Husband accidentally killed neighbours tree

[Randomname83738]

my husband was removing some overgrowth on our boundary wall and part of the wall collapsed, killing our neighbours very old quince tree. We get on with these neighbours really well and feel terrible (they’re understandably quite upset).

I want to get them some sort of apology gift but unsure what would be appropriate. The standard would be some sort of hamper but would like to make it more specific to the tree and would appreciate ideas, as we really don’t want to be TAHs for these neighbours…

I would get them a voucher for the local garden centre so they can chose something to replace it? Obviously you can really move a mature tree from your garden to there’s and obviously a sapling could take years to grow and fruit. Maybe they would be happy to chose something else that grows a bit quicker to fill the gap?

That sounds somewhat threatening...!

hey I think your hubby did a favour for both you and them!! wall was obviously very unstable and could have fallen on anyone! it could have killed them. I wouldnt worry about a tree which was obviously too close and the roots are most likely what destabilised the tree in the first place!

@Thebigblueballoon
Well, you said, and I quote, "you knew what you were doing".
The only way I can interpret that is that you were saying that the OP and her husband intended to kill the tree, and did so.
And so I, (not unreasonably), asked how you could reach that conclusion which contradicts all that the OP has said, and also how could your comment be deemed to be helping in any way.
I may of course be totally, absolutely, and dreadfully wrong, and I will sincerely, profusely, genuinely apologise if this is not what you meant.
Please let me know what your comment did mean, so that I can stand corrected. Thank you.

This is what I saw too! who wouldn't click on this!?

Whatever you do don’t replace e with a sapling. It will need to be semi mature whatever tree they go for and that will cost a lot.

Ask them what they would like?

Trite gifts would be meaningless to me and I would just think that is given just to make you feel better!

They don't want a replacement quince, sos is there another tree or shrub they would like?

Catch a grip of yourself!

there is an obvious boring troll on here who needs to be ignored 🥴

Aww. So sad.

I thought the same as PPs because it's coming up on trending as 'husband accidentally killed neighbour' and I was going to say that a hamper is not really going to cut it in that situation.

Since they are attached to that particular tree, I would offer to pay for a tree surgeon to come and see if it can be saved. I'd also buy them some flowers as an apology, rather than a hamper.

@MereDintofPandiculation

Thankyou! It turns out ours is a Japanese quince tree. This thread makes a lot more sense now I know it’s something different!

On my tiny screen didnt see the full topic thread, thought he killed the neighbour, that would have been a bit awkward.

That's what I would do too.

I've had a couple of plants in the last year (not that big of course) that I've thought were dead, and they grew back.

DMum has a quince that is 10 years old and simply groaning with fruit. Don’t discount a sapling!

It has to be said, I was just a tiny bit disappointed....

(I am going to hell in a handcart...!!)

I wonder whether it's possible to take some cuttings from the tree to graft? Don't know whether Quinces do that but it's one way of continuing the life of the tree if they do..

Will do.

it IS! could have googled this first but it must be worth a try? https://growingfruit.org/t/quince-grafting/29017

Thanks everyone, we’re taking some flowers and a card round shortly with essentially an open ended offer for them to think about and let us know when they’re ready (if there’s anything we can do to make the situation better, replacement trees etc).

If the tree ends up being proper dead never to return could you get a piece of furniture or ornament of some kind made out of the wood when it is removed?

I have no idea if quince tree wood is good for anything but if the tree has sentimental value then it would be good to find a way to make it last somehow.

Now that WOULD be a tricky to choose an apology gift for

Damn. Came here for neighbour killing husband and it’s about a tree.