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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I cut my neighbours plant

47 replies

slithytove · 25/08/2017 12:54

The ones which are growing on her side, through the trellis and down my fence. I only cut what was on my side but she says it ruins her privacy as removes the wall of greenery. I hate it. Am tempted to get a gardener in to remove everything he can from that fence which is legal.

Don't want to upset neighbour but equally I hate maintaining her plants on my side of the fence, and certainly don't want to keep them there!

Aibu to cut the lot back to the legal limit?

OP posts:

Thread gallery

5foot5 · 25/08/2017 13:36

YANBU but I am afraid you have a never ending battle with the ivy if she refuses to do anything with it on her side.

You can keep lopping it but it will come back. The only way to get rid of it is to remove it completely by the root

TheSolitaryBoojum · 25/08/2017 13:38

In most cases, if you are looking at your garden from the house, the rhs boundary is your responsibility. That said, you can cut anything that intrudes into your space, but have to offer the bits to your neighbour as it is their property.

Arion · 25/08/2017 13:41

I would think it's her fence as you have the front side, usually the fence posts are on the side of the person owning that boundary.

Nonibaloni · 25/08/2017 13:43

Came to read terrified I'd see pictures of my own garden! I am not a gardener and there's some blooming triffid thing in my garden that I hack to bits and take to the dump and by the time I get back it's hanging over my neighbors drive again. I feel terrible because I can't afford to have the stump removed and poisoning it just seemed to kill all the other plants leaving it more space.
Anyway got back today and my neighbor has chopped it down. Feel terrible that he had to do that. People get awfully pissy about their gardens. I'd prefer if we all had matching curtains but I can't nip next door and hang the ones I like!

dementedpixie · 25/08/2017 13:44

That's not always true. Our deeds don't specify whose fence is whose so we tend to just share them. Also with the way they were put up we have the 'good' side on both sides I.e. We have no posts on our side on either the left or right fence.

Bluntness100 · 25/08/2017 13:44

She's being unreasonable. She can't expect you to let her plants grow into your garden. That's not how it works.

whatwouldrondo · 25/08/2017 13:53

Ivy is a bullying thug almost on a par with Leylandii. It wrecks fences and harbours slugs and snails. I am a passionate gardener and I spend 30% of my time in the garden cutting the wretched stuff back and throwing it back over into the neighbours' gardens (neither of whom maintain them) YADNBU and she definitely is. Also nothing you do on your side will damage what is on her side and if the trellis is yours (as mine is) you can cut down any that is growing up it. You can also put up trellis and then cut back any that attached to it back to fence level which keeps it from making your garden look shit. Put some nice climbers in to take over the trellis, I have clematis, hydrangea, trachleospernum, jasmine, garrya, and even pyracantha to fight back against the ivy..............

terrylene · 25/08/2017 13:55

I usually trim next door stuff that comes over the fence and merges with mine, just as I would if it was mine. It is nicer to look at.

Not sure I would like bald fence and living right up to the boundary. It is nice to have a buffer zone.

Siwdmae · 25/08/2017 13:57

She is unreasonable to want her ivy to impact on you. It's horrible perfidious stuff and will go nuts and ruin fences etc. I'm ruthless with mine and the neighbour's. It's tough on her, I'm afraid.

You can't be expected to trim according to her wishes and she needs to keep it away from your garden. She can put rolls of rushing on her side to block any gaps.

blacksax · 25/08/2017 14:00

I'd rather look at plants than a barren fence, to be honest.

terrylene · 25/08/2017 14:06

We used to have alternate evergreen/deciduous shrub on both sides of the fence. It was nice and they merged together into a deep border. Then the last neighbour had the garden designed. That was ok, coz they planted more plants and put in a veg patch at the bottom and it was growing nicely. Then the latest ones have taken all the plants and landscaping out and put in grass right up to the fences for the trampoline and I am having to redesign the border into all evergreens.

Original poster

slithytove · 25/08/2017 14:09

But I would rather look at fence! With small children and limited time I don't want to give her plants free rein.

Maybe I need a gardener

OP posts:

Littlepleasures · 25/08/2017 14:10

Have you suggested she can ask for access to your garden to keep it regularly trimmed and under control on your side without damaging her side. My neighbours (we get on well) for various reasons have let their garden turn to jungle so I often have to chop down their overgrown plants so I get some light. Always check with them it's ok first though.

