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Gardening

Neighbour’s improvements and effect on my garden.

(29 Posts)
Nandalot Mon 07-Jun-21 21:49:19

My neighbour’s garden like mine is on two levels and we are bordered by a dyke. His lower level is a bit lower than mine and has in recent years been prone to flooding and apparently never really dries out. My lower level has never been flooded by the dyke. However, to counteract the flooding they have had hundreds in tons of soil laid. Their land is about three feet higher than ours now. They intend to put concrete gravel board to retain the soil. At first, I was okay with what they intended doing as I was so sorry for them. He had downplayed or I had misunderstood how much higher it would be. I am upset because although he said there would be two gravel boards and I think three will be needed and then they are putting a six foot fence on top to protect our privacy. They have been very open about their plans and keep reiterating if we are unhappy about anything to tell them.
I am so worried our lower garden will now be flooded when the dyke rises .
I also wonder that the higher level might mean that the water will drain/ seep into our side and make our ground boggy.
Finally, our ‘dell’ , as I call it, is more of a wild area and I think the gravel boards and the fence will not be such a sympathetic backdrop especially as it will be at least 8 feet high on our side.
Sorry, I know there are no real answers and we shall have to live with it but I just needed to vent!

CafeAuLait Wed 09-Jun-21 10:59:18

Nandalot. That's a shame. :-(

Nandalot Fri 11-Jun-21 09:07:06

Garden update. Well they have raised our garden by though we are still below neighbours. However, I am still upset because they used a differ bucket to dig up the turf to save the snowdrops so when they replaced the turf it is very uneven to walk on. ( I am not sure that they even really tamped down the soil they put in to make it firm). I nearly tripped in a hollow when I went down to look yesterday. I feel I can’t complain because neighbour says it has cost the neighbour a lot for this work on our garden and I don’t want to cause him more grief. I think we shall have to wait till spring when snowdrops are flowering. Dig them up in the green and actually prepare soil properly and reseed and replant snowdrops. I just want them to be finished now, they are doing the path but I dread them asking me if I am happy because I am not.

CafeAuLait Fri 11-Jun-21 09:28:50

Yes, you can complain. If he hasn't had the job done properly, he hasn't upheld his end of the bargain, They need to get someone with a roller to get it more even. I really hope the soil is compacted enough or you might get more issues as it settles.