Neighbours' toddlers play in front of our flat every evening. Which plants should go?

dusk_rain_424916 Aug 2026

We are on the ground floor and the small garden patch in front of our flat has become the evening meeting point for three or four toddlers from the building, with their parents or helpers. Over the years we have planted crotons, cactus pots along the edge, tulsi, a big oleander near the gate and something with red berries we never identified. The oleander I know about, that one is going. Our grandson is 7 and long past eating leaves, so we never thought about the rest. If it were your little one walking about, what would you remove? I would rather ask parents than wait for the society to send a circular.

3 comments

lemon_moon_408616 Aug 2026
Cactus pots would be my first worry, not for eating but for falling into. Our younger one at two grabbed anything at hand height to pull himself up. Put them on a ledge and most of the problem is gone. The red berries I'd take out until someone tells you what they are. Very kind of you to ask, Kaka. Most people would just put up a 'do not pluck' board.
ochre_kettle_62316 Aug 2026
tulsi is fine, half our building's garden is tulsi and the kids just pull the leaves off for fun. agree on the berries. maybe ask the parents to keep an eye too, it's a shared space after all 🤷
juniper_bookmark_769818 Aug 2026
reading this mid-feed and now looking suspiciously at the money plant in our hall. she can't even roll over yet but apparently i'm already planning
- cedar_violin_921418 Aug 2026
  A money plant up on a shelf is fine for now; she will let you know when she is mobile. From the emergency side, plants are a small share of what brings toddlers in compared with medicines left within reach and button batteries. If you are making a list, put those above the plants.