Two years ago we planted a mixed deciduous hedge to support the
wildlife: this included hawthorn, blackthorn, guelder rose, dog rose,
hazel and field maple, and has done amazingly well, reaching 8ft high
in parts and flowering and producing many berries for the birds. We
have been thrilled with its progress.

However, we have the misfortune to have acquired an extremely odd
neighbour who refuses to talk to anyone (especially us) and seems
obsessed with his privacy. He has now planted a leylandii hedge all
along the other side of this boundary. This in itself does not
particularly disturb us, since he is on our north side and it has
probably not occurred to him that it will be his own light which will
suffer, not ours. This man gives every appearance of not being a
gardener. However, we are upset that in planting the leylandii he has
(or has had) our own deciduous hedge cut back - probably beyond the
boundary, but it is difficult to prove that of course. They have
removed growing tips of the wild roses and have also today cut off
some branches of an existing ash tree which was right on the boundary
- and thrown them over our side.

We are sure that our hedge will recover (and hope his dies quickly!)
but is there anything we can do legally about what he has done to the
ash tree? I've looked on the hedgeline site but it doesn't really
help.

Sorry to sound off, but you can all imagine how we feel! By the way,
there is absolutely NO way we can discuss this with him - a polite and
friendly good morning is met with a turned back, and after a year
we've just given up.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
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In message , Sally Thompson
writes

Two years ago we planted a mixed deciduous hedge to support the
wildlife

However, we have the misfortune to have acquired an extremely odd
neighbour who refuses to talk to anyone (especially us) and seems
obsessed with his privacy. He has now planted a leylandii hedge all
along the other side of this boundary.

However, we are upset that in planting the leylandii he has
(or has had) our own deciduous hedge cut back - probably beyond the
boundary, but it is difficult to prove that of course. They have
removed growing tips of the wild roses and have also today cut off
some branches of an existing ash tree which was right on the boundary
- and thrown them over our side.

We are sure that our hedge will recover (and hope his dies quickly!)
but is there anything we can do legally about what he has done to the
ash tree? I've looked on the hedgeline site but it doesn't really
help.

The Leylandii might cause a problem to the hedge in the future if they
are too close and start to out compete your hedge plants.

Re the Ash tree - do you know who owns the tree? assuming you do for
now. - presumably these branches were overhanging his garden? If so
then in general he can cut them back to his boundary (I think here are
provisions about not causing damage to a tree , such as causing it to
die or fall over etc.) He is supposed to offer them to you, though not
just dump them in your garden.

If the branches were on your side however then I guess you would have a
claim against him, - presumably you could make a civil claim against
him for damage to the tree - but in reality I don't see that as a
sensible course of action. Would it count as criminal damage I wonder?

If however the tree is covered by a Tree Protection Order then he would
be under the laws regarding them, AIUI it is the local Authority who are
responsible for taking action in these cases. The LA should be able to
tell you if the tree is covered by a TPO and who to report it to if it
is.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html