‘There’s literally signs everywhere’: Couple goes on date to Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Then everyone says it’s a terrible idea for this one reason
A Miami couple shows off their “free” flower-picking date idea at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, despite signs banning the activity. One TikToker warns that the couple’s video could cause major harm to the gardens.
The original video by @sensationaljess shows the couple painting vases on two sheets of paper. Then, they walk around the botanical gardens picking flowers and pasting them onto the paper. They dub the project a “build your own bouquet date.”
Viewers quickly began to call out the couple for picking the flowers, which are planted as part of a conservation effort at the botanical gardens. The TikToker insists in the comments that there was no sign, despite featuring a sign that tells guests not to pick the flowers in the background of her video.
“Omg people need to worry about themselves. There was NO sign. The workers could’ve easily said something to us as they sat and watched…,” the TikToker writes in a comment.
@sensationaljess replies to criticism over picking the flowers by replying to a comment lip syncing to song lyrics, “I be doing what I want.”
Could This Create Problems For The Miami Beach Botanical Garden?
The Miami Beach Botanical Garden website asks visitors “not [to] pick or take flowers, fruit, or any other plant materials.”
Another TikToker, Nicole I. Reynolds (@nicolettesheart) suggests that the “free date” TikTok could cause even more harm to the gardens.
“If you scroll through the comments you see a whole bunch of people saying that this terrible idea that will literally destroy the botanical gardens is a great idea,” she says. “They’re going to be taking their children, their boyfriends, their best friends, etc.”
Reynolds calls out the original TikTok creator for “destroying” the gardens herself and encouraging others to do the same. Several commenters posted their own version of the craft in the comments of the original TikTok.
“Take accountability for what you did and delete the video,” Reynolds suggests.
Viewers weigh in
In the comments of Reynolds’ video, other viewers call the original creator’s DIY date idea “disrespectful.” However, they mainly take issue with the perceived lack of accountability after others pointed out that she couldn’t pick the flowers.
“People are so entitled it’s so frustrating,” one remarks.
“The botanical gardens should press charges for vandalism,” a second suggests.
Others say the date idea could work outside of a botanical garden, where the flowers are protected.
“It’s a cute idea but there are so many places you can get free flowers THAT ARENT THE BOTANICAL GARDENSSSSSS!??!???” a viewer suggests.
Another says, “You can just walk in the park and pick flowers.”
“Genuinely there are so many legal better options that it’s actually insane to do this,” a third comments.
The Mary Sue reached out to Reynolds via email, @sensationaljess via TikTok, and to the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens via email for further comment.
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