Can a neighbour cut back Ivy that is growing up their wall but entirely on my side?

[lechatnoir]

we have a rather lovely brick wall at the end of our garden that backs on to a neighbouring garden. There is Ivy growing up the wall which the neighbour is not happy about. We have been very careful to ensure it doesn’t grow to the top let alone over into their boundary But they are insisting we must remove it and keep leaning over our wall and hacking it off the wall and chucking the remnants into our garden.

If it were against their house, I would absolutely understand but this is at the end of the very large and actually quite overgrown garden not even visible from their house so it really feels like they are doing this to make a point. Can they insist we remove it as it is attached to their wall?? It doesn’t seem right, but they are leaning into our garden and hacking away at what is essentially our plant
any advice?

I have seen multiple threads in MN give out dreadful advice…get yourself over to https://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/ for some proper expert advice.

It’s very unreasonable of them if it’s just against a garden wall and not their house. However did they even know it was there?

However, ask yourself whether a bit of ivy is worth potentially losing your hose over to pay legal fees, or being unable to sell your house because you have to declare a neighbourhood dispute. I’d pick my battles very wisely here if I were you.

Ivy is awful. I have to be honest I would probably do the same. It's so invasive and will spread into their garden.

Is it their wall? And does ivy potentially damage walls? If the answer to both of these is yes, then you are being unreasonable.
I don't know if you would be legally in the wrong, but you would be morally.

Ivy is really annoying and a PITA to remove, it sounds like they're just trying to stay on top of it. You mention that it's their wall, is that correct? I think the ownership of the wall matters as to what you can/can't do, but morally as the person who's had to put up with my neighbour's errant ivy wrecking my fence and growing over it and into my garden because they wouldn't keep on top of it, and having to cut it back to the boundary every few weeks last summer, I can really sympathise with your neighbours here.

You can't attach anything to anyone else's fence or wall without their permission. If you want to grow ivy you need to add your own wall or fence infront of theirs.

That said, they shouldn't be chucking anything into your garden. They need to offer any offcuts to you but then there shouldn't be any growth on their wall to be cut....

You say both that it is your wall and their wall. Whose lovely wall is it?

If their wall, you shouldn't be attaching or growing anything up it without their permission.

Ivy can be quite damaging to walls, so I think it depends on the condition of the wall and how you are managing the ivy. I can imagine the neighbours wouldn't be happy about the ivy if they think it is going to cause structural damage to the wall. The problems would be if the wall is a bit crumbly and already has cracks in it, in which case the roots would make them bigger, and if the ivy is putting proper roots in and damaging the wall that way. If you are convinced that the wall is in good condition and the ivy is not causing any damage, you need to prove that to them and have a proper chat about it. I just had to remove loads of ivy from my garden, even though it was pretty, because I've got an old stone wall that was not going to cope with it.

Ivy is like Japanese fucking Knotweed.

YABU, the stuff's a nightmare.

Why would you want to grow it up someone else's wall?

If it’s their wall I don’t blame them.

No it isn’t anything like fucking knotweed!

OP there is a large contingent on MN who appear to be averse to plants and trees in gardens. Of course your neighbours should not be leaning into your garden and certainly not throwing things in. If they own the wall and are concerned about potential damage from the ivy they should come and have a conversation with you.

It is, it's horrible stuff! 🤣

Grows very fast and damages brickwork and fences.

my neighbours have ivy it’s grown all
over the fence and now invading my garden.
Damn right I chop it back and chuck it over.

Ivy is an excellent habitat. I have robins nesting in mine at the moment.

It’s never been out of control, I pull it up annually if it grows across the earth rather than up the wall.

I also trim it like a hedge once a year, so it gets fresh green leaves and is dense enough to nest in.

If it’s their wall, then they have the right to refuse icy on it. Imagine you move and the next owner ignores the garden- it could be in their guttering and causing damage in just a couple of years.

It sounds like the neighbour has tried talking about it as OP said they are unhappy, have been insisting it is removed and have cut it back multiple times.

We have moved into a house with a lovely stone wall at the front. The bloody ivy is growing through the wall (and across the lawn).
So yes, it’s growing up on your side, but is very good at finding its way through.

I removed the ivy completely in this situation. My neighbour pointed out it was growing through a hole in the mortar, and was causing him loads of aggro as it was growing under the wall on his side too.

Just grow something else! Put up a trellis and grow and evergreen ceanothus and a holly. Both beautiful and great for birds and bees.

If it's their wall then it's their call.

I like ivy but it depends on the variety - some can be an absolute pain in the neck to keep under control. In the right place it makes a wonderful screen and is a brilliant habitat for wildlife. But you can't grow it up someone else's wall if they don't want it there.

If it's their wall I'd cut it down. As PP have said, it gets into the mortar and can damage the wall. I'd be pissed off if a neighbour's plant meant I had to spend money repairing or replacing a wall.

So while I agree they're being unreasonable to reach into your garden and cut down a plant in your garden, I do think you're also being unreasonable to let a plant grow that can damage someone else's property.

Cut it down and put up some climbing plants in climber pots in front of it, like a clematis or something. It'll look nicer in the long run too.

Ivy is an absolute nightmare! It has completely destroyed our garden wall despite removing it every year. It’s coming from next door and grows across our wall as such speed, we cannot keep up with it. We want to remove and replace the wall but the ivy will take ahold of that in a couple of years and we’ll be back in the same situation.

I empathise with your neighbours - could you compromise?

Our neighbour grows ivy and it does go in our garden and in the fence damaging both. However, I only cut it in our garden and on our fence. I don't think they should be going in your garden or on your side of the wall.

NO ITS NOT. I had ivy growing up my 3 story house for decades. Had it taken down recently and the brickwork is fine. Stop being a drama. YANBU op

Oh thank goodness!

I'll tell everyone who's ever had their brickwork damaged by ivy that they imagined it because some random on the internet's brickwork was fine. Therefore no problems exist 👍

No, apparently it hasn't damaged your brickwork according to a PP.

Don't be dramatic 😁

I agree.
My user name reflects the rampant ivy that grows through the fence from the railway line at the back of our garden.

DH and I have spent the weekend cutting it back for the umpteenth time.