Lawns overshadowed by neighbouring trees

Not to lawn which does not like shade, and as trees are living things you will get all the seasonal movement.

If I were you I would think laterally and give consideration to everything that likes shade or at very least dappled shade. Perhaps with a terrace? There are masses of plants you can choose from.

Treat it as a project to plan during lockdown. I can happily plan a garden project for hours if not months?

We had the same. They cut the beautiful beech tree last summer. The reason? After 5 years of monitoring and consequent anxiety, it was decided that the tree was causing subsidence to our house. Extreme, but effective!

I have allergic hay fever too - particularly bad in the tree pollen season. I'm surprised that you seem unaware of just how far it travels in the air. Next door's trees make little difference.

It's hard work trying to have a lawn in shade. Why not work with the conditions (instead of against them) and have shade loving plants and shrubs - or a little woodland of your own?

Your neighbours have an equal right to grow what they like in their own garden.

We had a corner like that and we solved it by having a pond put it and a fernery (ferns seem to thrive in damp shade and only need cutting down once a year).

You also have the right to cut overhanging branches off and hand them back.

tut went too soon, we and two other neighbours had bother with the back neighbours conifers overhanging the fence and path(you were lucky not to have your eyes poked out),we asked the neighbour if they would cut back , they said yes but never did, we asked would they mind if we cut them back, they didn't mind that either, in fact I think they were quite pleased.

Do these trees actually overhang the garden? It doesn't sound like it. Perhaps a paved area and shrubs? And ferns?

I love the shady area under my own trees. I have a bench there and can sit comfortably on the hottest summer day in the refreshing cool shade. I have three lawns to look after. Yes, they look good but really they're too much hard work - and pretty boring too. One is destined to become a gravel garden.

We have a similar problem with a cedar tree which is in our garden but has a protection order on it. Tried a gravelled area where grass wouldn’t grow but that filled up with debris and looked tatty after a couple of years. RHS suggested wood chip with acid loving plants. It gradually disappears and needs adding to most years but looks neat and quite attractive.

If it were me I think I’d go with turning that bit into a wild/woodland garden, as far as poss.

I do sympathise with the mess, though. As well as several mature sycamores just behind us, we have a very large beech tree in a corner of our very small garden - I do love it but there’s a lot of clearing up, even now, with all the ‘bits’ off the leaf buds, constantly blown or trodden in all over the carpet!

The tree was there when the house was built in the 60s and is protected, so we have to get permission even to thin it, which is v expensive anyway. It overhangs a neighbour’s even smaller garden and they’ve been very unhappy about it, including the noise made by squirrels eating the beechmast in autumn (!) and dropping the shells everywhere.

The tree officer said he’d permit a certain amount of thinning but it was going to cost £££ - we offered to go halves but neighbour didn’t want to pay so that’s that. It’d only need doing again in a few years anyway.

bikergran, your neighbours sounds like ours. They planted Leylandi all around their garden, including along our back fence. Awful things, they killed pretty much everything on that patch plus as they grew, we ended up with almost all our garden in shade by 3pm. One year they agreed to take a foot off the top. I asked if I paid could it be 5 ft and then kept at that level. They agreed but of course didn't keep the level but were happy for me to pay every year. I'm so glad I did because the Leylandi at the other side of their garden are taller than their house now.

Sorry Sparkling I went off on a rant then and didn't say how sorry I am you have to deal with this. As others have said it's up to each individual what we grow in our gardens but it's selfish imo to grow trees that overshadow and in the case of leylandi leach goodness.

Ima64 that sounds like a good comprimise (and no falling out)

I paid for the cutting down of my neighbour's offending Leyalndii. They were cut down to 12 feet high and stumps now are rather nicely ivy clad.

I have shady trees of my own. I simply keep the bare earth clean of weeds where desired. I quite like rotting leaves.

I wonder how many of us pay to keep our neighbour's leylandi at a height that doesn't spoil our own gardens. Awful things, come the revolution they'll all be chopped down!

Some people don't like plants which are naturally untidy beings. I like plants including long grass and dandelions. My garden is an amazing jungle with some patches of daisied long grass, and three sun traps that I use at different times of the day as the sun circulates round the sky.
I never sweep up leaves except for the small yard outside back door where I hang most of my washing.

