They are indeed PP. Many years ago a neighbour severely pruned what was our hedge. It was a lovely mixed hedge of holly, mainly hawthorne and a few others. It provided privacy and I was devastated to come home one day and found he had chopped it to about 2'. Upset isn't the word to describe how I felt. I made my feelings known, and he said he thought he was doing the right thing. It was our hedge and he knew it and knew he should have discussed it with us first. It did grow back eventually but.............we moved a couple of years later but there was a sour note to all our subsequent dealings with this person.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
Gardens, unfortunetly can be used for all the wrong reasons, usually boils down to a petty power struggle.
Block them with something else, neither of you will end up seeing sunlight but it's all about the glory of winning. Saves on the sunblock too, I'm a lovely albino white.
I did see the earlier posts. It's their hedge - they can do what they want with it. Whether anyone else thinks they're wrong or not is irrelevant. The neighbour didn't cut the hedge down, and since it's not their hedge, they can't decide what happens to it.
I had a neighbour years ago who had a lovely tree in their garden which I often admired, and loved looking at it through the changing seasons. It also blocked a view of road signs and an ugly wall. They cut it down. It was very disappointing - but it wasn't my tree, so that was just tough! I certainly had no right to tell them what they could or couldn't do with their property.
If they (the OPs) don't like the fence after they've done it - they can always plant another hedge in front of it. The neighbour can do the same too if they don't like the fence
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you for all you're responses, especially you fairy girl, I do understand everyone's tastes are different, we are a young couple who both work full time hours we don't have time every other week to cut the hedge and give it the care and attention it needs, plus it's really high my partner actually has to stand on the shed to try and cut it, but because it is so thick it still looks unkempt as the neighbours opposite are not keeping it tidy there side. plus we have fence one side and a wall the other with our next door neighbours so we want to run our own fence in fronr of both of theirs so our garden doesn't look all mix matched which they are both perfectly happy with.
tasha - it's your garden, that's the point. It has to work for you. If the hedge was that high, you could easily have had neighbours complaining about the height! Such is the way of things.
I would never normally recommend replacing hedges with fences, but there are times when it has to happen. The neighbours who have enjoyed thirty years of someone else's time and effort in maintaining the hedge have just got the hump because they're now out of their comfort zone. If they want a hedge - they can plant one and put the effort in
The people who bought my childhood home have taken out the entire beech hedge which my Dad planted and replaced it with a rather horrible fence. But it's their garden so that's how it is - it's none of my business.
There are plenty of other ways to encourage wildlife in your garden anyway, which will be less time consuming for you and just as rewarding. Good luck with it all
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Redwing I 100% agree and if someone took down my hedge I would be absolutely devastated. Good neighbours are worth their weight in gold.
They are indeed PP. Many years ago a neighbour severely pruned what was our hedge. It was a lovely mixed hedge of holly, mainly hawthorne and a few others. It provided privacy and I was devastated to come home one day and found he had chopped it to about 2'. Upset isn't the word to describe how I felt. I made my feelings known, and he said he thought he was doing the right thing. It was our hedge and he knew it and knew he should have discussed it with us first. It did grow back eventually but.............we moved a couple of years later but there was a sour note to all our subsequent dealings with this person.
Gardens, unfortunetly can be used for all the wrong reasons, usually boils down to a petty power struggle.
Block them with something else, neither of you will end up seeing sunlight but it's all about the glory of winning. Saves on the sunblock too, I'm a lovely albino white.
The big difference is - the OP is taking down their own hedge. That's not the same as someone else taking it down
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
See earlier posts Fairy.....yes it is the OPs hedge but he/she still made a mistake, IMO.
Last edited: 26 July 2016 21:05:22
Tash
I'm sure it'll get sorted.
Make hay, hay.
I did see the earlier posts. It's their hedge - they can do what they want with it. Whether anyone else thinks they're wrong or not is irrelevant. The neighbour didn't cut the hedge down, and since it's not their hedge, they can't decide what happens to it.
I had a neighbour years ago who had a lovely tree in their garden which I often admired, and loved looking at it through the changing seasons. It also blocked a view of road signs and an ugly wall. They cut it down. It was very disappointing - but it wasn't my tree, so that was just tough! I certainly had no right to tell them what they could or couldn't do with their property.
If they (the OPs) don't like the fence after they've done it - they can always plant another hedge in front of it. The neighbour can do the same too if they don't like the fence
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you for all you're responses, especially you fairy girl, I do understand everyone's tastes are different, we are a young couple who both work full time hours we don't have time every other week to cut the hedge and give it the care and attention it needs, plus it's really high my partner actually has to stand on the shed to try and cut it, but because it is so thick it still looks unkempt as the neighbours opposite are not keeping it tidy there side. plus we have fence one side and a wall the other with our next door neighbours so we want to run our own fence in fronr of both of theirs so our garden doesn't look all mix matched which they are both perfectly happy with.
tasha - it's your garden, that's the point. It has to work for you. If the hedge was that high, you could easily have had neighbours complaining about the height! Such is the way of things.
I would never normally recommend replacing hedges with fences, but there are times when it has to happen. The neighbours who have enjoyed thirty years of someone else's time and effort in maintaining the hedge have just got the hump because they're now out of their comfort zone. If they want a hedge - they can plant one and put the effort in
The people who bought my childhood home have taken out the entire beech hedge which my Dad planted and replaced it with a rather horrible fence. But it's their garden so that's how it is - it's none of my business.
There are plenty of other ways to encourage wildlife in your garden anyway, which will be less time consuming for you and just as rewarding. Good luck with it all
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You say that you are planning to put the new fence in next year, but have removed half the hedge already. Why?
For me that would be too long to live with no boundary, looking straight into a neighbour's garden.
I think you need to need to make the fencing your first priority, especially now you have a strained relationship with the neighbours.
Even if your husband put's up some screening for privacy, why waste money on a makeshift fix that will probably blow down in the first Autumn storm.
I can appreciate how overwhelming an overgrown privet can be, this is one in a neighbouring garden. Good luck sorting yours out ?