Well, our neighbor has actually TOLD us to trim his hedge.

[Blessedfamily]

The next door neighbor despises yard work, as is painfully obvious from the tall grass. He is actually the owner's nephew. The owner works away, and comes home once a month, which is the only time he cuts the grass. (I think she gets on him.)

 

Well, the bushes have spread out over my yard, and I have to go under them to mow my grass. (Think tight suburb plots of land.) There are too many snakes hiding under bushes around here, so I finally asked DH to ask the guy to trim them back.

 

Dh comes to me a few weeks later and says, "Oh. The guy next door says you can go ahead and cut the bushes back if they're in the way. No problem."

 

Now, the guy is nice, and I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic: He simply hates yard work. I told DH I'm not cutting anybody's bushes, and I don't know why he (DH) thought that was OK.

 

This happened late last summer and the issue is getting worse.They're now quite a few feet over where I need to cut.

 

Would you have done it?

[Impish]

Let Wolf mow them over while doing the lawn. I'm referring to the offending parts on your property...mow over them rather than under.

[MariannNOVA]

The next door neighbor despises yard work, as is painfully obvious from the tall grass. He is actually the owner's nephew. The owner works away, and comes home once a month, which is the only time he cuts the grass. (I think she gets on him.)

 

Well, the bushes have spread out over my yard, and I have to go under them to mow my grass. (Think tight suburb plots of land.) There are too many snakes hiding under bushes around here, so I finally asked DH to ask the guy to trim them back.

 

Dh comes to me a few weeks later and says, "Oh. The guy next door says you can go ahead and cut the bushes back if they're in the way. No problem."

 

Now, the guy is nice, and I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic: He simply hates yard work. I told DH I'm not cutting anybody's bushes, and I don't know why he (DH) thought that was OK.

 

This happened late last summer and the issue is getting worse.They're now quite a few feet over where I need to cut.

 

Would you have done it?

 

 

Mr and Mrs Scissorhands (my next door neighbors) will certainly do it - I see you are in Virginia as well -- send me the address.......you'll recognize them instantly!

[myfunnybunch]

I wouldn't do it either.

 

I'd wait until I saw the owner and mention pleasantly mention to her that the hedges have become a nuisance, and would she mind trimming them or getting them trimmed.

 

I'd also be prepared to offer the names of a couple of decent yardwork companies who could take care of the hedges. If you're up for it, let her know you'd be happy to get estimates and make the arrangements if she (or her nephew) is willing to pay.

 

Reminds me, I need to mention to our neighbor that I'm having a hard time seeing around her bushes when I back out of my driveway. (But she's got a yard guy who tends her yard really well and probably doesn't realize that the bushes are sticking out too far, so it shouldn't eb a problem.)

 

Cat

[MariannNOVA]

I wouldn't do it either.

 

I'd wait until I saw the owner and mention pleasantly mention to her that the hedges have become a nuisance, and would she mind trimming them or getting them trimmed.

 

I'd also be prepared to offer the names of a couple of decent yardwork companies who could take care of the hedges. If you're up for it, let her know you'd be happy to get estimates and make the arrangements if she (or her nephew) is willing to pay.

 

Reminds me, I need to mention to our neighbor that I'm having a hard time seeing around her bushes when I back out of my driveway. (But she's got a yard guy who tends her yard really well and probably doesn't realize that the bushes are sticking out too far, so it shouldn't eb a problem.)

 

Cat

 

My neighbors are looking to add to their resume!Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm:D

[coffeefreak]

If a neighbor's plants or trees are in my yard, I take care of them. I don't ask permission because it's MY yard. I also don't expect them to come into my yard and trim.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

[In The Great White North]

Well, the bushes have spread out over my yard, and I have to go under them to mow my grass. (Think tight suburb plots of land.) There are too many snakes hiding under bushes around here, so I finally asked DH to ask the guy to trim them back.

 

Dh comes to me a few weeks later and says, "Oh. The guy next door says you can go ahead and cut the bushes back if they're in the way. No problem."

 

Now, the guy is nice, and I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic: He simply hates yard work. I told DH I'm not cutting anybody's bushes, and I don't know why he (DH) thought that was OK.

 

I was under the impression that, legally, he couldn't just come into your yard to trim your side of his bushes and that you can't make him trim your side of his bushes, but that you were allowed to trim them to the property line.

[Jean in Newcastle]

If a neighbor's plants or trees are in my yard, I take care of them. I don't ask permission because it's MY yard. I also don't expect them to come into my yard and trim.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

 

:iagree:

[Blessedfamily]

:lol: I'm looking out the window now, and it's a mess. The original owner had put a climbing vine with tiny red roses on their side of the fence, which was absolutely adorable. Now it looks like a giant green afro. How can a vine be all over the place and up in the air????? And it wrestling the big green bushes in front of it.

