season and then move them next season. You could also just take away the boxes and continue to have the veggies planted in a raised bed that just does not have a box around it. Good luck.

Yeah, no one says you absolutely need to build boxes to make raised beds. Just mound up some dirt and plant. Lots of folks do it that way.

Here is a link that might be useful: Luke's SF Victory Garden

I agree with tishtosh. Do you care about relationships with your neighbors? If the CCRs are silent on this issue and you need no approval, then so be it. I'd say if the neighbors are snooty enuf about it, then there's a problem somewhere. Nonetheless, if it were me I'd get on the board agenda and argue the case if indeed there are no strict rules. And if grass is not a strict rule, take the boards away next year and mound.

Dan

I haven't had an issue with a HOA, and you haven't made it clear if the HOA or just gossipy neighbour have told you this? if gossipy neighbours wait for a letter from the HOA, write back a polite and concise letter for each point they make, stating FACT only quoting their rules and your interpritation of them.
make sugestions to how this could be resolved such as those above and also say things like putting an attractive fence round, do not include emotion or refer to other untended gardens. (if this is your first ever garden there, end with I am sorry I was following the example from the presidents wife and hope they arn't republican! haha! joke!)
No seriously keep it unemotional, but at the end you could list why you wish to keep the garden in that position if possible, with again facts not emotion, such as you don't have a back yard, or that it is in shade much of the day, facing North, your children play in the street and you can keep an eye on them when gardening, whatever your reason, tell them, end with thanking them for their time in considering your reply and if they wish to discuse this further and work with you for a resolution to the issue, you will of course be available to talk, and give contact details.
The thing to remember a awful lots of complaint are made by someone in a highly emotional way and can make their argument a little muddled and full of I this, I that, she this, she that, (don't make that mistake)and quite correctly the HOA have to follow this up, but doesn't mean they agree, they will be happier with the person who wants to help them, than someone screaming the odds (unless it is one of them!)
good luck and enjoy your garden, don't let this upset you.

Yet another reason why I will never live anywhere there is an HOA. Unless they want to pay my mortgage, they have not say on my property.

I agree with Heather. The best way to address this is to thoroughly familierize yourself with the association rules. You said it doesn't allow "structures" but how about raised beds in particular? Do other people have raised flower beds or other raised landscaping beds? Take pictures of other "raised beds", made of stone, brick, etc. around the neighborhood. I wouldn't even mention "structure", as I assume you have 6 or 8 inch tall raised beds. Make them call it a structure and prove it fits the definition. You stick to your argument that there is no rule about what you can or can't plant.

If possible, find out in advance what the specific objection is. Do they think they are unsightly because they are vegetables or because they don't like the materials the beds are made of? Maybe it's the three, square beds themselves and no one would complain if it was a curvy, mulched bed. If so, they have a pretty lame argument. A raised bed is a raised bed. And if it's the boxes, as other's have said, you have the option of removing the sides and planting right on the lawn...they couldn't do a thing about it if the problem is the "structure".

You don't want to point out other people's violations like knee-high grass. That has nothing to do with you and would be as well received as telling a court that the cop shouldn't have given you a speeding ticket when someone else ahead of you had his taillight out. It doesn't make you any less in violation and just ticks off the powers-that-be.

Good Luck!!!

You could ask that you be allowed to continue to use them for the rest of this season and then move them next season. is a good piece of advice if all else fails... I think the go in and be cool thing is key... I bet it all boils down to some small aspect of the beds.... If there are no rules, just ask them what it is that bothers the neighbors, and I bet there is middle ground...

IMHO, alys's advice is spot on. If raised beds are allowed, it would only take some $1.97 concrete retaining wall blocks from K-mart/Home Depot/Lowes to turn a SFG planter box into 'proper' landscaping.

I'd also consider sharing some of my excess crops with the neighbors. It's a great ice breaker, and only the most miserable of people would complain about a person who shared their food with them. Just a thought.

Thank you to all for your sage advice and suggestions.

Just to clarify, an email was sent to the committee regarding the garden, detailing their complaints. The president of the committee then spoke to me about the complaint, but I was never sent anything "officially".

Ironically, a member of the committee works at my office and he said nothing more has been mentioned on the issue.

I've decided to let sleeping dogs lay - no news is good news, and should I receive anything in the mail I'll deal with it then.

Thank you again for taking the time to reply to my post. I appreciate your advice and willingness to help immensely.

Bel

Thanks for the update. Some people just like to complain about anything and everything. Hopefully the members of the committee feel this is a ridiculous complaint and you will hear no more of it.

Rachel
Graphic Muse's Garden Spot

thanks for the update, you are a sensible person, sleeping dogs and such, I saw your pics, and I thought it looked really nice, and orderly, not like my hell hole! good luck and enjoy the veggies.