How is the conversation going to go?

Um, hello there, you seem to have leant over our boundary and cut the tops off several of my trees knackering the hedge thats been there for decades?

Or you could try being less of a cock in your approach and ask whether or not he actually did it. For all you know the former owners had a “tidy up” before they left which, given his apparent prowess with a trimmer vs the cack handed job and the fact he has several of his own satan shrubs isn’t entirely beyond the realms of possibility. Until you have a conversation you’ll never know, frankly your attitude suggests to me your neighbour possibly isn’t the problem. Try being a mature adult before making assumptions.

Photo attempt to show why I’m unhappy. One shot is me after trying to tidy up shaggy mess of what was a nicely matured square 6ft hedge. Second shot is from the side, which is hard to get to because of various thorny and spiky plants. Fence is new, and looks to be several inches off the original boundary line too so has a random kink in it. I know it is very diificult to prove exact boundary lines, and no details on plan who owns boundary. Had assumed it was me as the same as other fences which are mine, and the posts are on my side (I know this is not conclusive). Appear to be a couple of random older panels shoved behind the hedge / old shed. New panels are 5 ft and approx 2 ft from the trunks which are sawn off. Garden was gardener maintained previously so would have not left that mess all other hedges are lovely and well kept. Old shed is pretty big, over 2.5m and within a metre of the boundary, needs replacing at some point – hence the summer house idea. Parking doesn’t bother me massively, the annoyance is as the back of the van thing is backed right up to the kerb of our drive it is dicey pulling out and it doesn’t need to be with a bit of courtesy.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44108154@N06/33667172445/in/dateposted/

Which direction is the sun? I can understand why the neighbour did it if it was shading his garden. I too hate laylandii and if it was my garden the whole lot would be coming out.

sounds like your neighbour is a cockwomble tho

The hedge backs onto his concrete side alley so no plants there. There is a small window (toilet?) and door.

Sun comes up facing the hedge and goes theleft / top of the picture if that makes sense.

The massive leylandi in the background is in his garden on the boundary with our neighbour.

The larger hedge on the left has also been hacked, hence why it looks thin. I was planning on taking it a bit lower anyway, but not to 5ft.

Wife doesn’t want me to say anything. I really sad we had problem neighbours in the old terrace (of the shouty hitting each other type) was hoping we were moving into an area where everyone was much more considerate of each other. Appears I’m wrong.

So the hedge was shading his garden?

No, our hedge is along the side of the house where the drive / side access is which are all concrete. Our next door neighbour backs onto his actual backgarden. Where the massive leylandi is, so his own tree is shading his garden.

My assumptions is has taken the opportunity whilst probate went through to create more light for his concrete sidepassage and grab a few inches of land to make it wider. Anyways shade or not, you arent legally allowed to lean over and cut the tops of neighbours trees, if it wasnt him, it was someone who tresspassed onto his land to do it…

Why not grub the whole thing out? There’s a nice fence behind it after all, and it would give you a bit more garden.

Fair enough. I’d still take the whole lot out. Hateful things

My neighbours did a very similar thing to my hedge 🙁 well half of it as I caught them in the act and stopped them

I’d rip out the old ones and plant new ones. Web says they can grow 2-3 ft/year. So you could have your privacy back in a couple of years, max. Be sure to fertilize them regularly! 😈

And I’d build the permitted max size shed the min distance from the property line, too!

Plant some eucalyptus trees where the leylandi were 😈

I would go and see him and say….
“Hello Neighbour, I love your boat topiary.
Thanks for cutting down & clearing the horribly high hedge,it’s let loads more light onto the lawn! Would you mind if we cut down the very high leylandi on the left too? I think regulations state that kind of hedge should be kept at 2.5 m”
Then I would clear it and build a shed – maybe start a thread on the build… 😀

Nothing says “**** you, neighbour” like killing your neighbours Leylandii hedge

😈 😈

Personally, I think you should cut the other ones down to match. The foliate surface will regrow, and if kept trimmed at their new height will eventually fill out again.

Or, do the right thing, and rip the entire lot out, grind out the stumps and replant the hedges with Hawthorn.

Bamboo is also a good fast grower and screener that won’t grow to 40’s

Leylandi unless very well maintained (like spending your weekends not cycling ) is a nightmare… I’m just looking now and the one outside I cut last year has grown 4-5′ and can’t be trimmed to take less space (as in the circle it covers) as it would just be dead twigs.