hello, I am a newbie, both on this site and to gardening. I have a long, narrow, northish facing garden in Kent, which is completly shadowed down one side by 2 neighbours leylandii trees. This means that I do not get any sunlight until late afternoon in the summer and not at all in the winter. My neighbours refuse to cut them, and although a new law comes in this year, I understand that access to light is not a good enough reason to have them cut back. The trees also mean that anything I have tried to plant near them either dies or does badly. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can plant that will thrive in their shade ? any help very much appreciated.
thanks

Hmmmm. If the trees have a branch near enough, or even a root, maybe a
little systemic herbicide? Other than that, just walk thru similar
areas with your camera and when you see something interesting shoot it.
Take the photo with you to your local nursery...

Bob in sunny Calif.

your neighbours refuse to cut them down..??.....2 solutions spring to mind....
1 prune the trees ....with a chainsaw with a single cut very low down and live with the consequences...in sunlight

2 find a nice herbicide ....and spray the trees every 3 weeks or so......some chemicals work better if applied as the sun is going down.

good luck !

Eyebright wrote:
lynn Wrote:

hello, I am a newbie, both on this site and to gardening. I have a
long, narrow, northish facing garden in Kent, which is completly
shadowed down one side by 2 neighbours leylandii trees. This means
that I do not get any sunlight until late afternoon in the summer and
not at all in the winter. My neighbours refuse to cut them, and
although a new law comes in this year, I understand that access to
light is not a good enough reason to have them cut back. The trees
also mean that anything I have tried to plant near them either dies or
does badly. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can plant
that will thrive in their shade ? any help very much appreciated.
thanks


your neighbours refuse to cut them down..??.....2 solutions spring to
mind....
1 prune the trees ....with a chainsaw with a single cut very low down
and live with the consequences...in sunlight

2 find a nice herbicide ....and spray the trees every 3 weeks or
so......some chemicals work better if applied as the sun is going
down.

good luck !

Hmmm, I recall a couple of recent cases where people have cut their
neighbour's hedge and are now facing 6 figure legal costs. (And in at
least 1 case the hedge has regrown).

For the new legislation, look here for info/sample complaint forms:
http://www.publications.odpm.gov.uk/...asp?pubid=1502

Basically it's not a simple 'loss of light' thing, but it's up to your
council to decide if your enjoyment of your garden is affected
unreasonably by the hedge. Let us know what happens...

best,
G.A.

For the new legislation, look here for info/sample complaint forms:
http://www.publications.odpm.gov.uk/...asp?pubid=1502

Basically it's not a simple 'loss of light' thing, but it's up to your
council to decide if your enjoyment of your garden is affected
unreasonably by the hedge. Let us know what happens...

best,
G.A.


Can you play on the damage to your building "I will contact my Building
Insurance Company"? and then let the write a letter to your neighbours.

I don't know about the roots of a Leylandii tree, but at my first house, the
people that backed up to me had a couple of Poplar trees at the bottom of
their garden. When I lifted the paving slabs which went straight up/down my
garden, which was 75 feet long, roots were within 10 feet of my house!!.
Agreed the houses were built in 1936 and this was 1960, but the point is
that as the slabs had lain unmoved for that period and assuming the trees
were planted when the house was new, those roots had shot up the garden at
the rate of 2 ft a year!!How far are these trees from your house?

Mike

In article , lynn lynn.1n4wvz@gardenban
ter.co.uk writes

hello, I am a newbie, both on this site and to gardening. I have a
long, narrow, northish facing garden in Kent, which is completly
shadowed down one side by 2 neighbours leylandii trees. This means
that I do not get any sunlight until late afternoon in the summer and
not at all in the winter. My neighbours refuse to cut them, and
although a new law comes in this year, I understand that access to
light is not a good enough reason to have them cut back. The trees
also mean that anything I have tried to plant near them either dies or
does badly. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can plant
that will thrive in their shade ? any help very much appreciated.
thanks


--

looking at the other replies... If you damage the trees (other than
pruning your side) you can be liable, this applies to mechanical or
chemical damage. Now that aside if they are well-being threatening, chop
them down, go to court, plead mitigating circumstances and take the
fine, whatever you do don't plead not guilty or the costs will escalate
and personally I wouldn't employ a legal representative because the idea
is to try to keep costs to a minimum not 'fight for the right'

--
David

Glen Able wrote:
Eyebright wrote:

lynn Wrote:

hello, I am a newbie, both on this site and to gardening. I have a
long, narrow, northish facing garden in Kent, which is completly
shadowed down one side by 2 neighbours leylandii trees. This means
that I do not get any sunlight until late afternoon in the summer and
not at all in the winter. My neighbours refuse to cut them, and
although a new law comes in this year, I understand that access to
light is not a good enough reason to have them cut back. The trees
also mean that anything I have tried to plant near them either dies or
does badly. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can plant
that will thrive in their shade ? any help very much appreciated.
thanks



your neighbours refuse to cut them down..??.....2 solutions spring to
mind....
1 prune the trees ....with a chainsaw with a single cut very low down
and live with the consequences...in sunlight

2 find a nice herbicide ....and spray the trees every 3 weeks or
so......some chemicals work better if applied as the sun is going
down.

good luck !


Hmmm, I recall a couple of recent cases where people have cut their
neighbour's hedge and are now facing 6 figure legal costs. (And in at
least 1 case the hedge has regrown).

For the new legislation, look here for info/sample complaint forms:
http://www.publications.odpm.gov.uk/...asp?pubid=1502

Basically it's not a simple 'loss of light' thing, but it's up to your
council to decide if your enjoyment of your garden is affected
unreasonably by the hedge. Let us know what happens...

best,
G.A.



A few years ago when we lived in the UK we had a large front garden with
a Leylandii hedge inside the wall bordering us from the neighbouring
properties. I used to keep it cut to a reasonable height, but as every
time I cut it I came out in a nasty rash for a fortnight after, even if
I dressed to look like the Michelin man, I decided to cut the hedge down
and use the area for something else.

When I had cut the hedge down I got a lot of grief from one of the
neighbours who said he had only bought his house because of the hedge in
our garden!!!! When I suggested if he wanted a hedge he could grow one
in his garden he did not like that idea either.

John

On Fri, 8 Apr 2005 09:28:40 +0100, wrote:

In article , lynn lynn.1n4wvz@gardenban
ter.co.uk writes

hello, I am a newbie, both on this site and to gardening. I have a
long, narrow, northish facing garden in Kent, which is completly
shadowed down one side by 2 neighbours leylandii trees. This means
that I do not get any sunlight until late afternoon in the summer and
not at all in the winter. My neighbours refuse to cut them, and
although a new law comes in this year, I understand that access to
light is not a good enough reason to have them cut back. The trees
also mean that anything I have tried to plant near them either dies or
does badly. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can plant
that will thrive in their shade ? any help very much appreciated.
thanks


--

looking at the other replies... If you damage the trees (other than
pruning your side) you can be liable, this applies to mechanical or
chemical damage. Now that aside if they are well-being threatening, chop
them down, go to court, plead mitigating circumstances and take the
fine, whatever you do don't plead not guilty or the costs will escalate
and personally I wouldn't employ a legal representative because the idea
is to try to keep costs to a minimum not 'fight for the right'

You all seem to HATE cats, is there anyway he might damage the trees
and somehow blame it on the local moggies.

Perhaps cat pee is toxic to Leylandii :-))

Paul