On 09/04/2013 10:23, kay wrote:

Let It Be;980496 Wrote:


Be aware that if the hedges grow too big and sucks up enough water out
of
the clay, then that could cause subsidence - or if after many years,
they
decide to cut them back, then that could cause ground-heave. Both
situations are enough to give insurance companies large fits.

Probably not worth worrying about with small hedges, but the effects
could
make themselves very plain if those hedges are neglected and left to
grow to
a rather graceful and pleasing size.

For what it's worth, we have a copper beech about 10 ft from our house.
Every few years I ask the church to trim a few branches before they
start knocking our roof slates off. Neither surveyors nor insurance
assessors have batted an eyelid. But then I think we're on
"non-shrinkable clay", our foundations are a good 10 ft below the ground
surface where the beech is, and removing a tree of that size will
arguably give more problems than leaving it be.




Thanks, Kay. One of my friends' hedges is closer than that, but will be
kept as a fairly low hedge, so perhaps that one will be relatively safe.
The main hedge is between two houses (in places about 10ft from bricks
and mortar) and it may be allowed to grow taller than the first, though
I'd be surprised if they even let it reach 6ft. However, we are on
decidedly shrinkable clay here, which is why I was concerned.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay