I actually did fight with the local council over remoning a huge Sycampre tree that was causing me mega problems. It shaded my tiny garden preventing me from fixing my broken fencing due to its branches.. It sucked all the life out of my garden and my surveyor said it was too close to my house. So I asked for it to be moved on the basis that it enchroached on my boudry etc.. It took 8 yrs to finally get it removed down to a stump. I too live in a heavily wooded area so taking out that one tree has not changed the landscape at all.
Now I have my garden back and am able to cultivate it at last.. So it does depend on circumstances..
As to the leavesm that is part of Autumn and those neighbours should embrace the season and all its colours... Leaf mould compost it amazing..
The dispute we have with our new neighbours, has been getting worse over several months and is rapidly escalating towards very unpleasant consequences.
It has now become unpleasant to live in our dream house, which we have been in for over 20 years.
Try not to do what I do, in that if people are nasty to me, I try to be doubly nasty back.
It is not working for me and it probably won't for you. If possible avoid worsening confrontation.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
Lou12 and punkdoc, there are some awful neighbours about, I really sympathise with you and hope you can sort things out somehow.
A new family moved in next door to us last year and I find them a bit trying. The youngest child is about three and throws his toys into our garden over what's left of the hedge (more on that later!); he thinks it's highly amusing. If we haven't noticed the toys and thrown them back quickly enough, the little darling starts throwing everything he can get his mitts on - clothes pegs (and the peg basket), small pieces of rubble, his sister's toys and the occasional bamboo cane which had been supporting a new shrub of theirs (and once, bits of the shrub) are some of the things that have hurtled onto our patio and shrubbery. But I don't mind that too much; his mum is very apologetic and really is doing her level best to put a stop to it, and he's only little. To him it's a game and no doubt he'll grow out of it soon.
Wasn't too keen when he brought a troop of his little friends into our garden to regain his toys a few weeks ago and we hadn't noticed the mountain of playthings in the back garden because we were otherwise engaged. These nippers trampled over most of the lower growing plants whilst searching; slightly annoying, but that's kids for you, and the plants are now recovering nicely.
No, what cheesed me off was his grandfather and his 'I don't give a fantastic flying fig about anyone else's feelings, I'll do whatever I want' attitude, which was very evident one afternoon a couple of months ago when I came back from a long shopping trip to find him digging up the luxuriant thirty year old hedge that separated our back garden from the neighbours.
Well, it was quite a shock; no one had told me they wanted rid of the hedge - well, 90% of it, anyway. Seems he took out the pieces that were actually growing in my neighbour's garden and left the few scrawny self-layered bits that were on our side.
When my husband asked what was going on, the vandal snarled 'I'll do what I like in the garden, you aren't going to stop me' and stomped off. So that told us.
I know that most of the hedge was growing on their side and they can do what they like in their own garden (actually, he doesn't live there), but couldn't they just have told us they didn't like the hedge? We could have arranged something else, even gone halves on new hedging plants or fencing. The vandal planted some stringy bits of privet he'd had 'laying about for a while' and later deigned to speak about it further the next week; apparently, they didn't like the hedge because 'it was untidy and getting out of hand'. Hmm. Well, if they'd continued to trim it like they had the first couple of months instead of leaving it uncut for eight months it would have been neat (like it was on our side) before they butchered it... but most of all, it's the total disregard of our point of view.
They started on the front garden last month; this time, he actually left that hedge in but hacked it about horribly... It was like a French Revolution of the plant world. Sadly, because of work commitments, he's had to delay work until next spring.
Can't wait.
My husband has washed his hands of the poor back garden hedge, so to speak; he says it's so pitiful, he can't be bothered even to trim what's left and the poor bits left are now top heavy and listing to starboard with a vengeance.
So, could someone please advise me on what to do about this? Should we dig up what's left and replant our side with some cuttings from the old hedge (there would then be a sort of double hedge, if next door's privet survives) or should we just settle for the mangy bits they've replaced the old hedge with?
That's a great idea, pansyface; thanks! I hadn't thought about wire fencing. I'll suggest it to my husband; it won't need trimming for a start and he'll like that!
Egad, but I'm already thinking of the things I could grow on it; clematis montana, ornamental gourds or climbing beans; it would be a shame not to make use of all the extra vertical space.
Hello Little owl (from the time you're posting, you seem well-named).