Hillfarmer · 25/08/2017 14:19

As I look down my long town garden, the left hand side fence is my responsibility.

My neighbours on that side aren't gardeners and let ivy and brambles grow up it. I try to pull it off so that it doesn't pull my fence down and cost me hundreds to repair or replace. They are nice people though and when I point it out to the they get it cleared...it's just a pain having to get them to do it, and they don't seem to notice the the ivy coming through the slats is gradually destroying my fence.

If your neighbour's ivy is destroying your fence, you need to ask her to keep the ivy off it, or keep it from coming thru the fence. Make it clear that fences cost a lot to repair and you shouldn't have to fork out because she won't clear the ivy. Either that or you could offer to send her the repair bill. I don't mind my neighbours growing things up it or sticking a trellis up, but moaning at you for just keeping your side tidy is unreasonable.

In the interests of good neighbourliness, try keeping a smile on your face and say everything in a very 'up' and friendly way. Pretend you haven't noticed any snottiness coming from her. Bright and breezy does it. Snottiness will just breed more snottiness if you let her.

Original poster

slithytove · 25/08/2017 14:41

I will do that little. We don't lock the gate anyway and I like and trust her. Feel bad I've upset her as well, but really don't want this in my garden.

OP posts:

Original poster

slithytove · 25/08/2017 14:41

Oh yes it is all with a smile, she is a lovely woman and really nice to the kids

OP posts:

SallyVating · 25/08/2017 15:24

Sorry no advice from me but can someone please tell me how to kill ivy? there's a massive bush of it in my tiny garden and it won't fuck off no matter what I do to it

FallingOrbit · 25/08/2017 15:46

Ok, the law -

You are entitled to trim anything that encroaches into your garden, even if the "plant" belongs to your neighbour. Overhanging branches, shrubbery etc etc.

As for the "you must offer her the clippings back" - no. It's an ancient law and although never officially repealed nobody should do this. Even if you do offer them she is not (and has never been) obliged to accept them, she can decline and then it's up to you to dispose of them.

The fence - now this isn't guaranteed but by looking at the pics the "ugly" side of the fence is YOUR side, she has the "nice" side - this would suggest that the fence belongs to her not you. I know the fence isn't really the issue here but it has come into the conversation.

You are not allowed to "trim" the plants in such a way as the plant is severely affected or dies. Unless it's your plant in which case you can do what you like with it. If you trim so severely that the plant cannot recover you could well find your self on a criminal damage charge and end up in court. I know because my neighbour did it to me, butchered MY hedge to the point where it no longer formed such. He was charged with criminal damage and sued for the full reinstatement of the hedge (very expensive!)

I know you haven't done that, I'm just saying don't go berserk with the shears on your neighbours plants.

FallingOrbit · 25/08/2017 15:49

Sally

Glyphosate 360. Use Clinic Ace, Rosate, Samurai, Slingshot etc. They are non selective herbicides and will kill anything green including grass so be a bit careful with it, don't spray on a windy day etc. Needs 6 hours after spraying before getting rained on.

Jux · 25/08/2017 15:55

I hate ivy. DH and I have a never-ending battle with it on all sides. No one complains because I don't think any one likes it! Heaven knows where it comes from!

Anything that comes over or through to your side is fair game for you to do what you like with. Train it to go up your side or lop it.

Your neighbour is being thoroughly unreasonable.

PeralMePots · 25/08/2017 16:47

"Resolve Ivy Killer" is the only thing I have found that works. You have to keep,at it though because it just continues to grow from underground if it comes through from another garden. We have sprayed the ivy coming through to us but it does not seem to have stopped it on the other side, I think it is too thick to ever get rid of. Ompletely. It at least it has stopped damaging my fence.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 25/08/2017 21:48

I hate ivy, the bloody stuff should be banned. It was growing in our neighbour's garden completely wrecked our fence. They were renting and didn't care about the garden and neither did the landlord. When we replaced the fence obviously the ivy had to be cut down so DH poisoned it as well even though it was in their garden. I really begrudged having to pay for a new fence, and I also begrudge the continuous battle with the bindweed growing through from their garden into ours!

Regarding the fence, I always understood the done thing was the neighbour got the nice side and the fence owner the other side.

We've got new neighbour's now and I'm not sure they're keen on our fence as they've already been round to ask who it belongs to. I'm thinking they may not like the cat proofing, but tough!

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