to think this woman should not be chopping bits off our hedge?

[bintofbohemia]

I dunno, we've recently moved from a city to a very small town, and am not entirely sure about bush trimming etiquette. We have brambles in the yard (which is great, free blackberries) and they also give us a bit of privacy from the little road behind. (Pic on profile.) So imagine my shock when I looked out of the window at lunchtime to see an old lady's face peering over, brandishing secateurs having lopped off half of them?!

I guess maybe she thinks she's doing us a nice favour by chopping them off, but seems like an odd thing to just get stuck in and do? And there's now a big bald spot where people can see in again. I'm fairly laid back about the state of the yard (as we've hardly been around over the summer and haven't massively done anything to it) but I feel a bit odd about this woman just taking it upon herself to hack bits off. AIBU?

You could just go and talk to her !

Common sense and all that.

I want this T-shirt ...

erm wrong thread ... sorry! DOH!

Bonzo - you've made me want this!

i think she is miserable feckin hag who has too much time on her hands,sounds like my next door neighbour who thinks she owns the place.next time you see her tell her to leave your property alone

heh this one is quite clever ... and this one

say what you really mean Kitty!

I have to agree with purple take her a cup of tea, and mention that you LOVE your free fruit, but if its jutting out onto a public path (whether its used or not) you'll make sure that the brambles don't spill out onto the side that's not yours.... brambles are quick growing, and easy to train... she's probably inadvertantly done you a favour, you'll get more next year on 'your' side.

Towns are funny things, as are villages, I live in a hamlet and its by far the funniest place I have ever lived. I even went scrumping today in a field that's only used for sheep, has a public footpath... there's about 4 damson trees absolutely brimming with fruit, so I though I'd have some of that!! Was a bit worried about random crazies with shot guns, but the jam was worth it.

I'd have not trimmed your bush (fnar fnar) but I WOULD have had all the berries that were dangling over my right of way

Ooh, aldi, that sounds lovely. Am off on a mission for sloes soon, get some gin sorted for Christmas. Loving this free food business...

Yup... I'm in danger of turning into Felicity Kendall... I only ever wanted to be Margot! (peach chiffon nighties with faux fur - drrrrroooool).

I guess just keep the off side tidy, and keep the fruit for yourself huh?

I'll swap you some damson gin/vodka/wine/ale for some sloe gin anytime!!

Oh Damson vodka is divine! As is damson sorbet (roast damsons, push through a sieve - add sugar to taste and freeze).

Bonzoh hmmm. Damson Vodka Sorbet is going to be made tomorrow now... thank you for inspiration! I need 'things to do with vodka, fruit and sugar' yippeee!

oops yes mumsnet has brought the best out of me again :0.I still think she probably is an old hag tho ;).just remember what would Margo do?.Good luck with the Sloes and Damsons,tis just the right time for them,just made some yummy Damson jam

We have a phantom bush/tree trimmer,makes me mental

I have a tree inside my fence that puts out tiny leafy twigs up its trunk,they poke through my fence but are still on my property ifkwim. Someone,regularly snips em all off and leaves em in a pile. I also have a bush growing outside the fence but again still on my property but at the front of my house,someone clips it off at the ground,every time it gets to 2-3 foot high its clipped off. Neither one is encroaching on anyone elses property as I live on a corner lot and have roads there,not other peoples yards

Never seen anyone do it,dont even know if its the same person but when I catch the buggers I wont miss an hit the wall :o

I'm another one who has to walk along a tiny path which gets over-grown with brambles. Rather than chopping them off I bend them round inside the fence. Maybe you could wind the protuding brambles around your trellis and remove the need for any passers by to chop them down?

I like the GOod Lief slant this thread's taken.

Damson vodka sorbet sounds bloody fabulous - will have to try it...

WWMD? I think Margot would don something chiffony and say something frightfully snotty over the fence. Will practice.

(Or Good Life, even!)

I don't think your damson vodka would freeze all that well into sorbet (alcohol = antifreeze and all that) but if it failed you'd just have to drink it [shame]

Old Trout - that would make me MAD. I'd be stalking the boundary!