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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

They cut my gorgeous cherry tree down

232 replies

babyno5 · 22/05/2018 18:01

I know it’s not important in the grand scheme of things.
I had a garden maintenance business is to give me a quote to cut down couple of conifers, pull up some bushes and bring my hedge down to a manageable height.
I’ve come home from work to find they’ve also cut down my gorgeous 30 foot cherry tree. I’m so upset! We have zero privacy upstairs now and I hate how it looks.
I was really clear on what I wanted them to do. I text him and all I got was “sorry I misunderstood you”
Suggestions please to make a horrible hedge look better!
Aibu to be close to tears? (Be gentle with me-shit day at work dealing with idiots!!)

OP posts:
spiderlight · 22/05/2018 19:07

I would have been brokenhearted and beyond livid. I hope he finds a way to make amends and replace your tree somehow and that he's decent about it tomorrow. Keep us posted!

SurferRona · 22/05/2018 19:08

Were there any nesting birds? I'd be surprised if none in a mature cherry....in which case they've broken (I think) the law to boot. As a minimum any trade bodies should expel them for this, are they accredited in any way? Eg the arb association- contact them too. This is pretty basic to get so very wrong.....

Charolais · 22/05/2018 19:08

This would send me into a rage. Such an awful time of year to lose your cherry tree as well. Mine is loaded with little cherries right now.

I’m so sorry.

Firesuit · 22/05/2018 19:10

I am a bit mystified why people keep saying "small claims." Assuming you can buy a 30-foot tree, would it really cost less then £10,000?

Original poster
babyno5 · 22/05/2018 19:10

It was fully of little cherries chaolais

OP posts:
RebootYourEngine · 22/05/2018 19:13

I am not a huge fan of big trees in gardens but even i would be pissed off at this.

ScipioAfricanus · 22/05/2018 19:17

I’m so sorry! That would upset me hugely. I was sad enough when I had to get a tree cut down as it was growing too high near the house. Let alone lose one unnecessarily. Ugh I’m so sorry.

PigletJohn · 22/05/2018 19:17

I have a feeling you neighbour gave him a cash bonus to make their garden sunnier.

Luisa27 · 22/05/2018 19:18

Oh OP I am sorry - I’d be heartbroken about this. Please keep us posted. Big hug Flowers

Bluelady · 22/05/2018 19:18

Heartbreaking. I'd be crying too. How could anyone do that?

tinkerbellone · 22/05/2018 19:19

I absolute adore my cherry tree. It’s a joy to look at in the summer and my kids climb it too.
I would be so so upset if it was cut down.
I would be furious and very upset. I’m so sorry OP xxFlowers

Original poster
babyno5 · 22/05/2018 19:20

Lol pigletjohn my neighbour was in tears too as she loved it and it didn’t block out any light for her. Was right in the middle of our front garden. She was pleased about the conifers as they were at a “jaunty angle”

OP posts:
Trilllllian · 22/05/2018 19:21

I would be fuming, really fuming.
If you did that round here it could be an offence because we are in a conservation area. I had to pay £300 for an arboriculturist to write a report that a five year old tree was replaceable when applying for planning permission as it was 30 foot tall.

You don’t ‘misunderstand’ with tree cutting!

Oldraver · 22/05/2018 19:22

@zaphod Your poor philodelphus..I have one that is 25 years and huge...the snow almost killed it...weighed too much and lots of it toppled over. I had to do emergency pruning on it to try and get it upright..It still has a huge hole in it..though did still flower.

MayFayner · 22/05/2018 19:24

Oh OP Sad

Our gardener took it upon himself to "top" my beautiful holly tree a few years ago- he cut the whole bloody thing off Angry Angry

I couldn't even look at that part of the garden for about six months afterwards- I had to close one eye when unlocking the front door so I didn't catch it in my peripheral vision. I'm still not over it.

I would have insisted on some sort of replacement only that the gardener is a friend of DH's. I have no idea what he thought he was doing.

tribpot · 22/05/2018 19:25

I would be severely pissed off with this too - and I've had various trees chopped down (with appropriate permissions as I live under a blanket TPO).

His quote makes clear he knew what trees he was to chop down, he needs to make good on this by replacing it.

Rocinante1 · 22/05/2018 19:26

Please don't let this drop. He can absolutely have a mature tree brought in to replace it. Court if you need too - usually I'm always "God, don't sue them!" But I absolutely would here.

onalongsabbatical · 22/05/2018 19:27

Trees are precious, especially loved trees. They're not gardeners, they're butchers. I'm not a bit surprised you're upset. Flowers

MadMaryBoddington · 22/05/2018 19:27

Cowboys. So many cowboy ‘tree surgeons’ and garden maintenance people out there who have zero qualifications and see it as a way to make a fast buck. It makes my blood boil. Sue the arse off him, op.

It doesn’t help you now, but in future never employ anyone to do tree work who isn’t a bona fide member of the Arb Association.

corlan · 22/05/2018 19:30

I was wondering how much it would cost to replace such a mature tree and there seems to a lot of variation depending on the variety and the girth (ooh-er!)
www.majestictrees.co.uk/index.php?option=com_customfilters&Itemid=235&lang=en&limit=12&limitstart=132&view=products&virtuemart_category_id[0]=9&virtuemart_category_id[1]=7
They should replace the tree they have destroyed and plant the new one. You have every right to be angry.

extinctspecies · 22/05/2018 19:30

If there were any birds nesting in it, as there may well have been at this time of year, it was also illegal to cut it down.

Storminateapot · 22/05/2018 19:31

I'd be really sad about that, cherry blossom is so beautiful. I think you have grounds for redress and should pursue it. We had trees cut down in our front hedge a few weeks ago and the guys who did it double checked exactly what we wanted doing to the extent of going out to point out which branches we wanted trimming off one tree.

Mintychoc1 · 22/05/2018 19:34

I would be devastated, and I would insist they planted a new one, as big as possible.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 22/05/2018 19:35

Good god I'd be so upset! I'm not yet over losing a beautiful climber during the winter, let alone a 30ft tree!!

WhatMakesYouHappy · 22/05/2018 19:35

WTAF?! I'd be FUMING.