To not remove the tree?

[CoachBeardsJane]

We have a very large Californian Lilac (ceanothus) tree in our garden, it's gorgeous. It's also massive. It does not overhang our neighbours garden because I've had it pruned to not do that.

It's covered in bees, honey bees, miner bees, bumble bees etc. it's currently got 100s of bees a day on it. Each blossom probably has 2/3 bees at one time on it. It is literally crawling in bees and butterflies.

It is next to the access path our other neighbour uses to bring his bin through. He's asked us to chop down the tree because of the amount of bees that's on it during the day..

I will say his bin is in the communal bin area and he just uses the access path to take his rubbish to the bin.

The tree doesn't overhang the access path, but when you walk past it you can see and hear a lot of bees.

I've had a bee keeper round and there is no nest, or hive in the tree. it is just a very nice plant for bees and they love it, at night time they all go home and then they come back during the day.

There is currently 2 birds nests in the tree one I think is a robin and the other one is a tree creeper. So the tree isn't being pruned or removed at all until September minimum.

They're not angry or swarming, it's just very big and the bees love it.

Would you get rid of it?

Right now there are probably 200 bees on it

So we're mid terrace, the complaining neighbour is to my left and the tree is against the right hand side of my garden so it no where near his land, I've spoken to the neighbour who's garden it abuts and she's fine with it. I'd say there's probably 8 foot between the tree and access path

The bins areas is 2 houses down from our garden and that house is vacant so the bins impact no one.

He just wants to make an issue out of nothing I think. He isn't allergic to bees (he told me he just doesn't like looking at the tree when it's got bees on it)

I'm scared of bees and wasps, so if I was in your position, I wouldn't cut it down, but offer to take the neighbours bins out weekly?

We love our ceanothus and it is indeed a bee magnet. I would just have laughed at him for getting aerated about having to walk close to a tree that has bees on it . Doesn't he realise that they're more interested in the flowers than him?

We also have some cotoneasters which are bee magnets too. Both the cotoneasters and the ceanothus positively hum with the sound of bees at this time of year. Fortunately, we have sensible neighbours who also like bees so they don't mind the bushes (in fact, I even ask my neighbour's permission before pruning one of the cotoneasters as although it's technically in my garden, their bedroom looks out onto it )

The only way I see a problem here is if the bees swarm to his bins as he passes with them and he is allergic. Bee sting allergy can be fatal, although everyone who has it should carry Epipens or similar.

Has he mentioned anything like this?

Even in that case, I think there are repellents he can spray on his bins before bringing them along the path, to keep the bees away.

So the tree isn’t even near his side of your garden 🙄

Tell him you’re a staunch conservationist (?) and that you would rather die than massacre the bees.

Well, when you said "next to the access path" I thought he was brushing against it practically as he took the bins in and out. 8ft is plenty of gap IMO.

Definitely don’t cut the tree down , the man is a fool
I went past this lot of beauties on my walk this morning

Do not touch it.

(and I say this as someone with a very severe bee allergy who carried an epi pen)

I have the same one in my back garden and whilst hanging the washing out this morning it was full of buzzing bees, there is no way I would get rid of it but it can be pruned down when breeding season is over and the flowering has finished. I think they are beautiful plants and we need to be caring for the insects otherwise we get no food

The tree is beautiful. No way would I cut it down.

Genuinely can't picture this at all - so he's to your left, your tree is on your right, but if the bins are two doors down, which direction are they in? On your right, meaning he still has to walk past the tree to get to them?

As above I think if you don't want to cut it back any further to accommodate then maybe say you'll take his book past the tree during blooming season. Seems a reasonable compromise.

keep the tree

We need bees more than we need him. Keep the tree.

Keep the 🌳. He sounds like one of my near neighbours. They cut down all the bee friendly plants when they moved in. Now they're pouring bleach all over the mining bee holes and deep buckets of sugar water to try and drown them. Thankfully they seem to like my flowery garden 🌼 🌸 🌻 🌹 🏵.

I have never known a bee show the slightest interest in a bin. Are you thinking of wasps?

He's a dick.

Whoa that's an impressive tree! What a treat for the local insects!

For a peaceful life I'd have probably said "well, when it's due for a trim again, I'll consult with a tree surgeon about what's best for the tree", which is by no way agreeing to cut it to anything other than ensuring a beautiful looking treet.

My parents live near someone that has bee hives on their property. My Dad is quite allergic (not anaphylaxis level allergic, but still makes him pretty poorly). He hates walking by them, but wouldn't dream of asking them to take away the hives! (I think he may have finally realised after 74 years that if he doesn't flap his arms around, they really aren't bothered by him!)

I have a fear (bordering on phobia) of bees and wasps and would be nervous walking past that tree, in fact I would probably find a way not to have to walk past it! But I would never ask a neighbour to cut it down, I know how vital bees (and even wasps) are to our eco system and that they have as much right to exist as I do and I try really hard not to let the fear rule me. So no, don't cut it down OP, your neighbour is completely unreasonable to ask.

@GeekyThings so he's to the left of us, the tree is next to the right hand side neighbours wall (in our garden), the access path goes across his garden, my garden, my neighbour to the right's garden, the empty houses garden and then the bins are in the communal area next to the empty house all the way to the right.

He has to go through our garden (past the tree), into my neighbours garden, through her gate, into the vacant houses garden, through their gate and then he's at the communal bin area where all the wheelie bins live, then he usually comes back and leaves all the gates open so next doors dog comes into our garden but that's another story!!

The tree doesn't overhang the access path but you can hear the bees when you walk past it. I think he was just trying to be a knob to be honest.

Thanks for the support! The tree is staying

No way. It a beautiful tree and we need to be encouraging more insects/wildlife, not minimising them. You say he's not allergic to bees, he just doesn't like them.
That isn't a valid reason.
If he didn't like dogs would he expect any dog owners in the vicinity to get rid?
He's an arse, just ignore him

Is he an idiot? Does he not understand the crisis we have with lack of pollinating insects?

Exactly this. In our house, even flies are granted clemency for this very reason.

No way. You are very lucky to have a Treecreeper in your tree.

No, most types of bees love bins too, especially compost bins. The UK is weird, they seem to call anything that isn't obviously a bumblebee a wasp, but there are hundreds of different bee species.

Sorry, boring, I know, but I like bees! Most bees anyway, not the killer varieties obviously, but fortunately you don't get them here as far as I know.

Beautiful tree, no way would I chop it down.

Leave the tree