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strongest scented bush or plant

jack8jack8 Posts: 4
in Talkback

Hi there,

I have just moved in to a new property, My neighbour has many about 12 cats and 4 dogs, The problem is the strong smell of feces and urine that comes from her side,and saturated the soil near the bordering fence, not to mention the flies, Anyway i need advice on what plants or bushes that would give off the strongest smell all year round to hopefully mask this? 

Posts

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005
    Trachelospermum jasminoides, hardy gardenia, daphne, lavender, lillies, honeysuckle, a strong smelling rose - you need a variety of things that come out at different times of the year to keep the situation covered, but I agree, she can't be allowed to just leave it there and expect everyone else to breathe it in, especially in the hot summer. It is never right to inflict an animal on your neighbours - when you take on the responsiblility of caring for an animal, it is up to you to ensure its activities cause no harm or offence to others, and if you don't have the time to do that, then don't buy an animal.
  • jack8jack8 Posts: 4

    Thank you for your response. Now i know you are going to think i am crazy but i knew about this problem before we moved in.But we liked the house so much. it is exactly what we needed, The property is situated on a large corner plot. The area in question is a large paved area that is not going to be used as a garden.but is accessed through patio doors. I have other areas that will be the garden. I have already been in touch with the environmental health department and waiting for advice.

    In the meantime i will be erecting a large 2.4 metre high fence approximately 8 metres long. But i want to excavate down near the fence and about 1 metre back because i believe the soil is saturated, then i would plant a row of strong scented bush that grows maybe a metre high with plant boxes placed on the fence. Well that's the plan anyway.

     

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005
    I wonder whether if you planted some of that stuff cats don't like the smell of (can't remember the name sorry) but that might encourage them to go and wee in another part of the garden less close to the border between the gardens?
  • jack8jack8 Posts: 4

    busy bee2

    I don,t want to go off topic, but to give you an idea of the situation, the whole area of the neighbours garden is fenced in by chicken wire all the way around, about 8 meter wide by about 15 metre in length, There is chicken wire also above, so it is an enclosed compound. The cats can not escape.

    The animals are living in there own feces.This lady even hangs her washing out almost touching the ground. Its obvious she her self has a problem. A high fence will stop the view but not the smell.I am seeking help from the environmental health department but i fear this may take a long time, so in the meantime i am looking for a temporary solution with strong scented plants or bushes.

  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005
    Jack, animal abuse, and that is what this is, clear and simple, is often a symptom of mental instability. It is normal to have one or two cats, who live in the house as part of the family, or out here in the countryside, there is the traditional 'yard cat' who lives a semi-feral existence and is responsible for rodent control, but not encouraged indoors or fed much, but nevertheless has quite a good life, and a degree of personal freedom to roam about. Keeping cats in a cage is cruel. The same is true of dogs. In central Manchester years ago, dealers locked rottweilers up in back yards so that if the police tried a drugs raid, they would let them go for them. These animals are giving their owners no pleasure, but are there as a status symbol, or company in the face of recurrent failed human relationships. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that if you challenge your neighbour, you will make her defensive and incur some abuse. I'd give her one chance just in case, but if she resists (and my gut feeling is, she will resist, no matter how diplomatic you are) then the RSPCA need to be involved. Why not ring the RSPCA and describe what you have just described to us - they need to save those cats and either re-home them or put them to sleep. This is just inhumane. If it is any consolation, you can bet your bottom dollar that her habits are offensive to other neighbours, and if she is unco-operative with you, there will probably be a history of that with other people living in the area, and you will not be alone. It's not you, it's her. The RSPCA will most likely tell her that she needs to clean up the whole area, let the cats out of the pen, get them seen by a vet - they will give her two weeks, she will fail to improve things, and then they will come back and remove the animals. It always seems to be the people least able to cope who want to surround themselves with animals - I say this as a foster carer whose children once lived in a menagerie where the dog poo wasn't cleared from the inside of the house, let alone the garden.
  • Busy Bee2Busy Bee2 Posts: 1,005
    Start taking pictures for evidence too, if you can.
  • jack8jack8 Posts: 4

    OK all. Thank you for the good advice. Hopefully i will get this matter resolved. If i don,t reply tonight its because i am still sulking over my beloved Hull city losing the FA cup final.    Night all.

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