Help on getting rid of this bush.

Hi all

I'm a newbie and I thank you very much for letting me join the forum.
I have a problem with a neighbours bush ( I think that's what it is ) growing from a side entrance and now covering mine.
I have chopped it back every year the bits that come over to my side,but without the roots being destroyed it just grows and grows.
I've tried asking the neighbour but have been ignored. I took the final drastic step (which I didn't want to do) of phoning their letting agency ( house is rented ) and asking if they could do something about it. I explained that it is growing down a side entrance, supposed to be used for access to the property and that I couldn't use mine anymore as it is blocking the gate.
The letting agents response was that it was the tenants responsibility to take care of the garden not theirs. The problem is the tenant my neighbour does not do anything about it.
Can I take steps to get rid off it and if so how would I go about it please?
I have attached some photos of the front and back of the entrance to allow you to see my problem. Also some photos of the stems of this plant on the neighbours side which get larger every year.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

 

Hi,

Normally one has to say that its illegal for you to do anything to plants on other folks property other than trim back anything that overhangs your property.

What we did recently with a very tough and persistent bramble invading our gardens , that had its original roots in another overgrown and untended garden, was to just water on to its leaves, some of this strong brushwood killer, worked a treat; just looks like its died back in this fierce heatwave
Vitax SBK Brushwood Concentrate Killer 250ml | Wilko

 

It looks like an elderberry to me. Probably seeded there by a passing bird. A quiet spray of Round Up or the Vitax as Ricky suggests should solve the problem.

 

Thank you very much for the advice,it's much appreciated. Their garden is actually full of the stuff. This bothered me because I can't use my side gate. Will that stuff kill it all because it has trunks like small trees?

 

Would suggest you do not cut off any branches/leaves at the moment, water or spray as much of the leaves as possible with the treatment and leave it alone for at least a week for it to be drawn into the plant which should work its way down to kill the roots.

You may have to do a second treatment for a large plant, but follow the bottles instructions, also read them regarding not using if rain is forecast soon.

Hopefully all the leaves will shrivel up and you can then clear your path/gate of the remaining branches on your side, though the main trunk and branches on their side and take a year or more to decay, might not look good, but its theirs on their side.

PS - when using such products always best to wear rubber gloves, goggles and even a face mask when doing large areas with a watering can/rose or sprayer.

 

That's definitely an elder. They're basically weeds - as Nigel says, birds drop the seeds, and then they grow all over. I've killed enough of them over my time gardening. :/

Weedkiller certainly works. You may need a couple of hits to fully kill it, given the size. You don't want to let it get any bigger though, otherwise it'll damage the fence.

Re the letting agency, the question of who does the cutting-down is not your problem. The letting agency is responsible for handling complaints from neighbours. If they want to pass the problem to the tenant instead of doing it themselves, that's up to them. It's unusual for tenants to be responsible for major gardening work like this though.

And if the agency are being crap, the next step is to ask for the owner's contact details and go to them directly. The fact that this will damage their property should get their attention. Most letting agencies are a waste of space and don't care, but landlords have an interest in their property being sound.

 

Thank you Graham. I agree the letting agency just seems to be passing the responsibility. I naively thought they might do something as this was blocking off my access,not just a complaint about an unruly garden.
The neighbours have actually lived in that house for 13 years rented and never done 1 bit of gardening. They mow the lawn possibly twice a year ( well there's not much grass just weeds).
The garden has lost a 1/3 of it's space as shrubs and bushes have grown in height and width. The elderberry is all over their garden now and of course is spreading beyond their patch into mine.
The air vents in the eaves of their house, both front and back have been pecked out by birds and birds have been nesting in them for the last 7 years. This year they finally managed to pry one of mine open as there was no more room at the inn and I have a nest ( waiting for them to go before I block it up). Seriously I counted 15 birds going into the back of the house ones at just one time. I tried growing my own herbs and a few vegetables but I've had to give up as the amount of bird poo landing all over them every day was just too much.
I'd resigned myself that there was nothing I could do if that's how they kept house but blocking my access just is a step too far.
Sorry for the rant, I'm just very frustrated lol.

 

I don't think that it's a elderberry, it's a ash tree, I've seen them around here a lot they grow very easily. You can get a root killer that you drill holes in the trunk and pour it in. Don't know the name though.