The repeat target: the flowers on a bird of paradise, which sits in the front garden of a Salamander Bay home.

Bill Doherty and his partner Erika Mundt have lovingly tended to the garden on Scott Circuit for 25 years and this recent development has taken them from bemused, to beyond irritated.

"It usually happens around Christmas and Mother's Day," Mr Doherty said.

"It's particularly annoying for Erika who takes a lot of pride in the garden."

The thief has habitually taken a shine to the colourful blooms, for more than two years.

The telltale clean-cut stems an indication this is no crime of passion but a methodically, premeditated act, perpetrated after dark.

As a deterrent, Mr Doherty this week erected a sign, directed at the culprit.

Ode to a thief:

In the dead of night, a poor flower thief lurks.

To steal the blooms from my gardening works.

To display stolen flowers must bring little joy.

Why, oh why, do you try to annoy?

How low? How low? I would like to know?

Surely to a florist you could go?

Mr Doherty enthused that if the miscreant did not wish to go to a florist, there might be a less drastic measure.

"If they really like the flowers that much we'll provide a cutting for the person to grow their own," Mr Doherty said.

“We expect the possums to pinch the occasional tomato or finger lime but not a person taking a flower.”

Ms Mundt said she was used to the longing stares from those who coveted her garden’s wares.

“I often speak to people who say it’s a lovely garden,” she said.

“I’ve often given them cuttings from my geraniums.”

The bird of paradise is in a raised garden bed on the front footpath, below the couple’s home which is set back from street, high up, with distant views of Stockton Bight.

Being such a steep front yard, Ms Mundt said it took a lot of work.

“None of this comes as an accident,” she said.

“It’s the hardest garden of the five I’ve had and maintained before moving here in 1994. The slope and the sand make it hard and the bird of paradise is the only thing down there that does this well.”

The plant blooms in December and late April.

“Some might see the funny side,” Ms Mundt said.

“But this time they’ve taken the buds as well as the flowers and it has really annoyed me.”