Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Any suggestions on improving my view? Removing some of the overhang?

justandnobodyelsejustandnobodyelse Posts: 128
in Problem solving
I have a shared fence line that is massively overhung by my neighbours trees. X2 holly trees, X1 beech tree and x3 massive conifers. They have all given me problems of various types since moving here. Lots of debris continually falls on my garden, a couple of large beech branches have narrowly missed my greenhouse on separate occasions in recent weeks. They also suck an enormous amount of the moisture from that side of the garden. My neighbours gardening interest starts and ends with mowing his lawn so he has no interest in any of my problems. I would prefer them not to be there, but alas I can do nothing about it.

Last week a team of tree surgeons turned up and got to work. I was very excited by this surprising turn of events as I had been waiting for this day to come for years. I had hoped that they were taking more away than they did. What I am left with now in my opinion looks worse than it did previously. 😩 I have seen seen more attractive lockdown haircuts in recent months!

Our current view post chop!

The x2 hollies with a “short back and sides” have probably last half of their height, and still stand at about 18ft. I am hoping that they grow back into something more natural looking soon. Will they return to something more natural looking? They were beautiful Trees pre chop. I don’t need to touch these. Behind these is the beech as shown below. Not the most attractive looking haircut but it has saved me worrying about the greenhouse anymore. The overhanging branches used to reach about 15’ into my garden. And dropped in on a couple of occasions recently.

How quickly will the beech re grow?
i was hoping that it would be removed completely. I guess as it grows over again I will have to remove the overhanging branches.

And finally those beautiful conifers. Does anyone have any suggestions as to anything I could do to make any of that view more pleasant?

They currently sit at about 30ft high and overhang into my garden by about 10ft. My neighbour has no intention of doing anything more with them and the tree surgeons are finished.☹️
I had hoped that at some point my neighbour would be removing these conifers. As I know that is not Now the case I am thinking of ways to improve the awful view. I was thinking of maybe planting a vigorous climber up them, and if they went at some point in the future this climber would be sacrificed. It might be a little dodgy climbing something up a tree that I don’t own but it is on my side!

There are large sections that are dead and These continually drop debris over into mine I am getting cheesed off with the continual cleaning up of this dead material. I might even cut them back to the boundary line. They look terrible Now and I don’t think they could look much worse with a cut. At least with the cutting option I would get less cleaning to do. 

Any other suggestions from anyone?
cut them back?
grow something up them?
i can’t bear the thought of having to look at those Conifers as they are now forever.

any help or suggestions welcomed.
«1

Posts

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    What a right old mess they made...makes you wonder who those idiots really where. With the size of the remains of those ugly trees I'd consider moving...which I know sounds not exactly useful. But whatever you grow to cover them with will probably make them look even more beastly.

    The usual answer on here would be to think of using the viewing lines from where you spent most of your time in the garden or the main view from the house and erect an arbour with some climbers half way down the garden so it screens the ugly view.
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • justandnobodyelsejustandnobodyelse Posts: 128
    Thanks for your input @amancalledgeorge
    There are more neighbours of mine that have lived within the shadow of those conifers for many more years than me. They too were excited to see the tree surgeons making a start on the beasts. Only to be very disappointed when realising that they were not returning the next day. I don't understand any of the job really, Why bother just taking the tops off? I can't believe they did the job that they did, but To be fair they can only do what they are asked of by their paying customer.
     I don't think any pictures of those conifers will be used as promotional material!

