To think we should be allowed to pull up our NDN’s stupid tree!!

[QueenofmyPrinces]

I live in a crescent and there are about 5 of us who have gardens that all kind of back on to one another.

In one of these gardens is a huge tree that is a total PITA! It’s at the end of their garden and some of it hangs over in to ours.

All winter our entire decking area and the lawn of our garden are COVERED in dead leaves that fall from the stupid tree that we have to go and rake up every day, and then every summer our entire garden is covered in bloody annoying soggy blossom petals and stuff which makes it looks awful and so messy.

We’ve had to buy one of those leaf blower/hoover type things because it’s the only way we can keep on top of it and we can’t actually play out in our garden with the toddler/baby until we’ve hoovered up all the crap that falls from their tree.

Last summer we looked in to our rights and as a result we hacked off all the branches that overhang our garden but it doesn’t solve anything because the other 90% of the tree still exists and its leaves and soggy blossom bits are still blown all over our decking/lawn every bloody day.

I can’t even explain how pissed off I am by it and every year the problem just gets worse as the tree gets bigger and bigger.

A few of the other surrounding neighbours have voiced their anger too because their gardens suffer that same way ours does and two of the neighbours gardens are practically in the shade all day because the big tree blocks the sunlight out.

AIBU to think that surely there’s something more we can do? Can a house owner be forced to have a massive tree removed if it impacts on everyone else?

Have you asked them about it??

If the massive tree has been there all this time and was there when you bought your place then I'd say there's bugger all you can do. It probably supports all manner of wild life. But clearly it's more important that your garden looks neat.

People removing trees and lawns has a huge impact on flooding.

You can't be outraged that nature happens on your decking

It's a tree,

If the tree is huge, presumably it was there first, before any of the people complaining about it? As such, YABU to expect the owner to get rid of it. All you can do is chop overhanging branches.

What tree is it?

Bloody nature, getting in gardens, growing things.

You can't go in the garden until you've hoovered it?

I think you need to move to a flat

Why can't your toddler play out when there are leaves on the lawn?

How very dare the tree shed its leaves? Honestly, no consideration at all....

Why do leaves prevent you and your toddler enjoying your garden OP? I think you'll find your toddler won't care if there are leaves flying around.

I'm sorry but I would be hard pushed not to laugh at you with your leaf blower and your rake and your insistence on controlling nature and your neighbour.

I just express how much this attitude annoys me. It's a tree, it provides shelter and home to countless birds and other creatures, it helps prevent flooding, it is bloody beautiful. But yeah, it loses it's leaves and blossom falls and makes a "mess" over your garden, so obviously your rights trump it.

Can't express.

Why can't your toddler play out there if there are leaves or blossom on the lawn? Blossom is only a problem for a few weeks anyway, same with the leaves in the autumn.
Was the tree there when you bought the house?
Have you contacted the council to ask if there's anything you can do, other than cut the overhanging branches?

If it's damaging fencing or causing damage in other people's gardens (leaves and petals do not count) you can go to the council, however it's be the more peaceful and neighbourly thing to do, to speak to the owner. This will have more impact from those whose gardens are entirely shaded , grass won't grow, etc rather than you talking about raking up leaves.

Shock horror, leaves fall in gardens sometimes.

The thing about outside is that nature happens in it.

Why on earth can't your toddler play out in the garden if there are leaves and blossom in it?

Was the tree there when you got the house?

Ffs. You can't be serious. You need to HOOVER YOUR LAWN before your baby/toddler can play in the garden?! What the actual fuck?!

Also we back onto some woods so garden is covered in leaves at certain times of year. Toddler ds loves picking them up and examining them.

Please say it's a reverse?

Mate it’s a bloody tree, it’s been there longer you have. Did you not think about what a tree does when you viewed the house?

My parents' neighbours had four huge conifers that broke their fence three times, completely killed the lawn, stopped anything from growing and put their whole garden in shade. They weren't there when my parents bought the house but they've lived there more than thirty years. They tried reasoning with neighbour the third time their fence buckled and the neighbour dogs shat all over the lawn but they weren't to be reasoned with. The council made them cut them back considerably. New neighbours moved in a couple of years ago and dug them all up immediately, they are now very friendly with my parents 😂

Sounds like the huge tree was there before you moved in. And you thought what? Oh, I’ll just make my neighbour chop it down once I move in?

No, you don’t get to chop down a beautiful tree that’s not on your property because you’re too fucking lazy to pick up leaves.

Move if you don’t like it.

You have a shocking attitude to nature and wildlife. Shame on you.

You're not really meant to have a garden, op. I presume your garden is all decked, with a postage stamp sized bit of perfectly manicured lawn.

This can't be real, surely?