Hedges

[danaforever]

Hello there,

Last night much to my distress, I spotted my neighbour hacking my garden hedge. He was trimming his own as mine hangs a tiny bit over his wall and he chopped the whole thing back completely. When he saw me looking out the window, he stopped and looked rather sheepish. He also did the same in my front garden. where do I stand on this. is he allowed to chop it back? We have never had problems whatsoever.

Thank you

 

[Bue5Off]

Your neighbour is only entitled to cut the portion that overhangs his fence and technically he is supposed to give the cuttings back to you.

 

[danaforever]

thank you for your response.

 

[ClubMan]

I did the opposite recently - removed the 11 year old ivy growing on our back wall which was also overhanging into the back garden of the neighbour at the back. (Horrible job by the way!). I had a chat with them while doing it and they seemed OK with it although were a little concerned that removing it reduced their privacy a bit. Just curious as to the letter of the law here - i.e. cutting plants growing on one side that overhang another? It's all academic since the stuff is all gone now but just curious.

 

[liteweight]

If the plants belong to you, you can do what you like with them, even if your neighbour loved them! If they belong to the neighbour, then you can cut them back to the boundary wall on your side. As already stated above, by law you should return the cuttings, although I'm sure the neighbours would love you for that!!!

 

[ClubMan]

I was just wondering if I had any responsibility with regard to clearing/disposing of cuttings or debris (e.g. the dead ivy trailers once I cut the root!) from my plants that ended up on my neighbour's side? Cutting ivy is a bit of an odd one - it's so invasive that it gets everywhere (on their wall, in amongst other plants/trees) and once cut it dies off leaving a bit of a mess.

 

[liteweight]

I don't think you've any legal obligation but I'd call to the neighbours and ask If they'd like me to do it. Mind you, I'd kneel down and say 10 decades of the rosary before I went in....praying they say no but think I'm very nice for asking!!