Well, not a garden, but a side passage way that stretches down the length of our garden then across the back of the garden of the lady who lives in between us to give this neighbour front-to-back access...
And DEFINITELY would never qualify as a garden - 7 to 10 feet tall brambles, weeds, bindweed especially.
It extends 1foot above our fence at the lowest point and 4 foot at the highest. The brambles and bindweed grow through our fence, damaging it in some places and making the border on that side of our garden useless.
When we eventually found out she owned it (previous owner had to sign some doc saying she didn't know who owned it but had always had right of way as far as her/our gate), she said she was looking to clear it to do some work on her garden. That was August 2009, just after we moved in.
We asked her what she had in mind in spring 2010 when it became clear how much it affected our garden. She didn't want to discuss it, so we made it clear it was affecting us and left it at that, suspecting it was a money thing.
Again asked in July and she told us she couldn't afford it, it wasn't a priority, it wasn't her problem and not to talk to her about it again as it stressed her out. Fair enough - and we were conscious that because we were having building work done, she might assume we were rolling in it (not true) and feel sensitive. So we left it.
But I need to get going on that border this spring. And I can't realistically make any difference until those weeds are properly dealt with.
We got quotes to clear and remove the waste - the cheapest being £190 (not including weedkiller afterwards) and want to offer to herr that we pay half and for the weedkiller, and do all the organising (with her permission) so she doesn't have the hassle. But we don't want to upset her, OR to cave in and take responsibility for something that is hers to deal with. We've composed a letter but I'd like to see how other people deal with it.
What would or did you do?