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What my neighbour did!
Barber Miche
Posts: 12
My neighbour butchered my hedge today until he was spotted doing it and then he stopped. The hedge belongs to me and he never asked permission. This gap goes down the back of the tree and continues down to my composting area which you can't see from this photo. Id say the gap is 18 -20 ft wide. This has left us partially overlooked and is directly opposite my 18 year old daughters ground floor bedroom. Im not happy at all but need advice as to what climber I can grow that is fast growing, possibly evergreen, and grows high up a trellis if I put one here? Thanks for any advice.
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Well for a start it's criminal damage, S1 criminal damage act 1971. No climber will grow that quickly to cover the area so that you aren't overlooked. A clematis montana will grow very quickly if planted soon but it won't be evergreen.
If it does overlook your daughters bedroom I would be suspicious of his motives and inform the Police. They won't thank you for the allegation, but if the circumstances are pointed out they will be obliged to investigate.
I have spoken to my neighbour. It was very awkward but he won't be continuing to cut any more hedging. Ive just got to deal with it and make my daughter feel more comfortable about being opposite this eyesore. It was difficult to get her to open her curtains in the first place (typical teenager she is) so she will definitely be living with them closed until I can solve this. This house is our new home, we haven't lived here more than a week yet and chose this property because of the privacy we had and I think that our neighbours thought the house was still empty and had free range to start chopping the hedge. Im so annoyed.
I don't mind it trimming but 2 foot is taking the p***. Wonder how long it will take for the hedge to grow back? Im going to look at the clematis montana. Thanks
It is not uncommon for neighbours to modify boundaries during a move. Moving a fence to take some garden for example. I would involve the police.
An established hedge should grow back quickly.
Thank you. I dont want to fall out with the neighbours but I do get your point. Its all good advice and appreciated but I think Id rather just keep the peace being a local business owner too and just spend some cash on hiding the gap. I just haven't a clue what to grow there but the clematis sounds like the one. Cant wait for my hedge to grow back though.
I don't think it's worth falling out with your neighbours over this as your hedge will recover. Just have a quiet word about respecting your boundaries and property and discussing any perceived problems and never taking unlateral action.
I think you should check the height of your remaining hedge and maybe trim what's left to the 2m height now accepted as the maximum acceptable height for a hedge. That will make the new gap less obvious.
I also think that if you feed it, your hedge will grow back more quickly than any new climber could to fill the gap so by next winter or maybe early next summer, it can be expected to have recovered. I would suggest a generous dollop of blood, fish and bone or pelletted chicken manure at the base, just sprinkled about and mixed in lightly with a fork or hoe. If you also give it a spray of liquid seaweed feed or similar all over the foliage it should put on some rapid regrowth.
We had similar problem. We planted 3 small trees, just out of their reach on our side
problem solved
White cherry. Joseph Rock Rowan and a magnolia
A A Milne
Just a thought, where we live (France) anything planted within 2 m from a property border should not be allowed to grow taller than 2 m (well, you can let it grow taller, but if the nightbour demands it, you HAVE to cut it lower). And nothing should be planted within 50 cm of the border.
Not sure if you have similar regulations where you live, but it's worth getting some information before deciding how and if to confront the neighbour or even involve the authorities. While he was downright rude to cut the hedge without asking first, with *our* regulations it might be in his rights to do it. Absurd I know. Just saying, thread carefully.