What about explaining to the neighbours that you grow some plants that could be dangerous to small children so thought it would be wise to let them know so they can keep their child within their own garden. People who know nowt about gardening are frequently terrified of the dangers of foxgloves and other such plants
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi little owl - I sympathise enormously. Some people seem to think they can do what they like without consideration for others or looking at the bigger picture. Nothing you can do if the hedge is on their property so I think a fence is the best solution. You can then plant climbers or even another hedge on your own side. Wouldn't take long to look good. Something sturdy, as suggested, is the best option if you don't want to use timber, but you could have a simple timber frame and attach chicken wire just to give you a proper 'boundary' initially. Then go to town!
Oh - and Dove's idea with the plants is a good one too - or invest in large Rottweiler...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Marvellous idea about the tree preservation order, I'll get onto that stat!
I am always very careful never to fall out with neighbours as it can make your life a misery, my other neighbours are great. Tolerant, nice people and we never complain when they have to odd late night party with loud music.
Last night though I had to be a bit tough. I was weeding and she came up to the fence and shouted over it - you, hey you, put that down I need to talk to you.
I walked over and said calmly and politely My name is not 'hey you' it is Lou and in future if you want to speak to me I'd appreciate some civility. When you move to a new area it's considered polite to try and get to know your neighbours or say hello and certainly in this neighbourhood we are a friendly lot and we prefer to stay on good terms with each other.
Well she was a bit taken aback by that and after a bit of chit chat it turns out her neighbours before made their life a living hell and she is wary of everyone now, also her husband is very ill. I did say in no uncertain terms that the ash trees will not be cut down as they are very healthy but if she needs a hand clearing up the leaves I will be happy to come over, they just need to ask.
I'm still getting a preservation order though. At least she doesn't mind my cats.
My other neighbour lets his bindweed and sundry rubbish grow over my fence and is a bit of a nuisance but he isn't into the garden at all, ever and I know he is never going to cut it back so we agreed I'll go over there are prune the shrubs and do a bit of weeding my fence side in his garden when he is at work. You have to compromise even if someone is annoying.
Well done, Lou. It just goes to show that often when people appear rude or grumpy there can be an understandable reason behind it. Hope you have calmer times now.
Well done Lou - there's often a back story - and certainly previous bad experiences can colour behaviour, and if you've got health worries that's also going to make you tetchy. Hopefully they'll be able to relax a bit and enjoy their new home without being on edge and you'll get no more rude behaviour from them. If they're ok with your cats they can't be all bad.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
I actually did fight with the local council over remoning a huge Sycampre tree that was causing me mega problems. It shaded my tiny garden preventing me from fixing my broken fencing due to its branches.. It sucked all the life out of my garden and my surveyor said it was too close to my house. So I asked for it to be moved on the basis that it enchroached on my boudry etc.. It took 8 yrs to finally get it removed down to a stump. I too live in a heavily wooded area so taking out that one tree has not changed the landscape at all.
Now I have my garden back and am able to cultivate it at last.. So it does depend on circumstances..
As to the leavesm that is part of Autumn and those neighbours should embrace the season and all its colours... Leaf mould compost it amazing..
Lou be very careful what you do.
The dispute we have with our new neighbours, has been getting worse over several months and is rapidly escalating towards very unpleasant consequences.
It has now become unpleasant to live in our dream house, which we have been in for over 20 years.
Try not to do what I do, in that if people are nasty to me, I try to be doubly nasty back.
It is not working for me and it probably won't for you. If possible avoid worsening confrontation.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Lou12 and punkdoc, there are some awful neighbours about, I really sympathise with you and hope you can sort things out somehow.
A new family moved in next door to us last year and I find them a bit trying. The youngest child is about three and throws his toys into our garden over what's left of the hedge (more on that later!); he thinks it's highly amusing. If we haven't noticed the toys and thrown them back quickly enough, the little darling starts throwing everything he can get his mitts on - clothes pegs (and the peg basket), small pieces of rubble, his sister's toys and the occasional bamboo cane which had been supporting a new shrub of theirs (and once, bits of the shrub) are some of the things that have hurtled onto our patio and shrubbery. But I don't mind that too much; his mum is very apologetic and really is doing her level best to put a stop to it, and he's only little. To him it's a game and no doubt he'll grow out of it soon.
Wasn't too keen when he brought a troop of his little friends into our garden to regain his toys a few weeks ago and we hadn't noticed the mountain of playthings in the back garden because we were otherwise engaged. These nippers trampled over most of the lower growing plants whilst searching; slightly annoying, but that's kids for you, and the plants are now recovering nicely.
No, what cheesed me off was his grandfather and his 'I don't give a fantastic flying fig about anyone else's feelings, I'll do whatever I want' attitude, which was very evident one afternoon a couple of months ago when I came back from a long shopping trip to find him digging up the luxuriant thirty year old hedge that separated our back garden from the neighbours.