I am blessed with near neighbours who take no interest in their garden and let their grass grow long and don't complain about my blossom trees.

Iam64 I have a single Leyland cypress in my garden which was pretty big on our arrival at this house 20 years ago. It is now truly beautiful and a lovely shape but it is a tree not a hedge. It means we can’t grow anything below it but this doesn’t bother us unduly.

Our neighbours however have redesigned their garden and put a bench/seating feature exactly where the shade falls mid-afternoon. They did this three years ago and have since commented on the shade it casts at least fifty times. In the warmer weather they can comment two or three times a week because they like to sit on their bench for afternoon tea.

Eventually, last autumn I got quotes for its removal. They will not move their bench back to where it used to be.
The cost will be between £1,000 and £2,200 depending on various factors it seems.
I have told them this and they expect me to “go halves”.

The problem with this is that it’s only my neighbours who want it removing. It’s actually a very attractive tree in my opinion and would be a loss to me.
I thought I was being generous in offering to remove it. I’m really not happy about spending up to £1,100 for the loss!

Thank you for all your helpful suggestions, it is such a shame when your life is made miserable by a selfish neighbour.
Hetty can I please comment on two points you made.
I am quite aware that tree pollen is is the air, it is the job of clearing up the constant mess that I object to.
The other point that people are allowed to do what they want in their own garden yes, up to a point. This person planted trees on the borders both sides of his garden. One tree spreads out over 4 gardens. The others all fighting for space have all ended up completely over mine and the neighbour the other side. Preventing us from having the garden we want, he planted Leylandi to divide from his neighbours at the front of the property. The neighbours had to have lights on permanently as it was so dark. They grew higher than the house. They took the telephone lines down, he was presented with a huge bill, he denied having ever planting the trees, the neighbours were asked, they said they were his and he had refused to cut them down. He denied all of it. In the end the trees were cut down completely whilst he was on one of his two month holiday breaks. He did not foot the bill. He is a thoroughly unpleasant person. He speaks to no one and this is a friendly road, that is why I have stayed here so long. All anyone expects is a little consideration an to be a good neighbour, we all need to get along.
I love seeing different gardens and what people do with them. He had a solicitors letter to the house next door as he didn’t like a tree they planted. It came to nothing.

lawns well grassed areas that require mowing are a pain
not knowing how large the area is, I would imagine a wild garden,, area.... lovely area to play with and find different plants
but then I like wild gardens!

I have a similar problem with a huge protected beech tree at the back in my neighbours garden. I only have a small garden. I have a love hate relationship with this tree, it is protected. Sadly the people in the house have moved out and it is now empty . Three years ago with their permission I got planning permission and an arborist trimmed it as it was close to damaging my roof. In the winter it sheds 100s of thousands of seed pods which then pop up in my garden in the spring and now that the leaves are coming out my garden is covered with a thick carpet of little leaf pods , it’s a full time job clearing up the detritus from this vast tree. I live it being there for the wildlife and the shelter but would just appreciate it being maintained as it’s driving me crazy ?

If the branches are overgrowing your garden then you have every right to cut them back to the boundry line but you have to return them to their garden. Best to tell them though that its what you are going to first.

We are overshadowed by huge conifers. They make our kitchen dark. They get them trimmed yearly but dont take down the height.

By 4pm I have enough sun to place one chair due to my selfish neighbours having an enormous eucalyptus tree which they agreed last year to cut this spring. We out a new fence up as their conifer hedge had damaged the old one and I need secure fencing to keep my dogs in. Their conifer hedging is at least 12 feet high and one has grown much much higher. These also shade my garden. I think they are incredibly selfish that they except my husband to climb on ladders with an extended hedge trimmer to cut their trees or to pay for those trees to be cut.
The deeds to our houses state no fast growing trees to be planted within 6 feet of the boundary and theirs are within 1 foot. The eucalyptus I can touch the trunk over the fence. If they don’t trim it by the autumn I will invoke the deed ruling and force them to remove all of them.

If I were you, I would check out the laws regarding this. Here in Malta we have the right to pick fruit from trees overhanging out property, and to cut off branches that annoy us, if the owners won't.