My father-in-law planted tomatoes in our lawn without asking
Editors' DilemmaOctober 28, 2026· Be the first to vote
A story made up by our editors to get the debate going, not a real account.
My side
My husband and I finally have a house with a small backyard. A lawn, two bushes, a table. We love how simple it is. While we were on vacation, my father-in-law came by to “keep an eye on the house.” When we got back, a quarter of the lawn was gone. In its place: a vegetable garden. Tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, and a scarecrow wearing one of my husband’s old sweaters. He was very proud. I was in shock. I have zero interest in a vegetable garden, and I loved my lawn. I told him so, politely. He said we’d see in August who was laughing.
Their side
My father-in-law thought he was giving us a wonderful surprise. He’s been gardening for fifty years and wanted to pass that joy on to us. According to him, a lawn is useless, while a garden feeds a family all summer. He’s committed to coming by to take care of it himself, twice a week, and he thinks I’m being ungrateful.
So, who's wrong?
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