Advice please - tree pruning problem

Jandy1234

Hi, sorry if this is long-winded, but I've been reading the threads on Leylandii and I still can't arrive at a decision, your views would be appreciated. We moved into a house two years ago, which had a line of Leylandii planted as a boundary between our front garden and the end of the corner houses garden. The trees were as high as our house when we moved in, but surveyors said there was no problem with the roots damaging the foundations so we went ahead. The trees have squirrels, birds etc visibly nesting in them and we have always enjoyed being close to nature etc. I would feel miserable and guilty if I ripped them up and made the little critters homeless. They also provide us with much needed privacy from the road and being overlooked by all the neighbours whose houses back on to our garden and house.
Recently the elderly neighbour in the corner house expressed concern that the trees were too high, blocking light out etc and wanted to be reduced in height, so I agreed to get quotes from tree people to sort it out. I duly did and was advised by both the tree companies who quoted that the trees were safe, and they did not recommend cutting them short as this would cause them to bush outwards, restricting light even more, and also preventing us using our front drive to park on. The quote if we wished to proceed anyway was in the region of £500, which I will have to borrow to pay. I am really reluctant to proceed, but the neighbours are such nice people, that I don't want to cause them distress either. I keep churning the issue round and round in my head, but whatever answer I arrive at means I am much worse off, with no real benefit, because the blasted things will regrow in a few years anyway. Has anyone out there got these trees, what happens if you cut them short and then cut them right back as well? I don't want my front garden full of brown dead tree trunks! Any advice from fellow Leyandii sufferers gratefully received...... Many thanks from Jan.

eco-friendly_2

because the blasted things will regrow in a few years

Leylandi ! these trees will be a problem if not cut back regularly, maybe you could get someone to chop them down to a reasonable height, ( not difficult with a bow saw ) in stages , most councils will take cuttings away free, check it out. These trees always recover from severe pruning, and will ' bush out ' but are easily cut back.

~Chameleon~

I've got one in my back garden (grrrrr at the previous owners for planting it :mad: :mad: :mad: ) and it's been lopped off to around 7ft high. I keep it regularly trimmed, taking off the new growth twice a year, but it has bushed out somewhat, and far more than I'd have liked as it's now strangling two quite pretty trees either side of it.

I'd say the spread is around 6-8ft but I keep trying to cut bits back just to let the other trees see some daylight! I'm seriously considering having it taken out completely this winter and allow the other trees to grow and fill the gap in the hedge

wolfehouse

i've got some in the back and have cut them down to 'manageable' height.

but as long as they are there they will need constant trimming. and i'm not getting any younger...

IMHO I would get rid of them completely or you will have to budget for this amount for trimming every 3-5 years or so.

let the animals relocate for now and plant wildlife friendly things in your garden in a planned sort of way.

~Chameleon~

Jandy1234 wrote: »

I would feel miserable and guilty if I ripped them up and made the little critters homeless.

I think now is probably the best time of year to do this job without causing too much harm or distress to the birds etc. All the fledglings should now have left the nest and be looking for pastures new, and the others will have time to relocate and settle before winter sets in.

My neighbour decided to trim his side of my hedge in late spring when there was a pair of blackbirds nesting :mad: - poor mummy blackbird had to go build another nest across the other side of my garden and carry her eggs over to it, but dropped two on the way

matty_hunt

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

All the fledglings should now have left the nest and be looking for pastures new

I am a tree surgeon and whilst up a sweet chestnut last tuesday I found a nest with two creamy white eggs in! I dont know what bird they are from, probably pigeon, but have found broken eggs all over the grounds of the estate I work lately. Do the birds know something we dont? Maybe we're not getting winter this year!!

The problem with these trees is that they do need regular maintenance to be kept 'under control' and this will mean regular trimming, incuring you cost either for hedge trimmer and time if doing yourself or to pay someone once ,best twice, a year.

Removal could be very costly. Will depend on access, number of trees, if you want roots out etc. There are the 'knock on the door' merchants who will do it cheaper for cash but they should be advoided. They generally dont have qualifications, insurance and fly tip the rubbish down the road. Replanting is best late autumn to spring but anything you plant as a hedge will need years to establish and annual maintenance as a hedge. THere are companies on the web like 'readyhedge' who will sell you ready grown hedgerows for an instant effect but these come at a premium.

Heres a link to an interesting read on laws relating to your garden.
http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html

Its a tricky call. Bottem line is its going to cost you money. Better start saving! Even if you leave the trees now, if your neighbour is elderly sooner or later you will have new neighbours who may well force your hand using the law to make you cut them down. Only very very nice neighbours will offer to help pay.

~Chameleon~

matty_hunt wrote: »

I am a tree surgeon and whilst up a sweet chestnut last tuesday I found a nest with two creamy white eggs in! I dont know what bird they are from, probably pigeon, but have found broken eggs all over the grounds of the estate I work lately. Do the birds know something we dont? Maybe we're not getting winter this year!!

They sound like they could be Collared Dove eggs - they're breeding season is March-October and they usually lay just 2 eggs, several times a year.

jollyanna

Have you thought abut hiring a cherry-picker with driver and doing it yourself? It will take you ages and be really hard labour, plus you then have to get ris of the cuttings. It could easily take you a couple of days, so in that respect, it may be worth saving up and paying people to do it for you.

Penny_Farthing_2

Hi JanThe trees are not causing you a problem. In fact, they bring you great pleasure. Can I suggest that, in the spirit of compromise, you could tell your neighbour that you would like the trees to stay but understand that your neighbour has a problem with their height. What if you were willing to allow the work to be done but your neighbour would need to pay the cost. If they agree, make sure they get a tree surgeon with proper insurance to do the job.This way, you aren't out of pocket but you'll have to keep on top of the pruning if you don't want them to bush out.Your neigbour could use the High Hedges rules against you, though.

mrs_baggins

Hi Its a tough one and I dont think I would like to put myself into debt to get some trees cut down. Maybe your neighbours would pay some towards it if they are so anti them? I am not sure but dont birds who are nesting have some kind of legal protection? wanted to get a tree in my garden reuced this year but when someone came there was a bird nesting so legally he couldnt do it. If your neighbours go down the council route of the 'high hedges' law depending on where you are in the countrey this will cost them right at the start something between 300-500 pounds. My council charges £500. this may be a way to get your neighbours to pay towrads your cost? hope you get it sorted