Tree saga

[pinenuts75]

i have a tree in my back garden which admittedly has grown tall, I just can’t keep on top of it, but it doesn’t really bother me, I planted it years ago, my neighbours are complaining it is sat against their fence and want it chopping down, they have offered to do it, but I feel it’s my responsibility and how would they dispose of it all anyway? I have received a quote £200 which I was expecting it to be more to be honest, I just feel reluctant to pay it as the tree doesn’t really bother me, am I being unreasonable to ask them to pay half? As they want it chopping down not me, the thing is I have messaged her now saying I will just sort it out, I was a bit annoyed at the time as we had a bit of an argument about it last night, please help.

I didn’t mean to say that it was a shrub - more that it was presently ‘shrub-shaped’ having not gained sufficient height to have a discernible trunk, only branches pressing against the neighbours fence!!

Has your LL actually seem or mentioned the tree?

I'm surprised they didn't comment on it as it's a conifer.

Oh for goodness sake, that's just a Leylandi. It doesn't need cutting down, just a short-back-and-sides will sort it !

As you haven't kept on top of it you might find it's barely more than a brown trunk with dead twigs if you trim back as much as it needs and conifers do not regrow from dead wood. I think you need to just pay the £200 and get rid of it. Planting trees next to a neighbours fence is a bit rude tbh.

I think that's a decent price as it includes removal (check if it includes taking out the stump) but you could get a couple more quotes to compare. Pruning it away from the fence, to prevent damage, would probably leave you with ugly brown branches and they won't grow back. You could ask your neighbours to contribute, but maybe 1/3?

Trolling? No I just wanted advice

£200 is a good price to remove that tree. I paid more last year just for pruning and I don't live in an expensive area. It's not a very nice tree, adds nothing to your garden and will only grow much, much bigger.

No it won’t, that will keep growing at a huge rate.

The fence wasn’t there when I planted it.

I say it's manageable, so there !

The advice then is: get your secateurs out and trim it or spend the £200 to have it chopped down and plant something else. Your choice.

One more thing, can you wait for another month or two? Just in case nesting birds.

Bird nesting season ends at rhe end of rhe month and most activity is done by end of July the surgeons will know if there is a nest in there.

Just get a tree surgeon to prune it right back and remove the branches. I was expecting a huge tree towering above but it's more like a large bush.Later in the year is better after the growth of this year. It is not necessary to remove it entirely and it must give a bit of privacy.

If it were me, I would get rid of it. If the neighbour contributed that's a bonus.
Replace it with something better than a leyleandii or whatever it is. Plant a couple of fruit trees in the garden away from the fence.

Who put the fence up and is it in the correct position?

But another vote for getting it removed (including the stump). Then you can plant something deciduous and preferably with blossom and fruit. Looks like you have a farily small garden so check how big a tree will grow - this depends on root stock - so you can get one the appropriate size. You could have something that will espalier or fan over the fence which requires work but is very contained. If you got e.g. the apple Katy you'd have a good crop of early eaters. Perfect if you have kids. Or a Victoria plum which are massive croppers and can be eaten or cooked. Or you can get apple family trees which have 3 varieties on one root stock so you can harvest for longer.

If they care!
Sometimes birds will have more when in hot hot summers. Was only asking the OP to be careful and wait if she can. A few weeks won't damage a fence much further.

Doesnt answer your question OP, but last year a new build estate was completed near where I live. Each house had lovely little trees and shrubs planted around the front of the houses. A year later they are all massive, over crowding the doors, blocking the light and some are almost as tall as the second floor windows. these trees grow super fast and tall. Pay to chop it down and dont plant another. Your LL will probably ask you to remove it if they knew anyway.

I’m not sure if £200 will cover stump removal as well, OP you need to check what the the quote covers.
It’s a Leyllandii - needs to come down. Then you can plant something more wildlife-friendly!

If you cut the branches touching the fence right back to the wood i.e. so that there is no greenery on those branches, it will not grown back.

Conifers like yours do not grow again from the brown wood. It will be a one off job.

I was a gardener before I retired. You don't need a tree surgeon to take that tree out. You need a regular gardener or even a handy man who will be MUCH cheaper.

I can see what's against the fence and it isn't causing damage. Or can you see a hole that I can't?

Of course it'll keep growing; that's why a good trim will keep it in check and,as already mentioned,if you cut the back branches away,they won't grow back.

Hard to tell from just that small photo but that looks to me like a Thuja not a Leylandii.

How long has it been there OP? If it's been there a year or more a Leylanii would be romping away growing about 6 foot in two years.

If it's a Thuja it won't get huge ever.

Well done if you can tell the difference, they look the same to me !

Let's hope it's Thuja !

Probably about 16/17 years ago