To be so sad neighbours cut down a Pear Tree

[danny735]

Just that really.

There was a beautiful pear tree right on the border of our garden. I returned from a trip and the neighbours had chopped it down.

It was on neighbours side of the fence but half of the foliage was in our garden. I love nature and adore tree silhouette.

We've only lived in this house for 2 years and the pears were blooming when we moved in. There are usually beautiful blossoms in spring time. I'm so devastated that it's gone - I can't work out if I'm being silly I not 🥺

@Herejustforthisone

I know it’s their tree and they can do as they please, but I massively judge people who do things like this. It’s such a shame.

I had friends who cut down a stunning healthy cherry tree because they were petrified the poo from the garden birds sitting in the branches would poison their children. Unreal.

I’m debating cutting down a big tree because of bird poo. I like the tree and the shade it provides. I don’t like that the whole patio has to be pressure washed at least weekly otherwise it’s covered in poo, or that I can’t sit on my patio without fear of being pooed on. If anyone knows how to deter pigeons from sitting in a tree which is the height of the house I’d love to hear them!!

YANBU, I'd be upset too. I second the idea of planting a new tree.

Now my conservatory is totally overlooked and I can see another's neighbours eyesore trampoline above the fence. Maybe I'll get used to it but it looks so bare and "fency" now

Err why don't you plant some trees, shrubs, bushes.

It’s perfectly ok to be sad but some of the comments are ridiculously over invested about other people’s properties.

It's really weird

That's sad but plant your own pear tree in the same corner. My mum planted one not long ago (and a plum tree) and it bore fruit really quickly and is pretty big now.

It was their tree, in their garden. They are within their rights to cut it down for any reason they see fit. Plant your own and mind your own business.

Nasty. What did you gain from that?

Probably the same thing the OP did 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Rosewaterblossom

I came home today to see the (awful) neighbours have cut down their pink flamingo tree. It was beautiful and gave some privacy. Now my conservatory is totally overlooked and I can see another's neighbours eyesore trampoline above the fence. Maybe I'll get used to it but it looks so bare and "fency" now.

It's not up to your neighbours to give you privacy. Get blinds/curtains. My neighbours done this to me I was cutting back apple tree in my garden it was very over grown. I cut it right back. And they knocked on my door telling me to stop because I could now see into their home . Erm by curtains. Why should I have to put up with a horrible shadow dull garden because they don't want to cover their window.

@TheSpottedZebra

But if you don't like 'bare and fency', why haven't you planted your own plants and trees before?

Because she didn’t need to, there was a pear tree there. 🙄

Nasty. What did you gain from that?

Nothing nasty about it. It's neither the OP's tree or garden and it's ridiculous to suggest devastation is an appropriate response to the neighbour lawfully doing whatever they want on their property. Disappointment I can understand but devastation? Really?

There are some ridiculous posts on here. Not every tree needs to be preserved for ever. There are too many trees that have been inappropriately planted in gardens that haven’t been maintained and cause problems.

We had 60ft overgrown leylandii when we moved in and no sunlight. We also had 5 apple trees and another massive tree that was diseased. Our lives and our neighbours lives were much improved after we got rid and the trees should never have got to the state they were in. We’ve been able to plant insect friendly flowers, smaller trees etc.

My neighbour has a beautiful magnolia which I adore. I’d be a bit sad if they got rid but it’s now massive and dominating so I wouldn’t wish them ill if they eventually have to reduce or remove it. You have to accept that people have different priorities at different life stages. A tree that gives you privacy might be blocking their light, causing maintenance issues etc.

It broke my heart to have the apple trees cut down in my back garden but they were diseased and dying so had to go. I planted plumb and cherry to replace them. Maybe your neighbour had good reason.

One of my neighbours has destroyed all the trees in his garden by cutting them back so harshly they resemble wrists with fingers sticking out. Hes also cut the conifers too harshly so they've turned brown. His privet hedge is trimmed with military precision to 4 feet tall (whats the point of that?) Just awful.

I rejoice in my overgrown hedges, lawns, borders and plants. A garden should be lush and natural in my opinion.

One of my other neighbours has ripped up a beautiful lawn and mature borders and replaced them with panda gravel. It looks so sad and industrial (we live in the countryside).

Understandable but having to constantly pick up old rotting pears is no fun either. Good ooportunity to plant something with less maintenance.

@modgepodge
"’m debating cutting down a big tree because of bird poo. I like the tree and the shade it provides. I don’t like that the whole patio has to be pressure washed at least weekly otherwise it’s covered in poo, or that I can’t sit on my patio without fear of being pooed on. If anyone knows how to deter pigeons from sitting in a tree which is the height of the house I’d love to hear them!!"

If its that close to your house think too about where the roots are and what damage they might be doing to your foundations. As I said upthread, I asked for permission to prune a protected oak because it was aphid dew I had a problem with. The patio and windows were black and sticky with it. Nice council man said it was way too near the house and suggested removal. My neghbour was allowed to have an oak removed because it had actually cracked and warped his garage floor, Fortunately it was covered under hs buldings insurance but what a nightmare getting it all fixed.

