Neighbour's garden busting my fence

Since my neighbour, an elderly lady living alone, appointed a new gardener, her garden has been spilling into mine, literally, busting my fence in the process.

My fence is actually about 8 inches inside my garden, so she already has some of my garden on her side of the fence. I don't care too much about that, it's such a small slither that its not worth arguing over. However as a point of principle, it annoys me even more knowing this when I see my fence has been further damaged from her side.

Basically, the new gardener has filled her entire garden with pebbles to a depth of about 6 inches. He's used my fence to retain the pebbles, but of course as people shuffle weight about on them, they push against the fence and I've noticed a few boards have come off at the bottom and her pebbles have spilled in.

Its worse down the bottom end, where she has a raised up part, raised to about 2ft, and retained by guess what? Yes, my fence. So that section of fence is now literally leaning inward and several boards have come off.

The thing is I've lost my gardening mojo enough as it is, to see that I'm probably going to have to spend money and do work just to push someone else's garden back into their side and keep it there, it's just really putting me off.

I'm tempted to just tear the fence down and let her garden fall apart as it is no longer retained by my fence. What do we think?

The obvious answer is to go and talk to her, but I'm not sure I want to. I think she already hates me because I once, in 4 years of being here, had a fall out in the street with someone else entirely about something else entirely, and so I'm now known as a complainer.

 

I would pop in and have a chat is best ..... or next time the gardener is there have a chat with them and point out what happening to your fence.

"I'm tempted to just tear the fence down and let her garden fall apart as it is no longer retained by my fence."

I know it must be driving you crazy , but have a pause and think first, think if it was your mum and if someone who lived next door took the fence down, imagine the worry and distress that would create.
I think more the gardeners fault and cutting corners by not putting in something to retain the stones, as far as the lady is concerned she maybe doesn't realise what damage it is causing or has already payed and wont see the gardener again ?

"I think she already hates me because I once, in 4 years of being here, had a fall out in the street with someone else entirely about something else entirely, and so I'm now known as a complainer"

Prove her wrong and be polite , you have mentioned she is elderly so be a good neighbor , sounds as if the garden was becoming to much work for her and by putting the stones down would make it easier.

Spruce

 

its a nightmare isnt it! i had something similar! the neighbours hedging(if you can call it that more like trees!) had grown so far over into my garden that when we cut them back all the fence panels had been knocked down so now have to replace 12 fence panels! (it took 14 tip runs in a van to get rid off all the cuttings/branches too)so i had a word and asked if she could tell her gardener to cut right across the top as he wasnt doing so and it was all on her side now, thankfully she agreed. However its an ongoing job keeping them at bay! Its definately worth having a word x

 

Does your neighbour have any children that see her regularly, if you can catch them as they visit, then politely explain the problem with adding you don't want to worry their mum! As it could be that the children have arranged for a gardener to do the work rather than the neighbour herself.

@maria how come you took the branches/cutting down the tip? My understanding of the law, is that you can prune/cut back tree, shrubs ect that overs spill either by hanging or growing over your boundary line from a nieghbouring property/land, but any thing that trimmings ect has to be returned to the property/land owner as legally it remains their property..

Also if somebody's vegetation trees, shrubs etc damage your fencing or property they are liable for any repair bills in theory, I say theory as can see it landing in court before you stood any chance of getting a sniff at retrieving any money

 

I would definitely have a word with her gardener, how are you supposed to paint the fence? I think he should have put down some gravel boards on her side to retain the weight of the pebbles and stop them leaning up against your fence.

If your gardening 'mojo' doesn't come back soon perhaps a chat to your Doc.?

Val

 

ellen i dont think i worded it correctly . The parts that where growing over our side we cut back to the fence ie branches etc no cuttings where taken and i dont think my neighbour would have wanted the branches back it looked like wiseowls pics above

 

Evening all.

As much as I don't like that others have had to endure this situation, I am relieved to know that my situation is not unique.

I'll give some thought about what to do. I do actually like the old lady. She is a lovely woman. I'm sure we can sort it.

 

good neighbours are hard to come by x im sure it can be sorted x as much as ive had a nightmare i love my neighbour( also older) and i wouldnt dream of asking her for anything to replace the fencing x as long as her gardener keeps the hedges in order thats fine by me x infact we get on so well i pass dinners over the fence to her lol x

 

But not quite well enough to invite her in for her dinner

Joking aside, that's lovely. It sounds like it is you that's the better neighbour.

 

hahha she comes to us for christmas breakfast and her other neighbours for christmas dinner as for inviting her in , our house is fit to bursting with 3 teens and their boyfriends/girlfriends/friends!! open house here lol i feed everyone it seems!

 

Or you could be constructive, tear down the fence and then replace your fence and add concrete gravel boards at the bottom. This will take the wait and then you could place your fence panels on top out of harms way.