I get dh to pull down next doors lelandii when the gales hit

[Lovenotate]

I know Ibu but when the gales hit this week I'm so tempted to get dh to pull down next doors horrible trees that are taking away light, water, views and nutrients from my home and garden.

They are only 4 years old so quite thin and could still be snapped. If I leave it much longer they will be too hard for us to sabotage, easily.

It costs 500 just for the council to cosider talking to them :( they have pretty much told me to get lost with the whole "its my garden I can do what I like" selfish additute.

Sorry but, much as you hate them (and I would too) they are THEIR trees in THEIR garden.
I am speaking as one who has has several tree discussions with neighbours over the years - the worst one was finally rectified after many years, but just a couple of weeks after I completed on my house sale!!

In the case of lelandi, I wouldn't blame you a bit. Huge, ugly life sapping things.

If they bother you that much pay the £500 or do your own dirty work instead of getting your DH to do it!

Only because it is Lelandi. Who sells them?

Is he a tree surgeon?

You want him to go outside in the gales and cut down some trees?

Seems legit

Speaking from experience your neighbour may soon realise what a BIG mistake it was planting them and take them down themselves.

Hopefully they won't do the same bad job that our neighbours did - planted 7 years ago and hacked down when our garden was finally landscaped and they could enjoy the view!

And safe. Seems totally safe.

You'll need a fuckload more money than £500 if he cuts his arm off or fells a tree on someones property.

I feel your pain!

Years ago at our last house, we had this, and the leylandi were next to a dry stone wall of ours - we couldn't grow anything within metres as the ground was so dry. Most of our garden was dark as they were huge.

We had some tree surgeons coming in to sort out some other trees and I asked NDN if she minded if we trimmed her leylandi a bit. Well.... I had just had DD so was feeding her and not watching out the window and they literally scalped them! This resulted in NDN's husband coming round and shouting the odds with tree surgeon and they ended up throwing punches and rolling round in the street fighting, it was awful! (But that's another story... NDN cut me dead from that moment on, it was horrible, but I hadn't asked tree surgeon to be so drastic, he just didi it.)

To cut a v long story short, the trees were short and small and just like I wanted them, I had a summer of light!

However, within 2 years it was back to how it was. I think they should be banned, I wish you luck OP.

www.leylandii.com/leylandii.html

This will be helpful.

Leylandii are not a good choice for hedging. They are only planted because they grow quick and high. Unfortunately they tend (like a lot of hedging plants) to take a lot of nutrients and water away from the surrounding soil, Without the compensation of looking nice ie beech/hornbeam, flowering rose, hawthorn.

They also tend to look very scruffy near the base - you tend to get the brown bald look at the bottom.

I can only say keep a watch on the height. Hopefully you have solid panel fencing between you and you NDN so you don't have to see the ugly trees.

Whatever you have planted on your side will need extra feeding, mulching and watering.

DH' s Grandma was a champion tree killer.
She used to dig down to the roots and pour weed killer in and then cover her tracks the hole
Obviously this may be illegal and I would in no way suggest you do it

Strike through fail!!

Isn't this criminal damage? Can't believe people are actually agreeing with you on the basis that nobody seems to like leylandi! It's their land , so their choice no matter how much you dislike it. You would be completely unreasonable to damage their property!
Also - we have a 4 year old leylandi border at the bottom of our garden (not bordering anyone else's land or house) and I struggle to see how it's blocking out your light already? Ours are about 5ft by now and not very bushy yet? If they do start to cause a nuisance when a lot bigger, I can understand you wanting to talk to the council, about ensuring they are maintained at a reasonable height. YANBU about the councils ridiculous £500 charge.

Don't blame you wanting to do this.
Ugliest trees ever.
I don't think you will get away with it though.

The £500 charge, what is it for? For the tree officer to come and look at them? Council tree surgeons?

Maybe the winds will do it for you.

I am sitting here watching next doors single leylandii that is a million feet high whip around in the wind and wondering whether it is about to crash into my house.

It's a bloody horrible thing. I have been encouraging clematis to climb all over it to make it look at bit better in the summer.

charitybelle, it's not disliking leylandi per se, but really, really objecting to them blocking out light and view, and stripping surrounding soil of water and nutrients.

Our NDN but one has a couple of behelmoths at the bottom of their garden. Thankfully, they're to the NE of us, so don't block out the sun, but I honestly wouldn't have bought this house if they were to the south or west and I would be devastated if those neighbours planted the feckers.

I agree that they should be controlled in some way; not made illegal, but any planting or refusal to cut down that impedes on others should be subject to rigorous planting permission (with a view to saying 'no, you daft idiot').

I say do it.

Jeez are you made of glass or something?? Do it yourself if it has to be done!

They're probably there for privacy, so they are probably balancing blocking out light and view, etc. with having interfering, objectionable neighbours being able to stare at them.

So YABU. You're also suggesting criminal damage and starting a dispute with your neighbours which will have to be declared when you sell your property and could affect its value. There is already legislation to control the height of leylandii. Maybe you should look that up before chopping them down?

Cant you complain to council if its causing a nuisance?

If they are over 4 metres in height and fewer than 5 metres to your neighbour's property, could you point out to your neighbours that this could affect their buildings and contents insurance?

That could be a way for them to see the trees as a potential problem for them, rather than you.

Whats the nuisance they are causing though? You have no right to light or views. The OP simply doesn't like them, but that's not a nuisance that the Council can act on.

I wouldn't. Buggering about in the garden in a storm you'd have to have a death wish. Plus once they're down a continuing storm would make them dangerous!

But I do feel your pain. They're horrid.

you can cut back their roots the the border of your land, and cut back any branches that protrude over your boundary but that is about it. cutting their roots though may help them fall over in a big wind... [hopeful]

This thread is hilarious

If they were baby oaks everybody would be up in arms about the OP wanting to cut them down.

Ugly lei though...