Ebony Ackroyd was sent a note from her neighbour, accusing her of being lazy and a disgrace

A MOTHER was told to ‘shape up or ship out’ by an anonymous neighbour. Her crime? Not planting enough shrubs in the front yard.

Ebony Ackroyd’s front yard. Picture: Ebony Ackroyd/Facebook

A MOTHER was accused of being lazy and a disgrace in a nasty note from a neighbour.

The note was sent to Ebony Ackroyd, from Hamilton in Victoria’s west, and complained about the state of her front yard.

The neighbour told Ms Ackroyd to take a walk up the street and “observe every house, there’s none in the deplorable lazy as yours”.

“In fact walk all over Hamilton and your front yard is the worst, a disgrace to both you and your husband,” the note said.

“People say they have never seen your husband doing any work, no excuse.

“Across the street see how that elderly lady keeps her front garden with little effort.”

The neighbour then went on to say it was time Ms Ackroyd and her husband cleaned up.

The front yard has Ms Ackroyd’s children’s toys and play set.

“There is no reason why you can’t move your kids’ playground to the rear of your house, like other people do, better for them and better for you. Throw those old tyres out,” the neighbour said to Ms Ackroyd.

The note sent to Ebony Ackroyd. Picture: Facebook/Ebony Ackroyd

The neighbour said she needed to plant six shrubs along the front of the yard and keep them watered.

She also told Ms Ackroyd to weed and keep the lawns mowed.

“If you and your husband can afford fancy hair cuts, you can dam (sic) well afford six shrubs for your front. People say wake up clean and tidy up, that goes for you both,” the note said.

The neighbour then ended the letter with a message from the whole street.

“Shape up or ship out,” it said.

Ms Ackroyd has shared the note on Facebook and slammed the neighbour.

Ebony Ackroyd was furious after receiving the letter from her neighbour. Picture: Ebony Ackroyd/Facebook

She said she had started working on the garden on November 27, but then she had to travel to Ballarat for her son’s doctor appointment. Then he was struck with gastro on December 9.
“I have tried to do what I can in the meantime but it’s difficult with a sick three-year-old under foot.”

Ms Ackroyd and her husband were then infected with the gastro bug and they’ve been so exhausted since, they’ve had to take it in turns to nap, so one of them could watch the children.

She said she had one play set out the front so she could watch her children and hear them.

“So to receive this letter in my mailbox I am absolutely furious! I mean seriously! I would never do this to someone no matter how bad their yard looked because we don’t know their story. We don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors! We don’t know if they are ‘lazy’ or if there is something wrong,” she said.

Ms Ackroyd wrote on Facebook she was also suffering from depression and anxiety.

“If someone really feels that way at least have the guts to say it to my face and not an anonymous letter! If I knew who sent this I would be telling them everything I have said in this post,” she said.

“And to say this is the worst house in Hamilton? I’m sorry but I have seen far worse than this.”

Ms Ackroyd said the bikes on the front lawn were usually in the garage and had planned to move the pile of dirt when she recovered from her gastro.

Originally published as Ebony Ackroyd was sent a note from her neighbour, accusing her of being lazy and a disgrace