Well, it was quite a shock; no one had told me they wanted rid of the hedge - well, 90% of it, anyway. Seems he took out the pieces that were actually growing in my neighbour's garden and left the few scrawny self-layered bits that were on our side.
When my husband asked what was going on, the vandal snarled 'I'll do what I like in the garden, you aren't going to stop me' and stomped off. So that told us.
I know that most of the hedge was growing on their side and they can do what they like in their own garden (actually, he doesn't live there), but couldn't they just have told us they didn't like the hedge? We could have arranged something else, even gone halves on new hedging plants or fencing. The vandal planted some stringy bits of privet he'd had 'laying about for a while' and later deigned to speak about it further the next week; apparently, they didn't like the hedge because 'it was untidy and getting out of hand'. Hmm. Well, if they'd continued to trim it like they had the first couple of months instead of leaving it uncut for eight months it would have been neat (like it was on our side) before they butchered it... but most of all, it's the total disregard of our point of view.
They started on the front garden last month; this time, he actually left that hedge in but hacked it about horribly... It was like a French Revolution of the plant world. Sadly, because of work commitments, he's had to delay work until next spring.
Can't wait.
My husband has washed his hands of the poor back garden hedge, so to speak; he says it's so pitiful, he can't be bothered even to trim what's left and the poor bits left are now top heavy and listing to starboard with a vengeance.
So, could someone please advise me on what to do about this? Should we dig up what's left and replant our side with some cuttings from the old hedge (there would then be a sort of double hedge, if next door's privet survives) or should we just settle for the mangy bits they've replaced the old hedge with?
That's a great idea, pansyface; thanks! I hadn't thought about wire fencing. I'll suggest it to my husband; it won't need trimming for a start and he'll like that!
Egad, but I'm already thinking of the things I could grow on it; clematis montana, ornamental gourds or climbing beans; it would be a shame not to make use of all the extra vertical space.
Hello Little owl (from the time you're posting, you seem well-named).
What about explaining to the neighbours that you grow some plants that could be dangerous to small children so thought it would be wise to let them know so they can keep their child within their own garden. People who know nowt about gardening are frequently terrified of the dangers of foxgloves and other such plants
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi little owl - I sympathise enormously. Some people seem to think they can do what they like without consideration for others or looking at the bigger picture. Nothing you can do if the hedge is on their property so I think a fence is the best solution. You can then plant climbers or even another hedge on your own side. Wouldn't take long to look good. Something sturdy, as suggested, is the best option if you don't want to use timber, but you could have a simple timber frame and attach chicken wire just to give you a proper 'boundary' initially. Then go to town!
Oh - and Dove's idea with the plants is a good one too - or invest in large Rottweiler...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Marvellous idea about the tree preservation order, I'll get onto that stat!
I am always very careful never to fall out with neighbours as it can make your life a misery, my other neighbours are great. Tolerant, nice people and we never complain when they have to odd late night party with loud music.
Last night though I had to be a bit tough. I was weeding and she came up to the fence and shouted over it - you, hey you, put that down I need to talk to you.
I walked over and said calmly and politely My name is not 'hey you' it is Lou and in future if you want to speak to me I'd appreciate some civility. When you move to a new area it's considered polite to try and get to know your neighbours or say hello and certainly in this neighbourhood we are a friendly lot and we prefer to stay on good terms with each other.
Well she was a bit taken aback by that and after a bit of chit chat it turns out her neighbours before made their life a living hell and she is wary of everyone now, also her husband is very ill. I did say in no uncertain terms that the ash trees will not be cut down as they are very healthy but if she needs a hand clearing up the leaves I will be happy to come over, they just need to ask.
I'm still getting a preservation order though. At least she doesn't mind my cats.
My other neighbour lets his bindweed and sundry rubbish grow over my fence and is a bit of a nuisance but he isn't into the garden at all, ever and I know he is never going to cut it back so we agreed I'll go over there are prune the shrubs and do a bit of weeding my fence side in his garden when he is at work. You have to compromise even if someone is annoying.
Well done, Lou. It just goes to show that often when people appear rude or grumpy there can be an understandable reason behind it. Hope you have calmer times now.
(PS I've sent you a PM )
Well done Lou - there's often a back story - and certainly previous bad experiences can colour behaviour, and if you've got health worries that's also going to make you tetchy. Hopefully they'll be able to relax a bit and enjoy their new home without being on edge and you'll get no more rude behaviour from them. If they're ok with your cats they can't be all bad.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.