Returned home to find neighbour in my garden

[OyO]

I don’t know what to think about this.

I’m supposed to be at work all day, as normal. Came home early with some kind of sickness bug to find my neighbour standing in my garden chopping away at a hedge.

I was completely startled and said ‘hello? Can I help you?’ To which she responded: ‘well you were never going to cut it’ and brazenly carried on. I asked her to get out of my garden, she took her time and then climbed a ladder to go over the fence and back to her side. She’s now leaning over the hedge into my garden and still trimming it.

I’m at a loss. She’s so brazen I’m not sure if I’m being unreasonable in thinking she’s cheeky or not.

We have a 6ft fence separating us half way then a 5ft hedge. The hedge belongs to her and sits on her boundary. It’s an unruly hedge which overhangs into our garden and has done for the last 3 years (since we moved in). Our cat lounges under the overhang as it offers shelter and we have a family of dunnocks that live in the actual hedge. They’ve been there for years and we feed them daily plus have a bird bath for them.

The cat is now terrified hiding indoors right now and the dunnock nest has clearly been disturbed due to how far back she’s cut the hedge.

It’s a private garden. She’s in her 70s and doesn’t speak to anyone except to police their gardens. She once collected up all of the blossom from her front garden that had fallen from someone’s tree and dumped it on their drive (it blew back again ).

She’s right, I was never going to cut it back because I didn’t want it cutting back. Is she allowed to do this?

I’m also worried that she may pop into the garden whenever she feels like because she really didn’t seem to fussed about me catching her.

I love vinca minor, it grows wild next to the ditch by our pasture. But I guess it gets hot enough here in the summer that it doesn't take over as it's pretty much confined itself to the shady area under an oak tree.

Mint spreads really fast too. It’s a bugger to get rid of.

I have had a similar problems with a neighbour, the usual sort, dirty, scruffy, thinks he desirable. He often used to just turn up and cut his hedge that overhangs into my garden whenever he feels like it and also would send workmen round to do jobs to his side of the house (window cleaner etc) and I would suddenly find ladders in my driveway until I pointed out to them - and him - that they needed my permission otherwise were trespassing. Trouble is, he is also an alcoholic and cannot remember when he has been 'asked' to sod off, as he tends to knock on the door several times a day to ask to come in - as he is a sex god, of course. However, I have found that mentioning 'police' does help. However, I understand that legally he had a duty to trim his hedge if it overhangs into my garden - but needs my permission first - if I am not bothered then that it is fine. Also he is legally obligated to remove all the cuttings so that my garden is not littered.

I put up a dummy CCTV camera and that seems to cut down on the visits.

Dunnocks are not schedule 1 birds so it is not illegal to disturb their nests while doing other things. See that RSPB link. It's only illegal to damage or destroy their nest but you can cut a hedge without doing that.

I would have turned the hose on her full blast and if she reported me I would have said I felt in danger when she waved the clippers/ shears about.

Here we can shoot people for pulling that kind of shit so people are more respectful of other people’s property.

She doesn’t want to be confrontational because as she said she’s ILL. God people can be judgey. And I know that isn’t a word but I think it should be!

Bramble seeds. Don't dick about with dandylions go straight for the bramble.

if you simply chuck them back over you are technically fly-tipping.

I fear this may be true. We also have vile neighbours and have looked into this...

Or burn them and set up a fan to blow it to her house.

As they were cut by the neighbour (some even from her side!) I doubt it's fly tipping to return her garbage.

Not at all the same thing but I did come home unexpectedly once to find my neighbour had climbed into my garden, taken my hose and was filling her hot tub up with it from my water supply, when I confronted her she said that another neighbour had said I wouldn’t mind. I did.

www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/10591326.Vandal_uses_weedkiller_to_write__Go_to_hell__on_Darlington_golf_club_greens/

here you go OP!

Different generations probably blew this differently.

What someone sees as neighbourly - another sees as invasion of privacy.

She shouldn't be entering without consent and now she knows you are unhappy she definitely should stop.

However my old neighbours use to paint my side of fence as well as there's. They had the good grace to knock, note I'm a LP working FT and offer to do it.
They then pulled an absolute blinder and did the whole of the internal fencing in my garden.
I bought them some garden stuff to match what they has a Thankyou.

my old neighbours use to paint my side of fence as well as there's. They had the good grace to knock, note I'm a LP working FT and offer to do it. They then pulled an absolute blinder and did the whole of the internal fencing in my garden. I bought them some garden stuff to match what they has a Thankyou.

Come on now, stick to the script. You are meant to be suspicious of your neighbours and turn the hose on them whenever they attempt to interact with you.

She can cut her side and the top but shouldn't be cutting your side unless you've asked her to. I'm confused as to why she's worried about your side of the hedge. How can she even see it??

Hope all has settled down now.

Contact your local wildlife officer (police), explain about the disturbed dunnock's nest and ask them to have a chat.

Should ensure she never does it again.

Also, isn't it trespassing?

Poppy seeds, if you want to be annoying ;)

Better than a sprinkler! I have a motion activated water jet spray to deter cats from shitting in my garden. Its like a water based machine gun - if I ever forget it's on I get the shock of my life. Not as gentle as a sprinkler - hee hee www.amazon.co.uk/PestBye-Battery-Operated-Activated-Repellent/dp/B004YCUT4W/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cat+motion+water&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1528824764&sr=8-1

youarenotkiddingme
What a nice tale.
When we moved into our house, a retired man next door laughed at how the previous owners weren't big on gardening (understatement!!) and as the front hedge goes between him and ours would we mind him continuing to do both sides and use our drive when he's out as it's probably easier for us all rather than us all have to get picky doing half.
We said thank you and felt very grateful for nice neighbours.

I have a motion activated water jet spray to deter cats from shitting in my garden. Its like a water based machine gun

Perfect!

Stay firm (she is not allowed onto your property without your express permission), stay calm, but “own the ground”. Do not, do NOT cower and be nervous of going into your garden. I would get a friend to accompany you, knock on the door, and politely but firmly state what she did was not acceptable and must not happen again. Ignore whatever she says, smile sweetly, repeat what you said ending “I’m so glad we had this chat and you understand the problem”, and then leave. Make sure you find excuses to go into your garden

Poor birds

You have to tell her to naff off.

Why dont you cut your side? I have a neighbour who NEVER cuts her side of the hedge.I have no idea who owns it,but who cares? And the bird thing is just an excuse,If you worry about the birds,except at nesting time,you would never cut anything.Its a bit cheeky to do that,I admit,but you dont sound as if you have an amicable relationship with her.BTW,I wish someone would come in my garden and tidy up.

Why dont you cut your side?

Because she doesn't want to? Her garden, she can do what she likes. I'm sure my neighbours hate my garden because I've cut nothing in the back garden this year, as a fox had cubs under the shed and I don't want to disturb them.