Overgrown Buddleia outside my windows of flat and managing agents.. 3 October 2021 at 11:47AM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 38 replies 1.1K views

another_casualty

Hello I hope that someone could advise regarding the above . The top 2 pics are downloaded from the internet showing the flat prior to me moving in sometime later . It's my first time uploading pics on mse so I may dig out more recent ones shortly.

Anyway, the issue I have is that there is massive overgrown Buddleia outside my windows . These block light , and over the weekend my freesat is not working as sky dish is covered by this monstrosity . Good job I watch very little .

I have contacted the managing agents a couple of times in the summer. The last comment made by the 'gardener'/ manager was that he advised the managing agent that this should remain here until the spring and then could be killed . A lot of flannel is what myself and friends and family have said . Last year I managed to ask one of the gardeners to cut 6he height of the Buddleia which he did the following week . Fwiw, the managing agents have changed garden maintenance three or so times in a short time and imho this crew are not very good compared to the others.  I did think of copper nail / weed killer but then managing agents may not like that very much

one other thing to ask ; is it possible to have that Buddleia replaced by a plant that attracts birds and may be less maintenance ?
one of the bushes had berries on it ,and for some reason since covid they haven't returned . Probabky irrelevant . 

Thanks in advance ..

another_casualty

Can you see the sky dish? Growth has increased since then

theoretica

Best time to prune is over winter/early spring - chop it to about a foot off the ground.  If you do this and the management complain (which I rather doubt they will) then just point to one of the many websites that say this is how buddleia should be cared for.

sheramber

Cut it back as above. It will  grow again from there. That is how buddleia should be pruned each year.

That way it is kept rejuvenated and in check.

another_casualty

Thank you both .
Things to bear in mind ; 1) I haven't any gardening tools as this is " my garden " so to speak managed by the managing agents . 2) TBH , I want rid of it and a replacement plant in its place with berries 🫐or something that attracts birds 🦆. ( not rats 🐀of course ) 
Is this possible ? 

theoretica

There are two sides to 'is it possible'.  Getting the management agency to do extra work to your specifications may not be.  Taking a plant out and putting something else in is definitely possible, but a bit of work and either needs someone in to do it or tools borrowed.  And - crucially - need to choose the plant that will suit that spot and not damage the building with its roots.

sheramber

Since it is nit your garden I doubt what you want will mean very much?

Getting a plant to establish in that position behind the others may be  difficult due to dry soil and lack of light.  The buddleia will already have put down roots to find moisture. A new plant won't have that advantage.

Buy a pair of secateurs, open your window and cut of the bits of branches you can reach to let the light in.

twopenny

Secatures a couple of pounds from a bargain diy shop are fine for this. Though they often don't have gardening stuff this time of year.
You can see near the base where it has been cut right out before. You can prune this original type throughout the summer, half way down the stems and get more fragrant flowers and a bushy effect.
It's unlikely that your management will go to the trouble of digging the roots right out and replacing soil for replanting so you may want to decide no bush or a controlled Butterfly bush an go for butterflies and hummingbird moths instead.

another_casualty

Okay... an update ..
I received a reply from the managing agents this afternoon .
I was not impressed with the response given . The chap who,we deal with , says that it has been forwarded to the directors who sided with the gardener who said it won't be cut until next spring . 

That got me fuming , as they are showing total disregard about me not being able to watch tv as the sky dish  signal  has imho been smothered / interfered with by that growth. 

As I live here and have to deal with it , I found it insensitive . 

So I replied about my disappointment that they don't seem to care etc.

I then decided to do knock on one of the directors door . I asked him to come and have a look at what is infront of the windows . He agreed and was willing to cut some of it down with secetures . I was going on about the state of it etc. but I did say that he shouldn't be cutting it and I think that those gardeners should be doing their job .
I did say that they are the worst so far ,and when I asked for them last year to reduce the height they did the following week and why couldn't they do that now etc 

I can wait as I have already , and he said he will get them to do it .
He asked me how much to cut , and i pointed to the other shrubbery and said the same height as those . That's too much with secetrures . ( please excuse spelling ):

Fwiw , I don't watch much tv ,but like the idea of recording one or 2 programmes at a push and the local news so I can fast forward the stuff of no interest .

I was on the verge of ordering a cordless hedge trimmer , but thought I'd knock on the directors door first.

I did say to him that I wanted someone on my side rather than make decisions without taking my feelings into consideration etc

Anyway , apologies for ranting ..

sheramber

No reason why they can't reduce it in height at present and prune it properly in the spring.

theoretica

Eh?  Perfectly reasonable at most 15 minute job with secateurs. Only hard part is working out what to do with the cut off bits as you probably don't have a garden bin.  I really don't see why if you want it cut and someone offers to do it you would then refuse.  Get it cut and also express annoyance about the gardening service.