They've cut our tree!

[Auntieobem]

We have a twisty willow at the bottom of the garden. I love it. Had it topped a couple of years ago - cost £££ but looking good. It overhang/ overhung next doors garden. Neighbours moved in a while ago - we've only spoken briefly but all pleasant enough.

I've just noticed that half the tree has been cut off. Tree looks ridiculously lop sided. Why onearth didn't they speak to us? I know they have a right to cut off anything which overhangs, but who not just warn us?? I feel really sad. Poor bloody tree!! Don't know when it was done, I've been working from home and never saw anything? They must have waited until we were all out? Aibu for being a bit annoyed?

Irritating but what can you do? Our neighbours had this with the odd bloke two doors down. Every time I looked out of my upstairs window all I could see was this half tree in their garden. Looked awful

I’ve inherited trees too close to the boundary in each of the houses I’ve lived in, and I’ve had this with all of them. Neighbour cuts back to the fence, tree looks crap but they are within their rights, tree regrows, neighbour cuts. Yes, it would be nice if they warned about it, but none of my neighbours ever has. I get you, op. It’ll be a little startling whenever you see it at first, but you’ll get used to it soon. And at least they can’t cut any more now.

Why people plant so close to fences I cannot fathom. Maybe they always move before it becomes an issue.

I’d be very upset too. It’s at the end of their garden so it isn’t impacting them anyway and it would surely just add beauty to their garden.

I think most of the comments are from people who like tidy gardens, probably with fake grass. It makes me despair…surely we should be planting as many trees as possible and providing space for wildlife?

Cut it down. I bet it is blocking others’ light as well. Lovely tree but in the wrong place. Block your own light if you want it. (And yes…my garden is overshadowed at various points in the day due to two neighbours it’s ridiculous trees.)

@alwaysontheloo

And anyone banging on about loss of light 😂😂😂 Have you seen the tree in the photo? Get a fucking grip!

Depending on the size/layout of their garden, it could put a fairly decent amount of their garden in shade, which could destroy their lawn and any plants they want to grow.

tbf the tree is pretty unsightly.. i wouldnt want that hanging anywhere near my garden either

@Booboobibles

I’d be very upset too. It’s at the end of their garden so it isn’t impacting them anyway and it would surely just add beauty to their garden.

I think most of the comments are from people who like tidy gardens, probably with fake grass. It makes me despair…surely we should be planting as many trees as possible and providing space for wildlife?

I too like growth in my garden, and not a moss ridden dark depressing corner of my garden, as my neighbour wants to retain a tree.

I want flowers, and plants and grass to thrive without being starved of light.

@mugoftea456

What a stupid place to have planted it in the first place. Was it there when you moved in ? . Your neighbours have done nothing wrong except not offering you back the cuttings.

Of course it was. Look at the size of the thing, ffs. It’s been there for decades.

I’d be very upset too. It’s at the end of their garden so it isn’t impacting them anyway

How can you possibly know that?

If that was hanging over my garden I'd have chopped it off too, and no I wouldn't let my neighbours know. Not worth them trying to talk me out of it, as it would just end up in a major argument when I tell them I'm chopping the portion on my garden regardless of wether they're okay with it or not.

The few branches they've cut off won't make any difference at all to their light.
We've already gotten rid of a big eucalyptus which was a total pain in the arse leaf wise!

I’d be very upset too. It’s at the end of their garden so it isn’t impacting them anyway and it would surely just add beauty to their garden.

How would you know this? Tbh I think it's a fairly unsightly tree

Yabu. Tis grand.

@peboh

If that was hanging over my garden I'd have chopped it off too, and no I wouldn't let my neighbours know. Not worth them trying to talk me out of it, as it would just end up in a major argument when I tell them I'm chopping the portion on my garden regardless of wether they're okay with it or not.

See, I don't understand that pov at all! There wouldn't have been a big argument, all they've succeeded in doing is annoying me now. I'd even have paid to have it done right!

@TicTacHoh

I’d be very upset too. It’s at the end of their garden so it isn’t impacting them anyway and it would surely just add beauty to their garden.

How would you know this? Tbh I think it's a fairly unsightly tree

It's March. It has no leaves. It is unsightly - now!

@FelicityPike true, it's classed as theft for them to keep any branches, so I'd ask them for them back, if they've already gotten rid of them then they could be in trouble if you were to report them..just saying..

So you had a eucalyptus too. Totally unsuitable for any garden smaller than Buckingham Palace.

That looked like a lot of overhang in a presumably not very large garden. Also, willows are thirsty trees and it probably has quite an impact on what they can grown near to it. It's a shame that the tree has been chopped, but it was in the wrong place to start with.

@Auntieobem

Tree was there when we moved in has been there for about 20 years. Neighbours there for less than a year. It was already cut so it didn't overhang by much was alittle lopsided. Streetlight is on path behind houses, tree qas cut so it didn't interfere with the light.

I just wish they'd spoken with us first

Yes, it is such a shame, @Auntieobem.

Had they told you their intentions you could have offered to get it done professionally so that it was more uniform and balanced and still wouldn't have been over the boundrary. Your neighbours would have been unable to do that as they didn't have access to the whole tree, so they just lopped off random branches within their boundary.

It wasn't a neighbourly thing to do, but perhaps they thought you would say "no" or something. Fortunately, it will grow back, may be an idea to get a professional tree feller to have a look and advise how to improve the look of it.

How would it have been done right though? Cut some of the precious tree on your side??It actually looks like they could have cut more.i bet you’re not offering to go in and pick up the leaves that blow into their garden from it.if you love it that much you should have planted it in the middle of your garden so no neighbour would have to deal with it.

This reminds me. I cut a tree back in (my) garden. And the neighbours who backs on to me came banging on my door telling me to stop because. It meant we could see into his daughters room. Yet they had no curtains up.

Anyway op what gonna happened if the people from the back cut it. Will be no tree left

Perhaps you could get a tree surgeon to tidy up your side of the tree and remove some of the branches so it looks more even. And ask their advice going forward

But your neighbour is entitled to remove branches overhanging their garden, and don't have to justify why they wish to do that

if you love it that much you should have planted it in the middle of your garden so no neighbour would have to deal with it

She didn’t plant it.

It doesn't matter that the neighbours have been there "less than a year", it was encroaching on their property, so they were within their right to cut it back.

We had only been in our home a matter of months before we arranged to have some trees from next door cut back, as they were preventing us putting what we needed to where it needed to go. Now some of their other trees are encroaching on part of our garden, but they aren't causing any issues, so we've said they are fine as they are.

@MsFogi

Mainly annoying for your neighbours because they had to spend their money cutting your tree.

Well if the nasty, rude idiots had spoken to the OP, maybe she'd have got decent, professional in (again) & paid for it!!

@Auntieobem. That's such a shame, I'd get the specialists back to try to save it & balance it up.

Then I'd put a note through their door. Dear Neighbours, this is the invoice for the work that needed doing after you butchered our tree, it needs to be paid by xx/xx/xx.. If you had spoken to us & said you didn't like our beautiful willow, we would have arranged a professional to come in & sort it out. Replacing a mature Willow Tree will be expensive if it doesn't recover.

Use Your Words. (I wouldn't put this but, but I'd want to!!!)

Regards

Her Next Door.

I would be happy for a willow to spill over into my garden, but then I'm not a daft test & I wouldn't go butchering a tree, even if I wanted it trimmed!!