To trim neighbours trees against their wishes?

[Dippypippy1980]

My house has a long side garden, I have a six foot fence and on the other side is the bittom of a number of gardens.

These all have trees and bushes growing along the other side of the fence - which grow half into My garden.

Last year I had a confrontation with one neighbour who strongly objected to me trimming another neighbours trees - even though
I was only trimming the bits that were clearly in my garden, and he said it was ok.

This year her trees are starting to bud, are about two foot into my garden (more for the higher tree branches) and are so overgrown some are will be touching my house by the time spring is over.

I called this morning to tell her I was going to trim those branches that were in my garden. She was very rude And said she refused permission - I explained didn’t need it but was just telling her out of courtesy. There are no tree protection orders. She shouted about her privacy and slammed the door in my face.

Her trees are right at my front door, some are sycamore and they make a huge mess. She has spent all morning and afternoon in her garden and I can hear her husband as ifhe needs to go round. Should I just woman up and trim the trees?? Or hide 😬🤣

Horrible messy thing, nature.

If only we could wrap everything in plastic, it would make everything so much better and tidier.

A eucalyptus growing in East Scotland isn't natural! I blame the idiots who planted a totally inappropriate tree.

Can you trim again in September?

Sorry but if you pruned my tree in September I’d be utterly furious! Different types of trees need pruning at different times. NONE of them should be pruned in the autumn.

To be honest I didn’t think of asking them to Tim it themselves, and they didn’t offer. They knew it was happening and could have.

The trees are at the very bottom of the garden, so they could do it for their hpgsrdne and would have had to come to my house - which is on an entirely difference street, and while are gardens are adjacent our houses are not within easy walking distance. My the trees and shrubs are about four feet deep so they can’t even climb over my fence.

I doubt they can even see the branches I removed. They know I was trimming becoase the husband was standing in the middle of the bushes peering through the fence. I am certain thwy won’t notice any difference on heir sode

Should have said they couldn’t do it from their side

As I understand it you are entitled to trim back any encroachment of neighbours trees or bushes to the fence line and you should return all cuttings to them. And if she is going to be horrible that’s what i would do, just chuck them over the fence.

They knew it was happening and could have

Depends on the time of year though. You can’t just prune when you feel like it. I’d have asked you to wait until the correct time for that particular tree, to avoid introducing infection and weakening or killing the tree. Perhaps why the neighbours were upset and filming you?

As I understand it you are entitled to trim back any encroachment of neighbours trees

Entitled yes. But it’s not very nice or neighbourly to just hack someone’s trees. The polite approach would be to ask them to cut their own trees back. The same as if someone parked on your drive you could just tow their car out of the way but it would be more polite to just ask them to move it themselves.

And to be clear I don’t hate nature or want things wrapped in plastic. But I do garden and most people who garden surely prune and trim?

I also cut the grass regularly. Chardonnay I think you are bein a bit extreme. Are you seriously saying you have ephemeral trimmed a tree, pruned a rose bush, cut a hedge or mown the grass? I live in a suburban part of a large city. For the next six months this will be all most of my neighbours do!

Even the rude neighbours trim and prune the other side of their shrubs - they see, to have a seating area there. I know they have a wood burning stove - beciase if they are enjoying it I can’t hang out washing or open my windows!!! I fear a hot tub might be next🤢

Velvet pineapple - they didn’t say anything about the time of year and to be honest again I didn’t think of it. She just shouted at me. If she had asked me to wait becoase of the health of the trees or shrubs I would have. How I was being polite by giving advanced notice.

Clearly not!!!! I suppose you can’t pelase everyone.

The only main trees that you should only prune during active growth (where I am, April/May to August) are prunus (cherry and plum) trees as you can introduce silver fungus disease.

I keep on having to remind dh that that is why I can't prune the flowering cherry or the Victoria plum tree yet

I don’t think they would want the trimmings - they are in my boot and I will take them to the dump tomorrow.

I prune plants because that makes them grow, I don't prune them because they are messy.

Sex is messy, children are messy, dogs are messy, we don't avoid any of those because of the messiness.

But hey, enjoy your clean life.

@FaFoutis deary me, definitely on another planet!

Sadly not. It's the only planet we have.

@Dippypippy1980 you still need to ask them if they want the trimmings though because if you don't it's technically theft and if they are peeved with you already you don't want them making a complaint to the police!

Okay charonayim not going to get into a fight it’s you over thsi🤗

To reassure you I haven’t avoided sex or children or pets or beaches and my life is wonderful and messy. I regret commenting that a particular tree is messy - but i happen to have little love for sycamores. I love many other trees and my neighbours have a beautiful hawthorn that grows almost entirely into my back garden. It can stay and I absolely love it - even though it puts my tiny patio almost entirely in the shade all summer. Sycamores are my least favourite.

Ok - I will send the boyfriend round to ask if they want them!!! Don’t want to have any more arguments with them.

Maybe if they see how little I have trimmed it will put their minds at ease.

I managed to kill a beautiful acer aureum by not pruning the neighbouring plants so that it died through being over-shaded

I also had to cut down a sycamore that had self-seeded between our garage and the side wall and having grown into a big tree, was damaging both. Had to get permission for that (as we live in a conservation area) - but that came in more quickly than the crown reduction as it was causing damage. Even though the tree surgeon drilled holes and poured in a shedload of stump killer in to the stump, the damn thing is still sprouting

Pruning is not a sign of hating nature

You did the right thing. I'd not want sycamores over my garden - and those defending them should pop out and plant loads in their own garden to save the planet! They are easy to grow and reward you with lots of sticky sap and shade and lots of seedlings.

Your neighbours sound like entitled buffoons - any courteous neighbour would thank you for keeping their plantings in check.

One thing I might be concerned about op, is how close the tree is to the house, if some of the branches are close to touching it.

Sounds like OP has tried to be polite and ndn is being obnoxious. You’ve done exactly the right thing OP.

I have actually started to worry about that. The sycamores are mainly weeds, that have grown from seeds. The lady who lived there before got them cut down close to the stumps (because the mess was destroying her potion and garden furntiure) bit they have sprouted back and now grow in all directions! They are not quite the mighty sycamores you see in parks. Probably about twent feet high now but really scrawny and oddly shaped.

I might contact a tree surgeon to see if I should be concerned about the roots. Although I don’t see the neighbours being reasonable about having them removed if here is a problem. And I do think it’s rare that roots cause structural damage.

The joys of close quarter city living!!

Tell her if they grow much more you will have to charge her rent for them being in your garden!
Or she can stfu!!

I'd not ask them about the clippings - just get rid. No need to give them another chance to kick off. There is a huge difference between a tree appropriate to a domestic garden and a woodland tree.

They are poisonous to horses, lost a 5 year old sports horse and an elderly retired horse because of them. They’re a nightmare to keep under control