 

They look like they're doing a suplex move on each other- I kid you not. This must be some rough suburb when even the bushes are fighting. :glare:

Edited May 3, 2010 by Blessedfamily

[SonshineLearner]

My mom had the people next door agree where the property line was, and put up a string. They had planted trees and other such things that were WAY on her property! So, then she took the pruners and cut everything on her side. She told them when they were planting that they things they picked would end up on her yard, and they were sure of themselves that they wouldn't. I have to say... soon... they'll fall into the neighbor's yard, because of how much they had to be cut back. Oh well... can't say they weren't warned!!

(You are allowed to cut anything over your property line... at least in the places I know of...)

 

:)

[Blessedfamily]

If a neighbor's plants or trees are in my yard, I take care of them. I don't ask permission because it's MY yard. I also don't expect them to come into my yard and trim.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

 

Now the problem is the bushes will have to chopped back HARD. I think the woman who owns the house would be mad if she comes home to that.

[Renee in NC]

If a neighbor's plants or trees are in my yard, I take care of them. I don't ask permission because it's MY yard. I also don't expect them to come into my yard and trim.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

 

:iagree:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Now the problem is the bushes will have to chopped back HARD. I think the woman who owns the house would be mad if she comes home to that.

 

So what are your priorities here? Despite my stories in other threads about severely boundary challenged neighbors, the goal most of the time for me is to live at peace with my neighbors. And to be a good witness. So for me in that situation, I would take care of the bushes in a way that I would want them taken care of if they were mine (on my side anyway). You know, the old "do unto others" thing.

[Sputterduck]

I was under the impression that, legally, he couldn't just come into your yard to trim your side of his bushes and that you can't make him trim your side of his bushes, but that you were allowed to trim them to the property line.

 

 

This. They can't come on your yard. And it's your job to trim something that's over your property. Right?

[Blessedfamily]

So what are your priorities here? Despite my stories in other threads about severely boundary challenged neighbors, the goal most of the time for me is to live at peace with my neighbors. And to be a good witness. So for me in that situation, I would take care of the bushes in a way that I would want them taken care of if they were mine (on my side anyway). You know, the old "do unto others" thing.

 

 

This is why I sent Dh over to talk to him last year before they were this far out of control. It just goes against my nature to cut back someone else's bushes, even if I have the legal right. Plus, the lady who owns the house seems very..."no-nonsense." I didn't want to break the peace.

 

Still, there's really nothing to do but trim them back.

 

This is complicated by the fact that he's single and stays to himself unless he comes outside to wash his car. I know my other neighbors well enough that this wouldn't be so touchy.

[MariannNOVA]

This. They can't come on your yard. And it's your job to trim something that's over your property. Right?

 

That is my understanding. Something else to consider -- hacking at a shrub with hedge trimmers or whatever they are called does take a certain amount of, ummmmmmmmmmmmm, knowing what one is doing. There are things about the shrub to be considered, such as: where do the blooms or leaves cease to exist on this living plant.......and where does it start to look like a bunch of sticks with no growth at all if one cuts incorrectly.

 

I am not giving my neighbors 'right' in any way, shape, or form.....they had to walk over onto my property to cut - none of my shrubs were on their property - not overhanging, not overgrowth, nothing....they clearly trespassed. BUT, I don't think they had any idea it was going to be as horrid as it is -- I think they kept cutting in an effort to 'fix' a mistake that continued to grow. When dh pulled into the driveway, they were caught red handed on our side of the property (the only way to reach the shrubs) with the tools in their hands. In our case, these people needed to mind their own business.

 

That being said, that is clearly not the case in your yard. Trimming overhang is quite different than what happened here.

[OnTheBrink]

From what I understand, if a neighbor's hedges/trees/whatnot hangs in your yard, it's your job to trim it, not theirs. For example, we used to have neighbors who had an apricot tree. One branch hung over the wall, into our yard. The fruit was ours; it was in our yard. Right now, I have a tree that is trimmed on my side of the fence, but it has branches that go way into the neighbor's yard. If a branch that hangs on their side falls off and damages their roof, it's their problem, not mine, because the branches hang on their side of the fence, thus sayeth the homeowner's insurance folks.

[MariannNOVA]

From what I understand, if a neighbor's hedges/trees/whatnot hangs in your yard, it's your job to trim it, not theirs. For example, we used to have neighbors who had an apricot tree. One branch hung over the wall, into our yard. The fruit was ours; it was in our yard. Right now, I have a tree that is trimmed on my side of the fence, but it has branches that go way into the neighbor's yard. If a branch that hangs on their side falls off and damages their roof, it's their problem, not mine, because the branches hang on their side of the fence, thus sayeth the homeowner's insurance folks.

