Ok, I have 2 comments for 2 different people. Hopefully I don't confuse you or myself lol.
For Swede: I always do the cheating method to get my plants as well! And then I normally also cheat to get the super green thumb (I also make them read or take a class to get Level 1 gardening) so by the time they harvest the cheater plants, then replant everything, I get some greats and very nice. Then by like the 2nd or 3rd (4th at the most) harvest, I have all perfects! I love the money trees most of all if I'm going for Level 10 in the gardening career.
For Pallyndrome: Another side effect I noticed was I created a couple in Riverview. They had four kids, 3 young adults and out on their own, and 1 child (both had the "surrounded by family" LTW). I decided I didn't like the guitar tips and decided to move back home. Sunset Valley feels like my home considering I'm there 90% of the time, lol. When I got back to SV, they only had the one child that was living with them. I checked their family tree, and I guess to their knowledge they had only had that one kid their whole life! They of course had more, but as far as they were concerned, they only had them. No mention ever about the family back in Riverview!