If my neighbour’s lovely purple smoke bush is hanging over into my garden, is it acceptable to take a few cuttings from the bit on my side of the fence?
To be nice I would ask, but you are perfectly entitled to cut off anything that is overhanging your property boundary, so a few cuttings would be pretty minimal compared to what you could do!
If it overhangs on to your property you are entitled to cut it back to the boundary. You then need to offer the pieces to your neighbour - if they don't want them, it is up to you to dispose of them. If you mean you want to actually take cuttings and grow them on for yourself, the same would apply but I'm not sure whether it would work at this particular time. You would need to look up "taking a cutting" from this shrub as to the best time to do it. Softwood/hardwood etc.
Semi-hardwood cuttings are recommended, so would need to wait a few weeks deadly, but no harm in trying now just in case!
I think the law dates from when most folk only grew edible plants ... so if your neighbour’s walnut tree is covered with walnuts and you cut off an overhanging branch you have to offer it back so he can have his crop.
It prevented people cutting overhanging branches as a way of stealing the fruit etc. and helped to prevent unneighbourly behaviour.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Just because you are legally entitled to do something doesn't mean you should. I think it would be the height of bad manners to cut bits off a neighbour's plants without asking permission. If they say no, and the plant is causing you a nuisance, then I would write them a letter warning them that if they don't cut it back, you will do it yourself, and give them a reasonable time to respond. If the plant is not causing a nuisance, then I think taking some of it for yourself is simply stealing.
" I think it would be the height of bad manners to cut bits off a neighbour's plants without asking permission."
We often have to prune neighbours' plants when they come over our fence line. In terrace houses there is no other way. I offer to go over to my neighbours' place to prune for them, but we all have the understanding that if our plants are getting in the way, on their own property, they can cut as they wish. I would be delighted for my neighbours to use the material as cuttings instead of binning it. Why wouldn't I be delighted?
If I were going to cut back a neighbour’s overhanging branch I’d mention what I planned to do and explain why ... then I’d say ‘I know that the Law says I have to offer you the branch back. Do you want it?’
That way you’re showing NDN that you know your legal duty ... but that you also know your legal rights. 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.