advice and opinions needed

I recently cut a huge honeysuckle bush back that was growing through my fence from my neighbour's garden. I trimmed it to my boundary as I thought I was allowed to. Problem is now the whole bush has died. I'm fairly certain I was entitled to trim this bush but am I now obliged to replace the whole dead bush or compensate him in some way?​

 

I bet the whole thing hasn't died. Honeysuckle is pretty tough. It will probably come back.

Has the neighbour said anything to you?

 

No, it was intruding over your boundary so you were within your rights to cut it back, its not your problem if its died, and its not certain that your actions caused its death, especially with the adverse weather we've been having.

I doubt if its cause of death can be ascertained.

As long as you return all the prunings to your neighbour you have acted within your rights.

 

You're fully entitled to cut back over hanging plants.Doubt your pruning would've damaged it,Lonicera are tough as old boots.
As for compensation,keep your money.
If he demands money,make a counter claim for your labour costs and equipment hire.

 

Hi all and thanks for the replies. My neighbour hasn't returned from his holiday yet so doesn't know. I haven't retained the clippings to return to him as I had no idea that was part of of the law. There were so many though it filled up one of those yellow one ton bags normally used to transport sand in. Guess there will be a few choice words when he comes back as he'd bound to blame me. Thanks to you all I now know with confidence I was entitled to do it and I'll just stand my ground.

 

I bet it will come back next year.

Perhaps it looked like it was dying and that's why you cut it back

 

Cheers to GC for this reassurance and good advice. Richoocap, there is so much knowledge here and always someone around to help. Try and stay calm and objective about it all when your neighbour returns,
Jenny

 

a) you were within your rights
b) never heard of cutting back causing honeysuckle to die - if it did too much of the plant was on your side anyway so he wouldn't have had much to enjoy
c) it will probably come back

Why not get in first, tell him that the bit on your side seemed to have died, you cut it back and thought of doing his for him but decided he'd better look at it as maybe the root area is OK.

 

My guess as to whats happened is this.

The honeysuckle, by its nature, had twining stems that cam in from next door into your side, then as they went along their way, went back next door. You cut the stuff on your side, which effectively severs the upper parts on their side from the roots, causing that part to die. As mature honeysuckle tends to be a tangled mess if not maintained, it would be very difficult to tell that that's happened, so it will just look like the whole lot has died, when in fact it almost certainly hasn't.

I'd suggest to the neighbour that this is what's happened, and that clearing the dead top growth will make way for lots of lush new growth.

Another argument in your favour (and the neighbour's) is this. Honeysuckle puts on a surprising amount of weight. There is one at my mate's house that had been neglected prior to my mate moving in, and in fact my mate took a couple of years to develop any interest in his garden. I'm not exaggerating when I say the honeysuckle destroyed the fence. The fence was simply crushed under the weight. I'm sure neither you nor your neighbour would want it to get to that point, if you see what I mean.

 

Once again, thanks for the excellent and friendly replies, I'm only an occasional user to this forum but of all of the forums I belong to for a range of interests, members here are by far the most friendly and enthusiastic in their replies.
@ Shiney, thank you for your words of encouragement but just to be clear, the honeysuckle on my side wasn't dead, I wish it was! I hacked it back because it was almost a foot and a half hanging over my fence and I just decided enough was enough!

 

Brilliant reply Clueless, maybe I should buy your user name off you as it describes me to a tee...