To have spent most of the day in tears over trees

[NoMoreTrees]

We moved into this house just shy of a year ago and I regretted it almost instantly. I absolutely hate it here, it has pretty much ruined my life and for the last few months my mental health has been in tatters and I’ve had some very, very dark days.

One thing I did like about the house though was that at the end of the garden, on the other side of the fence were some beautiful tall trees. Dozens of trees with hundreds of birds that you can hear singing all year round, an owl, squirrels and other wildlife. The trees ran the entire length of our row of houses and a bit further.

On the other side of the trees is a small field, and while we were having surveys etc done they brought up a planning application for a small development of 9 houses in that field, which had been rejected by the water company.

Well I’m sure you know where this is going… obviously the water company were offered more money changed their minds because before the sun was even up this morning a bunch of men in hi viz and hard hats rocked up with a chainsaw, a bulldozer and a woodchipper and one by one started tearing all the trees down. By the time they had downed tools and fucked off there was only one tree left standing at the end of our garden and one or two surviving further down… for now at least.

I just can’t stop crying. I can’t even bring myself to look out of the windows at the back of the house. All those beautiful trees, all those birds, all that wildlife, gone. It was one of the very, very few things that made living here tolerable, and now instead of trees and birdsong, there is going to be a building site. Just when I thought I couldn’t fucking hate it here more.

REALLY sorry to hear this OP. That is so sad.

@ElizabethsTailor Did you see the picture of OP’s garden? There is NO WAY leylandii should be planted there! Her neighbours would be furious. Rightly so. Deciduous small garden trees would be better and leylandii thugs are not suitable at all.

OP is really upset at the leylandii just behind her back fence being removed. She is perfectly entitled to replace it with one in her own garden if she really wants to.

Would I do it? No.

I (and many others) have given her advice about other options, particularly around native trees.

But the bottom line is that it is her garden and she should do whatever makes her happy, even if us randoms on the internet would go a different direction.

What person with any knowledge of trees truly plants leylandii when broad leaf native trees are available? It’s madness. They actually should be banned and since when is planting nuisance trees kind to your neighbours? It’s totally selfish. It’s worse than cutting them down in the first place. Just because you can plant them, it doesn’t mean you should. She needs to understand the issues and plant alternative broad leaf trees and should never be encouraged to plant leylandii under any circumstances.

While I understand the dislike of leylandii, I think I'd rather have them than no trees at all.

How are you getting on with planting saplings the end of your garden @NoMoreTrees ?

@ChardonnaysBeastlyCat No one ever has to make that choice though. Most people cannot control them and they throw huge shadows over gardens. This causes moss and often nothing grows under them either. There’s always wonderful trees anyone can plant for interest, shade and wildlife. I would also suggest not huge field trees either.

If there is a choice to be made though.

OP is faced with a bare view and no screen from a potential building site.

In her case I'd rather have the existing leylandii.
When planting, then yes, a variety of native trees would be much better.

@ChardonnaysBeastlyCat Well they have gone and she needs a planting plan for her garden. It’s long so she won’t see a huge amount - but she needs to look at the plans for environmental planting and landscaping. They should be available. Some housing has very big grass and marsh areas for water retention. The houses might not be adjacent to her garden at all.

The planning drawing appears to show a thick wooded strip between the end of your garden and the gardens of the new houses. This is quite common for the creation of privacy. I would question what they have done and ask what they will be planting to replace the conifers.

Separately, you can buy quite large trees. Put one towards the back of your garden, but away from the boundary so it can form a good canopy without risk of being pruned by neighbours. This would give you complete control. Something deciduous like a maple or gleditsia would give you colour interest. I’d also plant some low maintenance shrubs like hydrangeas. Little songbirds love hiding in these. Lastly, some spring bulbs that pop up every year without any maintenance. You’d very quickly create a little haven that you love to be in.

@NoMoreTrees As I said, leylandii are considered a problem and worthless for wildlife. The development should have a better scheme for its landscape and it should support plenty of wildlife.

The RSPB has a list of recommended native trees for small to large gardens. I would pick from this list as they believe they support our wildlife best. Imported trees aren’t always the best. Berries and bark to support insects are good attributes for trees.