Overgrown clematis

[Gameofhomes]

My neighbour has a clematis its totally overgrown. I had to replace the fence even though its shared as it brought it down as its so overgrown. She wouldn't replace fence nor contribute. I've told her to keep it at a reasonable height she does not care. I cut it back over my side but its ridiculous. It grows over strangles all my plants killing them. It's sounds petty but it's really invasive. My fence wasnt cheap as it's a large garden. I continually have to cut it and am sick of it. A legal letter she will ignore. Is there anyway of killing it on my side. I font want it taking over. I already have spoke explaining the fence is legally mine she should not be attaching anything to it etc she doesn't care.

I don’t think you should kill it, as it’s not your plant. Unless you want to take legal action, which is unwise for various reasons, the only course is to keep cutting it back.

@Beebumble2 I appreciate what your saying but she's has been asked 3 times and has no regard. The old delapidated shared fence was left up as requested by her . Our fence was put up a foot away the land in the middle mine. I'm not prepared to pay hundreds in solicitors fees as she will disregard those too. The clematis is huge she tied the rickety old fence to my new fence with rope and screws. I Removed it and told her not to attach anything or it will bring the new fence down. She ignored me I cut the rope off. I pointed out the land in between the fence is mine. The clematis has grown over and is attaching. She's unreasonable.

Just chop back what is on your land including up to old fence. It would be nice if she paid towards this but she doesn't have to.

Ditch the cuttings back over her fence as you cannot legally get rid. If it were me I'd ask her blessing to dispose of rather than falling out with neighbour.

I think you need to relax a bit and just get on with keeping your garden clear. It really shouldn't be strangling your plants. My neighbour has brambles and ivy that invade my garden but I just chop them off regularly.

@Gameofhomes What sort of clematis is it? There are lots of different types.

What time of year does it flower, and what colour are they?

@takeitandleaveit it's the Montana which unless pruned back can be very invasive. Hence why it brought the previous shared fence down.

I really must need my eyes testing, normally I am on desktop but using phone and first read that as 'overgrown clitoris' 🤣

@ZeroFuchsGiven 🤣🤣

Ditch the cuttings back over her fence as you cannot legally get rid. You cannot legally do that, it’s fly tipping. Legally, you are required to offer her the cuttings, but if she declines your offer, you have to dispose of them yourself.

You could drop her a note, keeping a copy, saying “I will be cutting off that plant which is growing over my boundary. Unless I hear from you to the contrary I will assume you do not require the cuttings returning.”

@MereDintofPandiculation I have told her more than once to not let it grow over her boundary. I've told her to keep it pruned. She knows it brought the shared fence down which was 200ft in length she didn't care. Like I previously said I left a space and erected a new fence as she was awkward about the old battered one staying up. I'm not the only neighbour with issues. She has no regard for anyone else's property or boundaries. My garden is big enough without have to prune her constant over growing vine. It's huge that huge it brought down the original fence 200ft of it. If I go to a solicitor it will take months and cost me more money. Hence why I asked for the simple solution of killing it from growing over completely. Not enough is done for people who have bad neighbours like this. It like day of the triffids !

You can't slightly kill it to stop it growing over - you can either chop it back or apply weedkiller to it which will kill it completely. And if she's as hostile as you say that is likely to unleash WWIII.

Yes its annoying but surely it didn't pull down 200ft of fence - the most vigorous Montana will only reach 12m at a push.

@RatherBeRiding The weight of it did bring the fence down. It grows across as well as up. There is more than one planted along the fence line. They are not maintained nor pruned or cut back. That's the issue. Google about them you will see how bad they are.