Feel sad that neighbour cut down trees

[Eatingbiscuits]

Woke up this morning to one of our neighbours having a row of trees cut down in their garden. Beautiful tall evergreen mature trees which were home to squirrels and birds. Not a single tree or bush left, they've cleared their entire garden. I saw a squirrel run along the boundary as they were cutting down the trees and it broke my heart. We live on the outskirts of a city and this was a little bit of nature for us and we would love watching the squirrels come and go and listening to the birds in the trees. I know there's nothing I can do about it because it's their garden but I feel so sad. Would other people feel the same or am I overreacting? Any suggestions at what I can plant in my garden instead to replace them? Although it would take decades to grow trees like that again.

Why were you relying on your neighbours' plants? Why did you not grow your own if you're so bothered?

I do grow my own, but guess what I also appreciate other plants. This one was particularly important to me as my lovely, sweet elderly neighbour took great care and pride of it, and it was a lovely reminder of her after she had passed. So yes when the new neighbour hacked everything down without a second thought I felt upset. Not that I need to justify myself to a hard hearted witch like you.

That's a personal attack on PP (not-so) Angelic.

My friend has just had to do the same. Those lovely mature trees were causing subsidence in her home

so this may be the case here - not simply them deciding they hate trees

Wait and see. I understand the upset but they might replace it with something better. Our neighbours took down a massive conifer in the corner of their garden as they were doing up their garden. They have replaced it with a row of beeches which will eventually become a hedge. Much better for them, us (less shade) and the wildlife. They are clearly keen gardeners and have spent the last three years refilling the borders that were somewhat neglected and overgrown before they bought the house.

If they aren't gardeners plant something native along your shared border. Depending on how big your garden is an oak or a rowan or a selection of fruit trees might be good. Mulch well and underplant with things that will benefit from the dappled shade.

Wow. Not sure that personal attack is warranted!

Thanks for the (presumably sarcastic) flower reaction, @Angelic999

Now is a great time to just get on with planting your own. Don't wait til next summer!

Yes trees can be a complete nuisance.i used to have one overhanging the garden and driveway at my old house. Constantly
having to clean bird mess and sap off the cars. Blocked light into the house, constant worry it was going to fall in on my son’s bedroom in a storm. Thousands of leaves to clear up every autumn.

When we moved, any house we viewed with a tree near it was instantly ruled out.

Yes trees are important for the environment., but they need to be in the right place. Overgrown monstrosities near houses aren’t appropriate, and I don’t blame any home owner for wanting to get rid.

"A mature tree is usually a beautiful and attractive addition to a local environment anywhere but especially in a built up area. It adds so much in terms of wildlife support, shade, leaves and bark trap fine particulates, dust, and pollutants (such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone) from traffic emissions, absorbing and storing carbon dioxides, intercept heavy rainfall, slow down water run-off, and can reduce the risk of flash flooding by up to 99% including roots absorbing water. Replacing it with a small ornamental bush is not like for like in terms of visual amenity or overall benefit."

My house is surrounded by 2.5 acres of woodland and wetlands that I own, so cutting down the two closest to the house made zero difference to any of these things.

"If you don't like shade or are scared of a branch falling, don't buy houses with mature trees, buy a different house with an aggregate drive and fake grass and leave the trees for future generations."

I'd love to know where I'd find one of these here in rural Maine? I'm surrounded by logging land and lakes.

"Tree issues can be managed by tree surgeons and reducing the height or crown of the tree, thinning the canopy, root barriers and so on. Cutting down a mature healthy tree is not the only solution but society is now all about convenience."

I cut down the two trees, plus five others on my property, on the advice of a tree surgeon, having also consulted with four other tree surgeons. It wasn't in the slightest bit convenient (or cheap) to have them taken down, but it did result in a whole bunch of free firewood sent to nearby wood banks, which will keep locals warm next winter.

I think you are right especially if they start concreting over the garden and I thought we had an environmental crisis.mi think the law should be more stringent

@Doris86

Yes trees are important for the environment., but they need to be in the right place. Overgrown monstrosities near houses aren’t appropriate, and I don’t blame any home owner for wanting to get rid

I agree.