 

Yup -- my sister had a neighbor whose huge tree fell on ds and bil's house - crashed through walls of glass in their Florida Room - what a mess. ds' homeowner's insurance had to take care of it - it was not the neighbor's responsibility at all.

[Blessedfamily]

I went out and took a closer look. As Mariann rightly says, it will affect how the tree flowers. (I tried to take a picture, but it's very fuzzy. )

 

Anyway you can see how the bush is all sticks in the center, and the flowering is at the end of the branches. If I cut it back, it will be "all sticks", no leaves

on my side.

[MariannNOVA]

I went out and took a closer look. As Mariann rightly says, it will affect how the tree flowers. (I tried to take a picture, but it's very fuzzy. )

 

Anyway you can see how the bush is all sticks in the center, and the flowering is at the end of the branches. If I cut it back, it will be "all sticks", no leaves

on my side.

 

'Won't you please, won't you please, please, won't you be......my neighbor?'

[Blessedfamily]

I'm just going to go out and trim them. If she comes home and curses me out, I'll post an update. :D

 

I know it must be close to time for the owner to come back into town, because he cut the grass.

 

Well, off on a safari to the jungle next door.:patriot:

[MariannNOVA]

I'm just going to go out and trim them. If she comes home and curses me out, I'll post an update. :D

 

I know it must be close to time for the owner to come back into town, because he cut the grass.

 

Well, off on a safari to the jungle next door.:patriot:

 

 

:patriot:He'll have your back!

[Tap]

If it is close in time for her to come home, I would wait to ask her first. She is the property owner not the nephew. Legally you can cut them, but it sounds like you would like to be considerate as well.

 

If you want to talk to her sooner, maybe you can ask him for her phone number.

 

She may prefer to have a landscaper trim them.

 

Can you just trim them back lightly for now and get more aggressive as time goes by? I wouldn't want the eye sore on my side anymore than the bushes.

 

Can they be pruned from the ground up, so that they aren't a hiding place for snakes?

[Blessedfamily]

I went out and trimmed, trying to be very careful, but rushing to do it before the nephew got home. I trimmed just high enough for the mower to clear, but then had to trim the branches that were poking me in the head too.

 

I was acting like a thief, because my 6yo kept saying, "You can't do that. They're not your bushes!" Plus, I could hear the trash truck coming, and I wanted him to take the bag of branches (evidence) away.

 

Well, the garage door opens and who backs out but the lady! :lol::lol:

 

I nervously waved and said, "Uh, my husband spoke to your nephew about trimming the bushes....." She said, "It's not my nephew, it's my son. If he gives you permission, then that's fine."

 

She was actually very nice. And now I have permission. :D

 

And now for a bath. I'm soaked.

[MariannNOVA]

I went out and trimmed, trying to be very careful, but rushing to do it before the nephew got home. I trimmed just high enough for the mower to clear, but then had to trim the branches that were poking me in the head too.

 

I was acting like a thief, because my 6yo kept saying, "You can't do that. They're not your bushes!" Plus, I could hear the trash truck coming, and I wanted him to take the bag of branches (evidence) away.

 

Well, the garage door opens and who backs out but the lady! :lol::lol:

 

I nervously waved and said, "Uh, my husband spoke to your nephew about trimming the bushes....." She said, "It's not my nephew, it's my son. If he gives you permission, then that's fine."

 

She was actually very nice. And now I have permission. :D

 

And now for a bath. I'm soaked.

 

WOW!:)

[coffeefreak]

Now the problem is the bushes will have to chopped back HARD. I think the woman who owns the house would be mad if she comes home to that.

 

That's the tough thing about plants. They don't know where their place is! What a dilemma!

 

I read the other thread about the neighbor that cut the privacy hedge that WASN'T on their property, and it made me glad that every yard in NM has a fence.

 

"Good Fences Make Good Neighbors"

 

:grouphug:

Dorinda

[coffeefreak]

I was acting like a thief, because my 6yo kept saying, "You can't do that. They're not your bushes!" Plus, I could hear the trash truck coming, and I wanted him to take the bag of branches (evidence) away.

 

 

:lol:

I have a HUGE rosemary bush in my front yard. A friend was leaving my house one day and cut a branch off to put in a stew for dinner. I had already gone back inside, and she knew I wouldn't care because we had talked about how nice it is to have a rosemary bush for cooking. However, her dd badgered her and cried because she had "stolen" my rosemary. She called me that night to "apologize." All I could do was laugh:lol:

 

Glad you settled things with your neighbor!

Dorinda

[babysparkler]

Mr and Mrs Scissorhands (my next door neighbors) will certainly do it - I see you are in Virginia as well -- send me the address.......you'll recognize them instantly!

:smilielol5: