Lawns overshadowed by neighbouring trees

We didnt like been overlooked so we put a high fence up .They than had their garden higher so we are still overlooked by them.They now have to go to their bedrooms instead of standing i garden
They also have no curtains or blinds up.They wsnted us to cut down our two trees at the bottom of garden i refused would have like more so not exposed
We are going to move but untill than anyone any idea what i can do about these weird people

Yes trees are beautiful and should not be cut down indiscriminately
The right tree in the right place. A huge parkland tree has no place in a small residential garden I think some folks don’t do enough research when planting trees for privacy in gardens.

Bluesmum, here, it costs £500 just to get the local council to come out and investigate, with no guarantee of success. It's my plan B - for when I can't manage the pruning any longer.

@Hetty58 I totally agree with you about cutting your neighbours trees. It’s really not fair to expect you to do that and I suppose you have to get rid of the rubbish too as your neighbours have probably declined the trimmings. I feel so cross on your behalf.
My neighbours eucalyptus sheds leaves all year round and ruined my pond. The leaves are toxic and they killed all the fish.

I’m surprised that you can grow ferns under trees, as the trees take most of the moisture from the ground.

Trees are beautiful and are so easily destroyed by people wanting them gone. Live with them not against them.

If you have problems with Leylandi hedges, or any other evergreen, check the High Hedges government legislation introduced in the 1980’s as part of the anti social behaviour act to combat this very problem. My neighbour and I used this very successfully after the builder of our bungalows had failed to get any co-operation from the owner of the adjoining land, where the border was a very long line of very, very high 30 year old Leylandi. The Builder had offered to reduce the trees to a reasonable height but the owner tried to get all sorts of “monetary compensation” deals so the builder just walked away knowing that we, as owner/residents would be able to get the local council to intervene on our behalf, which they did. We had to pay an administration fee of £150 each, And this vary over the country, but it was so worth it. The trees were reduced to just three meters high at the owners cost!

My neighbour had two trees next to our shared fence, casting a heavy shade onto my garden. After pleasant but failed 'negotiations', I decided I'd had enough.

I collected all the fallen bits from their trees and piled everything into my garden incinerator. I'd set light to it when they were enjoying their sun-filled garden. After a couple of these bonfires, they popped their heads over the fence to ask me why I couldn't wait until dusk to have the bonfire. I told them that I was only burning what was from their trees in my garden and that, if they wanted to, they could come over and collect all the bits from their trees and dispose of it themselves at dusk if they so wished. They didn't, so I continued with my bonfires. However, they did get the hint and the following year one tree was removed and the other cut down to a more sensible size.

I love trees but not when they are planted close to fences impacting on neighbours' gardens instead of their own.

Sparkling, apologies if I came across as unsympathetic. I should have said that people can grow what they like 'within reason'.

I've had problems too. I had one beautiful tree removed as my new neighbours objected to it's leaves on their lawn - although it was 60 feet away and only sent leaves their way in windy conditions. That cost me £520 as they made no contribution. I wouldn't do it again.

I have over 100 feet of a neighbour's Leylandii hedge to trim every year (up a ladder, in my old age) which I truly resent.

Leaf litter is only really a nuisance on lawns, though. Depending on wind direction, I get next door's (either direction) and they get mine. I gather it up with the leaf blower (which shreds in reverse) and put it in the compost bins.

I was delighted that most of the pink cherry blossom went away from my garden this year, for once!

I do sympathise! We had a lovely hedge at the end of our garden but the man who lived behind us moved & the new people never cut it. Jump forward 15 years & we now have HUGE fir trees there- at least 40' high & that sway in the wind to an alarming extent. Our vegetable garden was at the end of the garden & I grew everything you can think of as well as soft fruit. Now it is a barren waste as it gets no sun or moisture.
Some of the trees started to lean alarmingly & we got him to get a tree surgeon in to remove 2 of them but the others are just as bad. He says he cannot afford to get any more cut & keeps saying they will be moving soon anyway. My next door neighbour is on his case too but we are just hoping they DO move soon.
I should add that these trees cannot be seen from his house as he has an L shaped garden with the foot of the L being the bit behind us & it is only grass (which is never cut of course).

I used to have a tree in my garden. I didn't realise it caused substantial shadow in my neighbour's garden. They came round and we discussed it. They knew a tree surgeon and we agreed to share the cost of cutting it down. The tree surgeon agreed it was a lovely tree but in the wrong place. I have a bit more space in my small garden and my neighbours have the sun they wanted. If you can talk to your neihbours they may be willing to help.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 ?

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.