If it’s grey squirrels they’re vermin. and bad news if they get into your loft.

We’ve taken down 4 monster conifers in the last couple of years (yes, checked for nesting birds etc) which had been left to grow by the previous owner (bought some garden from a neighbour). We’ve also taken down a large, rotten cherry tree- which I made the mistake of mentioning on here, cue extensive hand wringing- because it was leaning towards power lines. We have something like 15 mature, native trees in our garden that are all thriving since the bloody conifers went. Sometimes trees need to go.

We had the same at our last London flat. Beautiful big tree we could see from our lounge diner. Squirrels and birds abound. Same robins returning every year. Was lovely and calming just to sit and watch and the only slice of green we could see bearing in mind everything else was grey concrete.
We came home from holiday to find it gone and we now had a view of a 1970s sheltered accommodation block. Most of the residents were older men who seemed to spend most of their time hanging out the windows smoking without any tops on. Of course they are free to do that but you don’t necessarily want to have it on full direct view from your windows all day. We were devastated. We moved quite soon after that as it made such a difference to our quality of life.

Yes, my last house had a whole line of trees hanging over the power line that ran down our driveway. Pretty regularly we'd get big enough storms that a tree would land on the line, and the power would go out. One time we had no power for a week. It was slightly terrifying driving under the tree - hanging over the driveway, supported only by a very stretched power line - to get in and out of the property.

I've since moved to a house with an underground power line coming into the house - quite rare around here. I'll probably have a tree land on my car instead knowing my luck...

We had to have two leylandi removed earlier this year. We had cut them back multiple times but the branches were almost touching our bedroom window. The housing association agreed to organise tree surgeons, as they were too close to a number of houses.

I was so sad. Removing trees is not something I would ever choose to do except for safety. I will say however the garden and grass looks so much happier. I have planted several shrubs at the back of the garden that would have been under the tree canopy and they are all doing well - previously it was very difficult to get anything to survive there. It will take time for the garden to recover but I am trying to plant things that will add structure and possible places to nest or forage. The resident squirrel is still here, I thought it had left initially but it's still running back and forth across the fence.

My next door neighbour has removed any trace of life from her garden. Wooden decking and fake plastic grass that her dog uses to go to the toilet.

This has happened to us with both neighbours and the people that back onto us and each time has made me very sad. Our neighbours cut down a beautiful 70 year old tree which had nests in it and it was sad to see the birds looking confused. I don't understand why people don't want plants and trees!

I’d buy some mature trees and have them professionally planted even if you can only afford two or three for now. You could add a few more next year…I believe you can get them cheaper in bare root season. I’d be upset too…

Do leylandi, they get big in a few years. But yes it always makes me sad. These people who want concrete utopias

Not in an urban garden, they’re horrendous to maintain. They’re what we just removed, they get absolutely enormous if not attacked multiple times a year. They don’t get to 6’ or 10’ quickly, and then stop growing, they keep going. They strip the ground so nothing else can grow anywhere near them. Honestly they’re a pretty specialist tree, most people who plant them chose the wrong thing.

I second PPs recommendation of a silver birch, if you have space. They grow very tall but they don’t totally block out the light because the foliage isn’t dense.

I planted one 5 years ago when we first moved into our house and it’s now over 4 metres and the birds are happily using it as a nice sheltered perch.

I’ve got a pyracantha next to it which the blackbirds absolutely love for the berries, and two lavender bushes which are thick with bees throughout the summer.

We have two mature trees in our garden and a couple of smaller ones. When I leave this house hopefully to move in a couple of years and pass it over what will be will be but I hope they don’t cut down the trees.

People seem to despise nature often these days.

You have no idea where the “poor little squirrel” lives. He’ll be just fine. I do wish people would stop over sentimentalising nature.

• Species Decline: On average, monitored wildlife species have dropped by 19% since 1970.
• Extinction Risk: Nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) across Great Britain face the threat of extinction.
• Low Biodiversity: The UK retains only about 53% of its natural biodiversity, placing it in the bottom 10% globally and the lowest in the G7.
• Iconic Wildlife at Risk: Familiar species like the hazel dormouse, skylark, and turtle dove are seeing steep population drops

People need to get more fired up on nature's behalf, not less.