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

Ignore him. There are lunatics who simply think every tree and plant should be erased in favour of concrete.

Compost bins, yes - often they are ideal for nesting, especially if thebdoor is loose or missing. But not normal enclosed domestic waste bins.

(And I do know the difference between bees and wasps - and hornets, and hoverflies. I have sooitary bee houses, a patch of garden reserved for mining bees, and spent yesterday watching a patchwork leafcutter filling an egg chamber.)

The tree stays! Tell him to do one.

That's insane, why is the communal access area through people's gardens?? And from how you've described it now he is walking past the tree, like I asked initially, and with no fence between him and it. I'm not bee nervous at all but hundreds of bees in and around tree a few feet away are very loud, if you are nervous around them you probably would struggle to walk past that.

I don't think the solution is anything to do with you though, it's to work out the access problems, and why you're all having to walk on each others properties to get from a to b, that's ridiculous.

Cut it down? I'd plant another 5 or 6 of them. On purpose. Might even get a hive or 2 as well. This is what tends to happen when people complain to me.

No. The fact someone would chop a tree down because it has bees on it makes me despair.

Don’t dare chop it down; it’s beautiful.

Please don’t cut it back while it’s flowering. It can have a decent prune in winter.
The man can deal with his bins in the evening when the bees have gone to bed.

That is a beautiful tree! No chop!

I'm interested to know where the access path is. Can you show us by marking up one of the photos? (It won't change my answer, I'm just nosy!)

@GeekyThings oh believe me the bin access is ridiculous. It's in everyone's deeds so probably won't change any time soon 😂 does my head in!

Tell him to buzz off.

He needs to grow up. If he doesn't like to see the bees, he can turn his head. If he hates the sound, he can listen to music through earbuds. Problem solved!

It’s beautiful, ignore him. Our ceanothus have been spectacular this year and buzzing with bees, it’s great to see and much needed.

No way are you being unreasonable. We have one and they are wonderful for the bees. But as others said, they only flower for a short time and the bees are gone! He’s being ridiculous.

Diagram or I'm on his side 😁

Obviously not, he sounds ridiculous.

I had ceonothus and loved it too!

I think the fact it’s a tree is a bit of a red herring.

if you had a border of lavender plants that attracted bees - would you dig them up? I wouldn’t.

flowering plants and trees attract bees. In fact, many rely on bees for pollination.

Can he get to the bins via the front?

The tree stays. Off to Google me a California lilac!

Tell him to buzz off!

please keep your lovely ceanothus, I used to have one and as you say the bees, insects love it. they cant be doing him any harm as we walks past, how short sighted some people are.

Yep - what an utter twat he is. Nature, particularly bees, needs all the help we can provide and your beautiful ceanothus is doing just that.

You might want to consider putting a camera on the back of your house trained on the ceanothus in case he tries to do some damage to it and the bees. 🐝

Someone close to me posted something very similar yesterday with the same type of tree (I'm very jealous by the way - I'd love that in my garden) - it's a gorgeous tree and once the flowers have gone, the bees won't be going to it - maybe offer to put your neighbour's bin out for him and back after the bins have been collected as a goodwill gesture?
My husband is petrified of bees because he was stung as a child yet they don't bother me.

Honestly we have one of those and it flowers for about 2-3 weeks a year max. It's just finished flowering until next year. Have a chat with him in 2 week's time, all the blooms and bees will be gone and he will look like a fool. Bees need all the help they can get.
It'll

The tree stays. I also have one and its just finishing flowering.....its kept going for weeks. Enjoy while it lasts.

Leave it. In another 2 weeks the flowers will have finished.