My neighbour has a beautiful magnolia which I adore. I’d be a bit sad if they got rid but it’s now massive and dominating so I wouldn’t wish them ill if they eventually have to reduce or remove it.

My neighbour has a beautiful magnolia too. I get more benefit than the neighbour because the side I see is south facing. It's gorgeous in flower and offers additional privacy in my garden but it's not my tree so I have not say (and don't think I deserve one) in what my neighbours do with it.

You’re not being silly. I’d be heartbroken. We have a few trees and bushes overhanding and I love them

@balalake

I think you should ask them why, and if it was not for reasons of disease express your view.

Really? You would ask why someone cut something down in their own garden and if the reason wasn't to your liking you would "express your view"??

Why on earth would you think a neighbour would want your views on their garden?

A few years ago my neighbours chopped down a beautiful magnolia tree that was in the middle of our shared front garden. I was so upset when I drove in and saw it gone that I nearly crashed the car into the house! When I saw them next, I politely asked why. Because they were going to tarmac their half of the garden. I said I felt sad to see it go, and she actually laughed at me.

A couple of months later, the same neighbour let slip that it was actually MY tree, planted by the previous owner of my house. It'd been there since I moved in, and was right on the boundary, so I was never sure. Once they chopped it, I assumed it was theirs after all, but apparently not. And they obviously knew this, but did it anyway.

I know this isn't the same, as it wasn't OP's tree. But I really do get how people can feel so strongly about them. Still makes me sad now, and we don't even live there anymore!

I would be very sad too. People don't value trees enough. My neighbour has butchered a fabulous weeping willow because it dropped stuff on his car. He could've parked away from it but that would've meant walking another ten feet. Now it looks like a palm tree and it's lost that swishy sound. I don't think people realise how much wildlife need trees. The little bugs in the bark, for example, are at the bottom of the food chain and ultimately, everything depends on them. Also shelter for birds, etc. Scalping hedges doesn't help either - no berries, not enough thickness to shelter birds. It's so short-sighted.

@Lucy304

A few years ago my neighbours chopped down a beautiful magnolia tree that was in the middle of our shared front garden. I was so upset when I drove in and saw it gone that I nearly crashed the car into the house! When I saw them next, I politely asked why. Because they were going to tarmac their half of the garden. I said I felt sad to see it go, and she actually laughed at me.

A couple of months later, the same neighbour let slip that it was actually MY tree, planted by the previous owner of my house. It'd been there since I moved in, and was right on the boundary, so I was never sure. Once they chopped it, I assumed it was theirs after all, but apparently not. And they obviously knew this, but did it anyway.

I know this isn't the same, as it wasn't OP's tree. But I really do get how people can feel so strongly about them. Still makes me sad now, and we don't even live there anymore!

Oh wow, that's terrible. All they had to do was leave a little 40cm radius around the base!

I hate this new trend of paving over the first sign of nature; making lovely semis look like Lego blocks etc.

Oh OP I get you one million percent, I'm too tired to write down all the sacrilegious behaviour which went on on our old street full of lovely mature and period houses in the past five years. Similar to what @CoastalWave was talking about but on an industrial scale!

Of course the neighbours can do what they want and of course it cpuld have been effecting things structuraly (and I say this knowing it is purely anecdotal but I've bought two houses now with lots of mature trees in the gardens and nothing has ever come up on the surveys so find it hard to believe they would know that now having lived in the house not just moved in) she can be sad if she wants and we should be planting more trees not cutting them down!!!

Pear blossom is so 😍 too.

The birds lived in it every spring and it was beautiful. They are very Hardy so not sure why you think they die? I will be planting one yes!

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Good grief, some of the hyperbolic nonsense on this thread 🙄 did we know trees are good for wildlife, some of us want to concrete everything, nature needs a home… my garden is in many ways a wildlife haven but I had the brass neck to take down a massive cherry at the end of last year- so I suppose that renders it all null and void. Some of you really need to stop looking so hard at what other people do on their patch and green up your own.

Nothing riles up a MNer like a neighbour cutting down a tree.

God forbid they should actually have to plant one of their own!

@tearinghairout

I would be very sad too. People don't value trees enough. My neighbour has butchered a fabulous weeping willow because it dropped stuff on his car. He could've parked away from it but that would've meant walking another ten feet. Now it looks like a palm tree and it's lost that swishy sound. I don't think people realise how much wildlife need trees. The little bugs in the bark, for example, are at the bottom of the food chain and ultimately, everything depends on them. Also shelter for birds, etc. Scalping hedges doesn't help either - no berries, not enough thickness to shelter birds. It's so short-sighted.

"Fabulous weeping willows" are not trees for private gardens. Their roots grow massively fast towards water and if there is even the smallest leak, the roots will find a way in and grow like crazy...and "scalping" hedges actually thickens them.

www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/blog/why-willows-and-drains-do-not-mix