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Original poster

Last fucking straw

591 replies

sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 15:34

Handhold please and advice (on how not to utterly lose my shit or get arrested for this). It’s not been a great lockdown.

Saving Grace: my garden. Lovely tree, probably in the wrong place but predates the houses, was cut down without warning, so that my view, which was of said lovely tree, is now of the back of someone’s house. They have now closed all of their blinds because, yes, we are now overlooking each other.

The tree is in no man’s land between the gardens - it doesn’t belong to them. They’ve got down everything that overhung my garden (my son woke up to find men climbing over my fence and most of tree gone) and they’ve left a twenty foot high stump. My other neighbours were open mouthed in shock, so this isn’t just me sounding off; it’s horrendous.

I know there’s nothing that I can do, but I would like some vengeful suggestions that I won’t act on but will help me as I try to stop crying at the fucking awful sight of their fugly house.

OP posts:
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Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:17

@EvilPea

I’m so sorry. I’d feel the same. They are a marker of seasons, life and hope. As well as a provider of life for nature.

What tree was it?

An ash. A bloody lovely ash tree. If it caused inconvenience it was to us because they have a long garden and it’s right by our boundary.
OP posts:
EvilPea · 09/03/2021 16:17

Could you do a native hedgerow instead? Might actually benefit more wildlife?

Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:18

@SquirtleSquad

Fuckers. Report them to the council. Maybe speak to RSBP too.
Do the rspb do contracts, do you think?
OP posts:
AdoraBell · 09/03/2021 16:18

Definitely get the trees suggested by averylongtimeago

EvilPea · 09/03/2021 16:19

Oh I do love an ash. They do seem to sprout like mad round the base so have a look for saplings, you might be in luck for the future

FourDecades · 09/03/2021 16:19

If it's in no mans land why did they need access to your garden?

Hcolhcsra · 09/03/2021 16:19

Our neighbour did similar. Moved in and took all the lower branches off a beautiful old tree. We are now staring into each other's windows. It was his tree but he really hadn't thought it through. I could understand if he took it down (it is huge) but to hack at it like he has done is worse. All our privacy (and his gone) but still the risk of it coming down in a storm (probably more risk as he didn't get professionals in to to balance it).

No solutions at all. Just lots of sympathy. It's been 6 months now since he cut it and I still look out of the window and sigh.

Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:20

@LemonadeBudget

God what a wet lettuce!

Anyway Flowers for you, I hope you give them a piece of your mind

Thanks, I’m building some crushing verbal observations so that when I pull myself together, I will be in full flow. Can’t quite work out why this has upset me so much (well I can - fucking furious) but I think I’m a bit shocked.
OP posts:
Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:21

@FourDecades

If it's in no mans land why did they need access to your garden?
Because the area in question is right up to everyone’s boundary, literally sandwiched in between fences and the branches that shielded my house were hanging over my garden
OP posts:
Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:22

@EvilPea

Oh I do love an ash. They do seem to sprout like mad round the base so have a look for saplings, you might be in luck for the future
Will be on the hunt for some to plant (in the middle of her lawn)
OP posts:
EvilPea · 09/03/2021 16:23

I have this odd thought about our gardens that they don’t really belong to us, that we are merely custodians for the local wildlife.

Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:23

@Hcolhcsra

Our neighbour did similar. Moved in and took all the lower branches off a beautiful old tree. We are now staring into each other's windows. It was his tree but he really hadn't thought it through. I could understand if he took it down (it is huge) but to hack at it like he has done is worse. All our privacy (and his gone) but still the risk of it coming down in a storm (probably more risk as he didn't get professionals in to to balance it).

No solutions at all. Just lots of sympathy. It's been 6 months now since he cut it and I still look out of the window and sigh.

People, especially those who cut trees down, I have decided are oftentimes a bit shit. Thanks for the sympathy.
OP posts:
Scooby63 · 09/03/2021 16:24

I'm pretty sure that eucalyptus is fast growing. My sister planted one in her garden and it grew quite quickly. Nice attractive tree too 👍

Original poster
sarahC40 · 09/03/2021 16:25

Thanks everyone - feeling calmer from being all shocked, pathetic and tearful and now back to being the scary bitch I can be when I want. Cool head is much more forceful I find. You won’t hear reports of me ‘expressing myself’ on the news, don’t worry.

OP posts:
pursuedbyablackdog · 09/03/2021 16:26

Chilean firetree or embothrium is what you want. Stunning evergreen won't grow massive (about 4 metres) beautiful flowers and great for insects. Has stunning red flowers.
I hate trees being cut down OP so you have my full sympathy and I get why you are both upset and livid.
Oh and according to DEFRA the silly buggers have broken the rules, as DEFRA state NO cutting trees or hedges from 1st March to 1st September without permission. So they might find a fine heading their wayWink

ArabellaScott · 09/03/2021 16:27

Aw, OP. This is awful. Flowers

Boatingforthestars · 09/03/2021 16:27

Sneak into their garden after nightfall with a bag of frozen sausages and a hammer.
Hammer said sausages upright into their lawn evenly spaced.

Watch on as all the local cats and foxes completely destroy their lawn over the next week digging them out!

I'd love to claim this idea as mine but I have borrowed it from another forum.

MintyMabel · 09/03/2021 16:27

She did like the tree but described her new neighbour as assertive and didn’t know she hadn’t spoken to us

She could have spoken to you. If it is truly communal grounds, why did only two of them pay? Perhaps the tree roots are causing problems.

Freddiefox · 09/03/2021 16:28

I’d take it up with the company. They have trespassed on your land. I wouldn’t be very happy a!bout it.

Your other neighbour sounds a bit two faced. I’d be aware of what was said

AmazingBouncingFerret · 09/03/2021 16:28

We have the same. A huge oak tree in a no mans land between the back gardens because it pre-dates our houses and most importantly, it has a preservation order on it. If it didn’t, the building company would have chopped it down or left it to be in one of our gardens.
You should call the council.

Scooby63 · 09/03/2021 16:29

Just Googled it. UK growth rate for eucalyptus is 2.4m a year, that should do it 😁

ChameleonClara · 09/03/2021 16:29

So who owns the patch of land? They have committed an offence if it wasn't their tree.

Nightmare.

We have some trees on a random patch of land near us, one owner talked of chopping them down and I gave him a proper bollocking. Leaglly no changes can be made without agreement of all so hopefully that'll limit him.

ArabellaScott · 09/03/2021 16:29

I hope they do get fined, what a shitty thing to do. I hate it when people cut trees for no reason.

FWIW, suddenly cutting a tree down might cause heave. I don't want to worry you, but it might be worth looking into. Sudden difference in amount of groundwater being absorbed by tree's roots, etc. Worth considering the distance from house etc before planting again, too.

Bettina500 · 09/03/2021 16:29

I would be finding out who the tree belonged to and dropping them in the shit. Might it be on your house deeds? The council should know if you contact them.

You need to put something appropriately awful in your garden to make them wish they hadn't ruined the view!

LemonadeBudget · 09/03/2021 16:29

Oh and according to DEFRA the silly buggers have broken the rules, as DEFRA state NO cutting trees or hedges from 1st March to 1st September without permission. So they might find a fine heading their way

Wouldn't the tree surgeons have a responsibility to uphold this as well, would you think?