    moving isn't an option, I do love this garden and have to learn to not look up!
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I am assuming these "tree surgeons" were itinerants with chainsaws.  Nobody qualified would have left that mess. It is still bird nesting season and illegal to disturb nesting birds. If your neighbour won't do anything, I would cut them back hard to the border line.  Unfortunately that will expose brown wood on your side of the conifer.  You could maybe grow a clematis into it.   Have you talked to the neighbour?  I would mention that you will be looking for damages should your greenhouse be damaged. Maybe he would take it down completely if you pay for it?
  • seacrowsseacrows Posts: 234
    Much sympathy.
    I have to admit, the evil part of me wants to cut off all the overhang, then go underground and take out as much of the roots on your side as possible. Then sit back and hope the tree dies from shock.
    Probably not a good idea though.
    Plan B. Clematis 'montana' and one of those really massive rambling roses that cover buildings when left unchecked. That's spring flowers, summer flowers and autumn seedheads. The clematis would reduce the amount of general debris falling as well. If the neighbour complains about free flowers, well he's welcome to cut back on his side of the fence (if he can get to it).
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Have you talked to your local Council at all? I am wondering if the conifers could be classified as a hedge as there is more than two of them (four?) and might therefore come under the hedge height restriction act i.e. 2 metres for leylandii. It might be worth a try, if not now, then when lockdown is ended. 
    You have the legal right to cut any overhanging branches back to the boundary line (as long as you offer the cuttings back to the neighbour) so I would get a quote from a qualified reputable tree surgeon to see if that might be affordable.
    Good luck.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • justandnobodyelsejustandnobodyelse Posts: 128
    fidgetbones said:
    I am assuming these "tree surgeons" were itinerants with chainsaws.  Nobody qualified would have left that mess. It is still bird nesting season and illegal to disturb nesting birds. If your neighbour won't do anything, I would cut them back hard to the border line.  Unfortunately that will expose brown wood on your side of the conifer.  You could maybe grow a clematis into it.   Have you talked to the neighbour?  I would mention that you will be looking for damages should your greenhouse be damaged. Maybe he would take it down completely if you pay for it?
    Unfortunately I doubt the birds were given a thought. The neighbours weren't given any yet alone any wildlife we share our gardens with. I cannot bring myself to attempt to talk to my neighbour any longer I'm afraid. His arrogance is unbelievable, he thinks it is perfectly acceptable to get men in unannounced, shower your garden with waste and expect you to sort out all of the mess and damage.

    seacrows said:
    Much sympathy.
    I have to admit, the evil part of me wants to cut off all the overhang, then go underground and take out as much of the roots on your side as possible. Then sit back and hope the tree dies from shock.
    Probably not a good idea though.
    Plan B. Clematis 'montana' and one of those really massive rambling roses that cover buildings when left unchecked. That's spring flowers, summer flowers and autumn seedheads. The clematis would reduce the amount of general debris falling as well. If the neighbour complains about free flowers, well he's welcome to cut back on his side of the fence (if he can get to it).
    I think cutting it back to the boundary might be my only real option, sure it will be an eye sore still but at least I won't have to constantly pick up the dead material raining down. I would love to cut through the roots at the boundary but that seems like a lot of digging! My shed base is also in the way and consists of concrete flags that sit right up to the fence bases (gravel boards?). Training a large rose up the conifers sounds quite good, if I could get it established in such awful dry conditions at the base of those trees.🙁

    Lizzie27 said:
    Have you talked to your local Council at all? I am wondering if the conifers could be classified as a hedge as there is more than two of them (four?) and might therefore come under the hedge height restriction act i.e. 2 metres for leylandii. It might be worth a try, if not now, then when lockdown is ended. 
    You have the legal right to cut any overhanging branches back to the boundary line (as long as you offer the cuttings back to the neighbour) so I would get a quote from a qualified reputable tree surgeon to see if that might be affordable.
    Good luck.
    Thanks for your input @Lizzie@Lizzie27 It might be something to consider, a call to the council. There are 4 trees I think. I have nothing to lose, as At this stage I don't think my relationship with my neighbour is anything I feel I need to preserve. I have at least learnt a little bit more about his willingness to consider others. A sad day really. 🙁 I might also think about doing the cutting back to the boundary myself. Wish me luck!
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Cutting back hard to your boundary does seem to be the only realistic option.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    How horrible for you @justandnobodyelse. I wonder if it's worth calling the council - certainly re the 'hedge' as @Lizzie27 mentions, as there are rules and regs about height, and I think 2 or more constitutes hedge, regardless of what the trees/shrubs are. Might be worth doing that, just to get clarification. 
    I'd agree with @fidgetbones - no self respecting operator would have done that. Too many cowboys around, and people only too happy to pay less if they don't give a toss about anything. 

    Cutting it all back to the boundary is then probably the best route, but you could follow up by putting in something to form a basic screen for planting climbers on. 
    I wish you luck, whatever you do. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • justandnobodyelsejustandnobodyelse Posts: 128
    KT53 said:
    Cutting back hard to your boundary does seem to be the only realistic option.
    I think you're right, at least I will have less of the conifers visible from the house. I think it will take a change of ownership before they disappear completely. 🙄
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    It looks as if quite a lot of the overhanging conifer is dead brown branches anyway, so it won't do any harm to the trees to take the dead stuff off back to the boundary (just in case the neighbour complains that you're killing their trees). It would look better if the dead branches were cut off right back to the main trunks but you'd need the neighbour's permission/cooperation to do that.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Sign In or Register to comment.