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High ivy hedge

IlovecatsIlovecats Posts: 6
in Problem solving

Hi all, 

I would be grateful for some advice please...

On one side/boundary of our back garden we have a large wall of thick ivy. It's huge - 10ft tall. It's now a thick hedge, and it's far too high and heavy.

This boundary hedge is jointly owned - 50/50 between us and neighbours.

Deep inside the ivy hedge, on the boundary line, is broken wooden trellis. The trellis has totally disintegrated and is leaning under the weight. The trellis no longer attached to the low wall underneath - it's in the air and in a very poor state. It's definitely not holding up the ivy anymore!

Our gardener has been warning us for several years now that the ivy wall is 'dangerous'. He thinks this wall of ivy could collapse. He's been saying this for some time, and he doesn't want to cut it anymore.

A little bit of background: About 4 years ago I tried to speak to our neighbours next door about the hedge. I explained that the hedge is dangerous. The same neighbours had recently asked me to prune a large tree in our garden, which we did, at our expense, even though we were perfectly happy with our tree. When I spoke to them about the hedge (directly after pruning the tree), I assumed that they would be polite and helpful. But no!! The neighbour was rude and hostile, and said: 'We like it just the way it is'! They wouldn't even discuss the high hedge.

4 years on, we now need to act. Our gardener is refusing to cut the hedge and I don't want to leave it any longer. I'm concerned it might fall on someone. I'd prefer to cut it down in a controlled manner and start again with new trellising and less invasive climbers.

I have now written a couple of letters to the neighbours, outlining the situation, but the neighbours are simply not engaging. 

Firstly, is it worth me communicating with the Council? The hedge is 10ft tall so I thought they might be able to help due to the height and our safety concerns.

Secondly, can we just cut our side of ivy right back to the boundary line? I feel this is the only option available to us to make it safe again. Is it ok to just get on with this?

If we cut our side back, I'm pretty sure that firstly the old trellis will just fall off in the process. It has already disintegrated and is no longer attached to anything. It's a mess. The other more worrying thing is the remaining side of ivy, on the neighbours side, could just collapse in the process. The change of weight will probably make the whole thing very precarious and tip over.

I'm trying to do the right thing by communicating with the neighbours, however my sense is they just don't care. Remember what they said ...'We like it just the way it is'!

Please could you offer some advice on the situation. Many thanks.


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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Have you double checked on the deed as to the ownership of the hedge? It's a shame the neighbours got rude.

    "Secondly, can we just cut our side of ivy right back to the boundary line? I feel this is the only option available to us to make it safe again."

    I had a similarish situation with a high ivy hedge that was originally growing on fence.The fence was disintegrating before I bought the house. The only thing that was holding up the whole structure was the ivy, with branches as thick as my wrist. I like the hedge - it was on my boundary as I was responsible for taking care of it. I knew the neightbours well and said - please don't cut the hedge back hard on your side as the whole thing will collapse. So, what happens? He promptly cuts the ivy hedge right back and the whole structure comes down. I should have billed them.

    So my thought is, no, don't cut your side back. If it's wobbly, I would leave it to strengthen itself. I would just check - if it falls over, what will it fall on? I would imagine it would be toppled by high wind, if anything. Are either properties owned by the council?

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Could you possibly post a photo to help with advice?
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • IlovecatsIlovecats Posts: 6
    Sorry - I don’t currently have a photo. But imagine a 10ft wall of thick ivy, which looks like a hedge. There is a lot of weight on our side, and underneath it all the rotten/broken trellis is leaning inwards toward our garden. 
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    edited November 2023
    Going from that and your previous point:

    Secondly    , can we just cut our side of ivy right back to the boundary line? I feel this is the only option available to us to make it safe again. Is it ok to just get on with this?

    Yes, if you own your property you are perfectly entitled to do what you like within and on your boundary without the approval of your neighbour. By reducing the weight now it may avoid a more damaging situation over winter due to wind, weight of snow etc. There should be another gardener locally who can help you with this.


    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    If we continue with these high winds there may not be a problem anymore. Ivy that is 10ft high with little or no support could easily topple or bow.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • IlovecatsIlovecats Posts: 6
    Hi GardenerSuze. Yes - this is what are gardener is worried about. He thinks it could collapse!

    It’s actually quite a thick structure, more like a hedge, but I can see how it could easily collapse. It’s very big and heavy.

    The trellis underneath is in a mess, and falling inwards. It’s no longer supporting it. And it doesn’t look like trellis anymore.

    I think we have no option but to remove the ivy on our side, to the boundary line, but this will cause problems because the existing trellis will drop off in the process. It’s already on our side - broken and falling inwards. 

    Secondary, I’m concerned we’ll be leaving behind a very precarious wall of tall ivy. 

    I’m worried our neighbours will go crazy when it falls!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited November 2023
    Within a week of us moving in here a similar tall ivy-covered hedge on the southern boundary of this garden collapsed because of rain and strong winds … this side hadn’t been trimmed by the last owners the several years.  

    The boundary fence belonged to our neighbours whose garden is higher than this one … the entire fence and all the ivy collapsed into this garden … it filled a very large skip. Our neighbours replaced the fence and we have promised not to allow ivy to grow on it. They are happy for us to grow roses, clematis and honeysuckle against it as long as we look after it properly. 

    I would trim the ivy hard back to the trellis.  I would also reduce its height substantially at least on your side  … that is the advice you’ve received from a professional and it would be the responsible thing to do. 

    Your neighbours will have to accept it. If they are unreasonable people then they may not understand or like your actions but you have to do what is responsible. 



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • IlovecatsIlovecats Posts: 6
    DovefromAbove - I had hoped for a similar outcome ie. That the ivy wall could be replaced with new trellis and gentle climbers like jasmine and honeysuckle. This would be the perfect solution. 

    The ivy is causing all sorts of problems at the moment. It’s not just the risk of it falling, the ivy is damaging nearby guttering, growing up a nearby tree and blocking light. It’s out of control :(.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I would be inclined to cut the Ivy on your side to either ground level ( if you wish to be rid of it - further work would be necessary to totally eradicate it ) or trim it to the height which you will find manageable.  You can also cut back to the boundary line  to reduce the width.
    If the trellis is on your side and no longer viable, you can remove it.  If it belongs to your neighbour, then let it collapse onto your side and then take the remains round to them to dispose of.  If it is jointly owned, then you will have as much right to dismantle and remove as does your neighbourif it is in a dangerous condition.
    Unreasonable/unresponsive neighbours make life difficult but you have exactly the same rights as they do.  
    Ensure your gardener will back you up as to what work is necessary ( for safety reasons if nothing else ), decide what to do and do it.  Provided you do not trespass on your neighbour's property, you should be OK.
    Just a word of warning - if you decided to kill the Ivy completely, and in doing so you knowingly used a method which killed the ivy on your neighbour's side, that could be considered as Criminal Damage. Probably not an issue as you sound as if you would be happy to retain the ivy at a manageable size.
    Best of luck  :)  

  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    Just a thought - is the 10 feet height of the ivy hedge necessary for your neighbour’s privacy?  I know that 2m is the usual maximum height “allowed” for fences and hedges but sometimes more height is needed depending on how neighbouring houses and gardens are arranged.
    Ivy is great for wildlife and for small birds in particular. Are your neighbours concerned about loss of habitat if the ivy hedge comes down? 
    It’s hard when people are uncommunicative and you’d be within your rights to cut back etc to make the hedge safer. But this will risk a forever rupture with the neighbours if you go ahead without informing them. Perhaps put a letter through their door explaining your worries about the hedge - they may come round to at least some sort of remedial solution. Good luck 😊
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