My neighbours' overgrown house

Or not. Can't yet believe this is actually happening!

Has there been any response from the neighbours? I am just curious, when contractors descend on someone's house and garden like that what do the occupants do? Go out for the day, skulk indoors, carry on as normal?

They skulk indoors and close the curtains.....
This is pretty normal anyway.

Can you really force someone who is a house ... and garden owner, to do this, unless there is a safety issue? Surely is their choice? I am sure the birds, butterflies and other wildlife much prefer their garden to a pristine lawn with annual borders?

I am a keen gardener, but one of my best friends chooses to have a jungle as a garden and I really do not feel it would be up to me to tell them what do do in theirs.

A jungle is all very well, but when it damages my gutters because they are shared with theirs and their downpipe is blocked, and their ivy starts to damage my roof, enough is enough!

Their jungle and unmaintained gutters are affecting AlieOxon's house, so it is a safety issue. No man is an island, and neither is his garden unless the chaos stops at his boundaries.

Of course, if damage to your property is caused, that is a completely different kettle of fish. But if they want a bit of a jungle as their garden- PROVIDING it does not cause damage- that is surely their own business.

I just paid out 3K to have my gutters replaced and separated from theirs.

I am also worried about a 40' tree in bad condition which hangs over my garden.....Have no idea if anything will be done about that.

Take my word for it, granjura, the state of Alie's neighbour's garden is not simply 'their own business' because of the extent to which it impinges on her property. I very much doubt that they have left it to run wild from any devotion to wildlife.

Natural England recommends no hedgecutting etc during the bird nesting season, which, in England, is suggested to be between March 1st and July 31st, so you should be fine Alie

Thanks Anno- if it does cause damage to other properties, as said, it is very different. As a keen gardener I'd hate to live next to my best friend in the UK... as their garden is such a mess. But as long as it is kept to their side- I'd not feel it was my right to interfere.

Good luck AlieOxon.

From what I have read of this on-going nightmare, Alie's neighbour has brought the concept of "jungle" to a whole new dimension. Gardens can encroach on their neighbours' property, damage adjoining buildings, pull down fences, spread weeds etc to say the least and this is a case in point.It is not a case of a lovely wild flower meadow cum haven for butterflies! I do so hope this is the end of this particular nightmare for you Alie and that there are no unpleasant repercussions for you. They say good fences make good neighbours - in your case maybe a 20 foot wall or a 25 foot"death strip" might be preferable!

I would love a high wall, I could grow fruit trees against that.....
.....but unfortunately that boundary belongs to THEM and is a very untidy hedge, kept at 6' on my side and was out of control on the other until the workmen yesterday gave it a rough cut.

I am actually flabbergasted to think what they have let the ivy etc do to their house!

The people on the other side, in the next semi, have put up a high fence recently.

Oh yes, the workmen have arrived today about 8.30.

Hallelujah. Hope they do a good job for you Allie

Allie great news !! might they finish the job to-day ? do you think they may tackle the massive tree or will it be left as it is.Any sign of the neighbours to-day ? at least the property will be easier on the eye for you.

So far today they have filled the cleared bit at the back - which was 6' deep in dead branches etc - with another 6' pile of cut stuff, and I don't mean a little one. They are carrying on down the garden. Wilderness.

The front is clear except for the root of the pampas grass - that could be left, I hope. Oh, and the dead car. I guess someone else will remove that.
It looks very sad now it is exposed, it wasn't visible at all before.

Puzzlingly, there is a lorry at the front with a load of what looks like good earth.

You could put up a wall or fence as long as the footings are on your property not theirs.i it's only the boundary hedge whi is theirs not the boundary.

I think if they are doing the lot they won't finish today.
The lorry with earth has gone. I think they are now waiting for the shredder which dealt with everything yesterday.

Galen a) cost... b) difficulty of construction with a lot of large old hedge roots....would like to....maybe if I win the lottery?

Not a glimpse of the neighbours.

Maybe I should do the lottery!

Wednesday and I woke to the sound of the big shredder going on.....and on....

Don't you complain now!

I could not agree more, jingle!

NOT complaining. Just still sleepy and not yet dressed....

Going out to sing this afternoon!
They will have left when I get back. Dark.

Near where my DS lives was a house that was absolutely covered in wisteria. By covered I mean you couldn't see the front door or any of the windows. How the occupant ever got out was a puzzle. I even posted photos on Facebook because people didn't believe me and I wanted a few friends to see such a place. Last November I was staying with the family to look after the children, the house was on the route to school. There were workmen taking the wisteria down. Being a nosy sort of person I had a chat with the foreman. It turned out that the elderly occupant was in hospital, the house is a council house and the council decided to take advantage of the occupant being away to sort the place out. The foreman told me that the vine was growing on the inside walls as well as the outside, She obviously had a really nice garden at one time, judging by the amount of garden tools and really nice flower pots. My 4 year GD was quite disappointed as she always felt it was like Sleeping Beauty's castle.