How to go about having a very large oak tree on the garden boundary trimmed

[Notyetthere]

We have a large oak tree at the bottom of our garden with branches that keep getting bigger and bigger every year. We have been here for 4yrs now.

I am currently watching it violently rage in the wind and I'm a little concerned. It is in the SW facing corner of the garden so I have never really worried about it blocking sunlight. But now looking at it, if its not trimmed the branches will reach over the patio in a few years.

I rake the autumn leaf and acorn fall every year till the last leaves at about Christmas to ensure the grass underneath doesn't die. This year there has been more acorns this year than I have ever seen before! Anybody else notice this? This is why I would like it trimmed, to have a break from the heavy raking for a few years at least.

The tree is on the boundary at the bottom of the garden. I believe it's on our side as it just in front of the small wire fencing that runs in the hedge along that boundary. I have never been sure exactly where the boundary is drawn; either it's in front of or behind the hedge.

Our house is ex-council so I think some of our neighbours who we share the boundary with at the bottom of the garden might still be council/ housing association tenants. The tree canopy spans over 4 or 5 gardens including ours. Deeds show that we are responsible for the boundary all round our house apart from the one at the bottom of the garden where the oak is. However, the tree could be our side of the garden.

We have in the past spoken to the local housing association about whether it had a P.O against it and they said that it didn't to our surprise. I'm not convinced and I don't have this answer in writing so I will have to ask again just to be sure.

Normally if it was bang in the middle of our garden I would just get a quote and get it trimmed but I believe where this one is required further enquiries. It could be that council or housing association are responsible or that we share the responsibility. Anybody have any experience of dealing with something similar?

[MerlinsLeftButtock]

I have a very similar oak tree problem. We’ve got two! It’s an absolute pain in the arse. And they are both protected, but the council do trim them every so often. They did it earlier this year in fact. So I’d speak to the council if was in your position. As for the acorns, you’re not wrong. There are sooooo many around this year. The roads are dusty with them where I live! (So many oak trees...) I hear every X amount of years they produce extra.

[Cyclingforcake]

A TPO shouldn’t stop you getting the tree trimmed it just means you have to apply for permission from the council to do it. They will often grant it if it will improve the health of the tree. A decent tree surgeon should be able to help you with this. Our council has details of all trees with a TPO on their website. That would be the first place I’d look for details.

[Bambinho]

I too have an oak with many more acorns this year. The dogs keep licking them wondering if they're edible!

You should contact your local council to check if there's a tree preservation order on it. if there is, or if you are in a conservation area, you will need to go through planning otherwise contact a tree surgeon for advice.

I have the crown lifted on mine every few years and it really helps with allowing light into the garden.

You will have to contact the owners/occupiers of the land it overhangs to ask for access when you're having work done. If they can see the benefit of removing overhanging branches they should be happy to allow access.

[Notyetthere]

Thank you for your replies!

I have just studied the council's map of TPO trees and this tree isn't. There is a few with tpos on our road but no where near our house. I will get several quotes for both trimming/pruning or even cutting it down completely. Although I rather like it. It is getting out of hand.

Now I need to establish ownership. I believe it's on our land hence we own it, however, it is right on the boundary so it be owned by our neighbour.

This actually raises another question - our deeds show that we are responsible for all boundaries around our house apart from the one at the bottom of the garden including the oak. That boundary is all hedge and oak and I don't know who actually owns these hedges/oak. We have been trimming the hedge on our side but even these are getting very tall and could potentially affect evening sunlight into our garden in future years.

Yes to the acorns! So many of them. I haven't seen this many in the past years. It takes twice as much effort to rake acorns compared to just the leaves. I actually like raking the leaves every year and I look forward to it. It takes me an hour, the fresh air helps if I don't find fox poo and I always see it as me time while dh does the other more mundane garden tasks.

[didireallysaythat]

I contacted our council to check on a couple of trees on our boundary to see if they had TPO and the wonderful officer (after telling us they didn't) cane around and mad some great suggestions about how we could manage them. Why not ask them the same ?