To ask stranger if I can dig up their tree in the garden?

I like to leave a bit of myself at every garden I've lived at, be it spring bulbs or a tree. But there are also bits of gardens come with me, like I have a clump of irises which came from Mum's garden, a rose from one of her friend 's garden, and a phygelia which came from an ex's other ex's mother's garden... so I get that there are connections in gardens, both lwft and brought.

Take photos and take cuttings - they won't kill the tree, they'll come true, which growing cherry stones may not.

YABU - because it would be very hard to transplant such a mature tree. It could kill it. Take cuttings or seeds and leave the lovely tree where it is to flourish and to hold those memories linked to that place 🌸

Could you ask for a branch and have something special made in memory of your parents? Cherry trees need trimming regularly, they will easily overtake a small garden.

Could you try and take a cutting or two (only after asking of course)? That way you can try to grow your own tree and the new occupants aren't left with a huge hole in their garden where the tree would be. Also a mature tree may not take well to being moved so you could end up with nothing at the end of it. Better to try a cutting and see how you get on with that.

Ask to take cuttings. You can then grow several cherries trees which will all be part of the original one. And if the cuttings don't take you have not damaged the original tree.
Imagine trying to move the tree and it not taking - you would be devastated.
My dad has an apple tree from cuttings from his late mother's garden - and so do several aunts... so spreads even more love.

Better to leave it where it is than to move it and risk killing it altogether. It is completely the wrong time of year for moving a tree anyway. You could always ask if they would let you take some cuttings though.

I think you should write a letter to explain the significance and ask to take some cuttings so you can replant it at home. They would have to be a very hard-hearted person to say no.
Taking some cuttings would mean the tree stays where your mum originally planted it and it's not at risk of dying but you still get tree. Think how sad you would be if it died on your land.
I also love the idea of a four-seasons picture frame of the tree. I have a four seasons picture of my children under some big beautiful trees in the local park and I love it.
Also, the story might warm the hearts of the people who have it now, if they haven't already formed their own connection with it. Cherry trees really are beautiful and it's likely an older or disabled person lives in a council bungalow who may well love it as much as you do. Why take it away from them when you can both have it and share that love?
I hope it goes well for you

I was going to suggest asking for a batch of fruit pips and growing a new tree, but a cutting is also an idea. That way you don't harm the original tree, but you retain the connection with your parents.

Agree with PPs that the tree will be too big and have too large a root system to dig out now logistically and in a way it might survive, I’m sorry OP 😔. But I would ask about cuttings, grafts or taking some cherries to grow the seeds (if possible with the species. You could also take some leaves and plant them in with a new tree so when they break down it will absorb something of the original tree

Cherry tree roots can be very sprawling. You'd be surprised how far they can go, even for a small ish tree.

At 12 years it's very established, would need a digger to dig out and would be unlikely to survive a move.

Sorry that's not what you want to hear 😩

looks like a stella cherry I think, if you wanted to try another?

Okay, with the photo you have attached, it’s going to take a digger to get it out in enough surrounds that it will even have the smallest size of survival when transplanted. Then the digger will be required again at your end to do it in reverse. You will need to have someone skilled in relocating mature trees do this. Even then this is in no way guaranteed, far from it. No way you can just take a shovel and get it out and replant and have any hope, just not possible. Then you are going to have to make good an enormous hole in someone else’s yard. This is all going to cost a fortune.

I agree with this instead.

I work in landscaping and transplanting a larger tree like that has a high failure rate. Writing to them to ask for cuttings however means that the tree stays where your parents planted it but you get a fresh tree/several trees. You can ask a professional to graph the cuttings or grow a new trees if needed.

Is it still a council tenant in it in which case they simply cannot agree to it and it would be the council.

I would take a cutting and replant it (maybe more than one) if they let you leave the original in the bungalow and have one with you

Also this. If it’s a council property, you will need to go through the council. It will be up to them to discuss it with the tenants.

Even if the owners agree (which I think is unlikely) a 12 year old tree is very unlikely to survive being dug up and replanted, so trying to go through that process is likely to being an upsetting experience. Buy a new tree and plant it in memory of your parents.

After 12 years, the removal will cause alot of damage in their garden, from the roots. Not to mention that it probably will die of the shock of transplantation. I'd ask for a cutting to grow your own. If they're tenants, you'll need to write to the landlord. I can't imagine they'd be happy, about removing a pleasant tree from a rental property. I'd agree to a cutting but not a tree removal.

The tree might not survive that. Could you ask if you could take a cutting to grow on yourself?

No harm in asking.

Alternatively could you take some seeds, a cutting??? (I don’t know how trees work!) and plant another tree? So the “child” of the tree.

Moving a tree seems quite a lot.

https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/cost-tree-transplanting/

It looks like it could be very expensive with no guarantee of success.

I agree with the people suggesting taking a cutting.

Agreeing with those upthread- if the tree is happy where it is leave it alone. Take a lovely picture, maybe even get someone to do a drawing from the pic (they could draw your mum and dad next to it from a picture), take a cutting and/ or plant a cherry pip and see if you can grow another. Or buy an identical species and you can all enjoy it.

If you imagine how far the roots go down it would be a huge job, it will desecrate the old garden and the tree is likely to die wherever you put it. If they were getting rid of it I’d say maybe risk it but otherwise leave the tree where it is happy.

but was it to plant elsewhere? getting even large trees removed is easy if you don't care what will happen to them.

It may not survive being moved. As others have said, ask for a cutting.

Take cherry 🍒 tree cutting instead it's definitely more likely to thrive flourish
than the alternative you are Consirdering about...
@WaffleDogg20

Yes that's why I said they're not large mature trees though and a cutting was a better idea.