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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:
foxyliz26 · 23/05/2018 19:39

I know how you feel baby, when I was married ,the only thing that made life bearable was my cherry tree and my huge weeping Williow at the top of the garden

make the contractor buy you a replacement mature Cherry tree , leaving a stump is adding insult to injury
and plant a lovely weeping willow at the top of your garden

llangennith · 23/05/2018 19:51

They can’t be particularly professional not to double check with you: “Did you REALLY want us to cut down this lovely mature cherry tree?”
They probably don’t know the difference between a conifer and a cherry tree.
They replace the tree or you take them to small claims court to recover your loss.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 23/05/2018 20:04

Unfinishedkitchen yes our poor butchered tree has done the same thing, we now have a bushy bit full of leafy little branches.

babyno5 you might find yours does the same thing. You could always put a new tree a bit further back and see if the old stump comes back to life.

MereDintofPandiculation · 23/05/2018 20:15

do cherry blossom trees grow actual cherry fruit Depends! They're all in the genus Prunus which is a subgroup within the Rose family. Prunus is divided into a number of subgenera, eg peaches and nectarines, plums - and one sub-group has all the cherries. Some have worthwhile fruit and are cultivated for them. Others may be cultivated mainly for their flowers (possibly because their fruit aren't up to much), and are bred for particularly well coloured or well shaped flowers. Since they're not being bred for fruit, you can often end up with a cherry which doesn't actually set fruit, or at least not in our climate.

SherbrookeFosterer · 23/05/2018 22:39

You have to be very careful with these people.

I always draw a map of my garden to explain things beforehand and walk around with them and never leave them unaccompanied.

I have had a similar problem with a company when they destroyed a treasured lavender bush.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 23/05/2018 22:54

It’s a bit rich that you have to be so careful with these people; considering “these people” are holding themselves out as expert gardeners Hmm
If you were asking the window cleaner to landscape your garden I could understand the need for strict supervision, but profession gardeners?
What are they bloody charging for?

ColdCottage · 23/05/2018 22:54

I'd be livid and asking (hoping) for a large tree to replace the error

I was furious and upset when in a similar situation they dug up my lovely old rose when they were supposed to take out the wild flowerless rose growing up through a hedge - very different.

Cry Away. I would.

jade9390 · 23/05/2018 23:14

Awful, as it is not replaceable and any tree will take ages to get that large. I noticed larger trees planted locally planted not long ago dying off, they are more difficult than saplings. It is not the same as a hedge, or tree but it is the right time of year to plant sunflowers which grow quickly, until you can sort a long term solution.

Bekstar · 23/05/2018 23:56

I'd be claiming on his insurance you may also find that the cherry tree could have been protected if It that big. But I'd defo be lookin at suing himyou don't make mistakes like that. You might also find he has do e that deliberate as cherry tree wood can be very expensive for furniture making and if he has cut it down and sold the wood he would have made a hell of a profit

Ariela · 24/05/2018 00:04

do cherry blossom trees grow actual cherry fruit You need another of a different variety to pollinate

RockinHippy · 24/05/2018 00:46

😮 I think I would kill someone if it were me.

They should be falling all over you to offer to try & put this right, you should not have to chase them!!

Kick their ass, they owe you!

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 24/05/2018 07:25

do cherry blossom trees grow actual cherry fruit

I have two cherry trees, one is ornamental so no fruit but the other always gives me loads of beautiful cherries .... the birds help themselves too!

bamboolzled · 24/05/2018 09:24

I’m a part time tree surgeon and landscaping.

You need to ask the company to replant the tree or to cover the cost of replanting to your satisfaction. A 10ft tree will not replace a 30ft tree anytime soon or give you back your privacy.

They have insurance and cover for works, they have undertaken work that was not supposed to have been done which is now detrimental to your well-being and happiness. Loss of privacy is a severe big change and one that you clearly stated was not in the scope of works.

The person in charge should have checked their notes for the scope of works and as such is liable.

TomRavenscroft · 24/05/2018 09:33

YANBU and I'd be furious. He needs to make reparation.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 24/05/2018 09:42

We’ve also got a fruiting cherry tree in our back garden. It’s currently absolutely laden with hundreds of little green cherries. We will not get a single one of those cherries when they ripen because the bastarding birds will strip it bare like they do every single year. It’s about fifteen feet high, it’s too awkward to net.

ralfeesmum · 24/05/2018 11:02

A trip to the Small Claims Court? This dopey thicko wasn't listening or simply didn't care.

And did he claim to be a trained proffessional?

pigmcpigface · 24/05/2018 11:05

I think this is completely unacceptable.

Any landscaper who can mistake a cherry tree and a conifer is not a professional. I would expect a small child who had been taught to be able to grasp the difference.

They need to replace with an established tree. This will not be cheap - probably around £200-300 for a 4 metre high tree. It will still take a few years to get to anything like the height and spread of your old one.

Original poster
babyno5 · 29/01/2019 18:04

Update-despite saying he would install a replacement tree he is ignoring us. Today have completed paperwork for small claims court

OP posts:
RandomMess · 29/01/2019 18:09

I hope you get the money and he hasn't dissolved his business or similar!

Huggingslothsallday · 29/01/2019 18:09

Hope it goes well OP. I remember this thread!

JasperKarat · 29/01/2019 18:10

Good on you OP, I remember reading this thread back in the summer , he's completely unprofessional

AlwaysSunnyInLiverpool · 29/01/2019 18:11

Good luck OP, I would absolutely pursue this too. Hopefully the small claims court can force them to fix it (as they should have without being forced to...).

ChasedByBees · 29/01/2019 18:11

Oh I’m really sorry OP. Hope small claims court gets you a good response.

SneakyGremlins · 29/01/2019 18:13

Hope you get a good result OP.

NeverTwerkNaked · 29/01/2019 18:16

Fingers crossed for you Op!

When I was living in a rented house it had the most beautiful cherry tree, inside the garden but outside the fence line. I came home from a day out with my son on my birthday to find the next door neighbour has chopped it to the ground. I cried and cried. I still feel quite broken hearted. It completely changed the feel of the house and garden.

Really rooting for you