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A row is brewing in New Zealand over what residents are allowed to do with the grass verges outside their homes.

Two years ago, Auckland Council announced it would no longer mow the verges, known locally as berms, handing responsibility for maintaining them to local residents instead, . But its seems some people became a little too green-fingered for the local authority's liking, filling the patches of land with flower beds, fruit trees and vegetables.

Now the agency in charge of regulating the verges, Auckland Transport, wants to ban people from growing food on the land because of concerns over vermin, and plans to require residents to apply for a NZ$150 ($102; £66) permit before creating "berm gardens". The agency says there's also a road safety risk. "It's people, little kids, running out from behind tall-growing vegetables or plants, and running out onto the road and getting hit by a car," spokesman Tony McCartney .

But gardeners are uniting against the plans, saying the plants help bees and butterflies and foster community spirit. "Let's plant gardens so people can have access to food," says Aucklander Richard Green, who grows vegetables and shares them with his neighbours. "And it's colour. Grass is so boring, and it's not even native."

Almost 800 people have signed a petition started by the New Zealand Gardener magazine, calling on Auckland Transport to drop the "silly" plan to ban food being grown on verges. The agency is consulting with local community boards before making a final decision on the plans.

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