To not want to cut my tree?

[Rhodri]

I have one tree in my garden. It’s a mature tree about 20ft tall. It’s on the north side of my garden so it casts a shadow over the fence into next door. They have flowering bushes growing in that corner but the surrounding grass is in dappled shade and is a bit mossy.

The neighbours are whinging that they don’t like the shadow and want to cut the tree back. I said they’re permitted to cut it level with the fence even though that won’t make it look very nice from their side (I won’t see the hacked branches from my side so I don’t care). But it’s not the overhanging branches that they’re complaining about - it’s the height. Cutting it level with the fence won’t do anything to reduce the height.

I don’t want to start hacking at my tree. It’s a lovely flowering tree and is a nice natural shape. The rest of their garden has full sun. Doesn’t everyone have a shady corner? Surely people just put a shed there or something, or grow plants that enjoy shade? Also I’m not convinced that cutting 6ft off the top of my tree will do much to improve the shadow in their garden - to get rid of the shadow I’d literally have to cut the tree to the height of the fence.

AIBU to refuse to reduce the height of my tree? They’re threatening to cut it themselves if I don’t. I’m worried they’re going to mutilate it.

No it wasn’t mentioned on the survey. I don’t know why they haven’t complained before - perhaps lockdown has made them realise they have a shady corner that they don’t like. Although looking at the tree it’s clear that it’s had arm-thick branches sawn off in the past, so perhaps they have cut it before.

Why don't you speak to them and ask if you can go into their garden and see what the problem is, and decide which branches need to come off. It might look completely different and a bit of an eyesore from their side.

Tell them that you're unable to cut it down as it has a TPO (tree preservation order) on it. This prevents you being able to cut it down. You could apply to put one on, anyone can, not necessarily the landowner. They could find out with a little research that you're telling fibs though. It's your tree and has been there a long time this is hardly a situation that's just sprung up. I suppose you could trim it to appease them if you though it necessary to maintain a cordial neighbourly relationship.

I know that the neighbours are the issue and not the tree @OnlyFoolsnMothers because the OP said in her opening post that the rest of their garden is in full sun, save for that one small corner. I agree with her in that most people would place a shed in the shady spot, or shade-loving plants. Her neighbours are being totally unreasonable in expecting no shade whatsoever to be cast in their garden and they certainly don’t get to bully their neighbours into cutting down a beautiful mature cherry blossom tree in pursuit of their unreasonable demands. Yes compromise is the best outcome but it’s rarely achievable with people as self-absorbed as this.

As an aside, I have three cherry blossom trees in my garden and know a bit about those trees. There is absolutely no way a forty-year-old cherry blossom has grown significantly in the last three years as it’s nearing the end of its life. It will not have grown significantly in height or width in at least ten years. This is an old problem for the neighbours, not a new one, but in the OP they are looking for a new solution.

DH got up early while the neighbours were still asleep and sawed the branches off level with the fence. He figured they have a legal right to do it anyway so he’d beat them to it, then at least he could control where the branches fell and ensure none of our plants and garden furniture got smashed.

Neighbours knocked at breakfast time - obviously having looked out the window and seen what DH done. Complaining that it hadn’t solved their problem with shade in that corner because the tree is still the same height and their lawn won’t grow. DH shrugged and said it’s not hanging over your property any more and the shadow of the 6ft fence is what’s causing your grass not to grow. So basically they never had a problem with it overhanging otherwise they’d be happy that it’s now resolved. They wanted it cut down significantly in height. It looks a mess from their side now, just blunt sawn off branches. But I don’t have to look at it.

OP I would speak to a tree surgeon, as you can kill cherries by pruning them, and also at this time of year in particular, as the sap is rising. Trees need pruning when dormant generally. There may be something you can do now to help the tree recover, you might need to apply something to the sawn ends.

I'd tell them to fuck off and tell them that any further discussions on the tree will result in you calling the police about them harassing and threatening to cut your tree down.

Its the only language tossers like this understand.

We tried calling a tree surgeon but he wanted £400 and we don’t have that sort of money. Neighbours were threatening to saw off the overhanging branches and they certainly weren’t going to wait for the right time of year so we just had to do it. If we didn’t do it they would.

Cherry trees should be ok to prune now but best in late summer. They are the one exception to the rule of pruning fruit trees when dormant.

Keep your tree and enjoy it. Just make sure they don't try to poison it.

I'd also start recording them when they speak to you.

That way, if they try anything, you have evidence.

Recording them may even deter them from doing anything as you can say that you are filming them and what they say as evidence in case they try any funny business in mutilating your tree.

If every garden has a tree that throws shadow onto the next property then I'd say they're being unreasonable - surely they have a tree that does the same to their neighbours garden?