New Hedge (Or a fence it seems)

[Dibs-h]

Oh, I see. The wall looks about 1ft thick and the trees appear quite tight against the wall? Which suggests that the school should have left branches about 1ft long sticking out from the trunk to be in the clear? Looking at the growth it would all have been old (brown) growth?

Yes on both counts. Although in some places it would have been almost 2' that should have been left.

 

[matt]

In principle what they did was wrong but dare I even suggest that in practice 1ft (or even 2ft) of bare dead branch would not have made the slightest difference? Had the trees been regularly pruned back to the boundary line then there may have been some foliage there but they're so tight for such a tall tree it's highly unlikely.

 

[Lons]

It's strange but my experience over many years and 4 houses with leyllandii hedges is that for no apparent reason, there are times when they will regenerate from "brown" wood. I can't explain why but it has happened several times to me including 1 very "dead" 4 ft tree which I transplanted and is now healthy albeit after some 5 years.

My current house has a front hedge of alternate green and gold which is at least 25 years old. It had grown to well over 4 metres and I cut off 1.5 metres a few years ago although it is heavily trimmed every year.
It took 3 years for the top to fill in (hedge is 2ft thick) but it is now solid.

I also trimmed one end of the hedge back almost to the trunk to accommodate a widened driveway and that plant has now completely regenerated.

Strange :?

Only part which it seems always stays bare is the base of the trunk.

 

[Dibs-h]

Didn't bother going round this morning - thought that I've been very reasonable & neighbourly in going round on Friday afternoon\eveing and bringing it to the Head's (& owners) attention. She said she'd get back to me today - so lets she how that goes, before one goes all heavy handed.

I spoke to some fencing folk about the following type of stuff,

I've seen it in green - so with what's left of the trees behind it (i.e. on their side rather than mine) - should be hardly noticeable.

Initial costs seem to be around £75 per linear metre installed and as we have somewhere around 15m of the stuff that will need installing - ouch! That's based on using one of those micro-digger type of things with an auger on the end. Obviously it will require a site visit to get a quote.

It will be interesting to see if I can find many companies to quote.

 

[wobblycogs]

Maybe I'm just being thick but I don't see where you are going to install a fence. I'm guessing you want it between the trees and the wall but wouldn't that risk under mining the foundations of the wall while the posts are being installed? I'm assuming that's the same not terribly stable wall that you had to support in the workshop build thread. Also, surely any little toe rag could stand on the wall and, step over then fence then climb down the tree?

One option I suppose would be to get a reel of barbed wire and nail it to the trunks of the trees. If you are worried about liability perhaps just use mesh instead for example the green stuff on this page http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Heavyweight-12-gauge-2.5mm-wire-diameter-c-86.html. Would be a heavy weekends work but should only cost about £250.

 

[Dibs-h]

Maybe I'm just being thick but I don't see where you are going to install a fence. I'm guessing you want it between the trees and the wall but wouldn't that risk under mining the foundations of the wall while the posts are being installed? I'm assuming that's the same not terribly stable wall that you had to support in the workshop build thread. Also, surely any little toe rag could stand on the wall and, step over then fence then climb down the tree?

This is at the bottom of the garden - not the side where the workshop is located. The School Playground is substantially lower than our garden - Picture 1, I posted was taken from the school playground, so only the top 2' or so of that wall shows in our garden - whereas from the playground side - 6 or so feet of it is visible. If the panels are 8' tall then even stood on a 2' max wall - would make scaling that kind of fence rather difficult.

As with all things - if someone wants in - they'd get in, it's just a case of trying to persuade them to go somewhere else (unfortunately).

One option I suppose would be to get a reel of barbed wire and nail it to the trunks of the trees. If you are worried about liability perhaps just use mesh instead for example the green stuff on this page http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Heavyweight-12-gauge-2.5mm-wire-diameter-c-86.html. Would be a heavy weekends work but should only cost about £250.

I half heartedly (more like from a sense of frustration) mention something similar in the other thread - and look where that one went?

I won't be lifting a finger other than using the gate or unlocking the gate so that whoever does the job can get in and out. The private primary School's contractors butchered the trees - so they might as well pay for the fencing.

 

[Lons]

I don't envy anyone trying to dig post holes among the roots those tress will have put out!

I think it would be almost impossible to dig to any depth by hand - I've tried!

I regularly hire 2.5 - 3.5 tonne diggers and often the little micros for ground works and foundations.

Going rate for the micros is around £60 - 70 plus VAT per day. there would be delivery on top - don't know cost as I collect with my trailer.

They are very easy to operate and a lot of fun as well although I've only once dug post holes with one and that was using a 300mm trenching bucket.

 

[big soft moose]

I don't envy anyone trying to dig post holes among the roots those tress will have put out!

.

too right - when ive done it in the past ive use a power auger but it isnt easy and also doesnt do the trees much good.

one option would be to get the school to put the fence on their side - ie between garage and wall up to the height of the pruning - but that is likely to be prohibitively expensive

the alternative would be a four strand or whatever barbed wire fence behind the trees on your side. Despite comments on the other thread given that the kids have a wall and a line of leylandi between them and the wire i cant see it being much of an H&S threat. - you could then grow dog wood or whater ornamental you like inside the wire to hide it from your view.

and a third option would be to fell the leylandi completely and replace with a fence - maybe projected out on its posts to be in line with the wall edge to make it virtually unclimbable

btw soulfly is talking out of his proverbial orifice (no major suprise there) pyracantha is as clasic hedging plant, but i dont think it will survive under the leylandii - though of course you could go the fence behind route as above and then put a pyracantha and/or berberis hedge beyond that fence to both hide it from your garden and also to provide a tertiary barrier.

 

[Dibs-h]

I don't envy anyone trying to dig post holes among the roots those tress will have put out!

.

too right - when ive done it in the past ive use a power auger but it isnt easy and also doesnt do the trees much good.

one option would be to get the school to put the fence on their side - ie between garage and wall up to the height of the pruning - but that is likely to be prohibitively expensive

the alternative would be a four strand or whatever barbed wire fence behind the trees on your side. Despite comments on the other thread given that the kids have a wall and a line of leylandi between them and the wire i cant see it being much of an H&S threat. - you could then grow dog wood or whater ornamental you like inside the wire to hide it from your view.

and a third option would be to fell the leylandi completely and replace with a fence - maybe projected out on its posts to be in line with the wall edge to make it virtually unclimbable

btw soulfly is talking out of his proverbial orifice (no major suprise there) pyracantha is as clasic hedging plant, but i dont think it will survive under the leylandii - though of course you could go the fence behind route as above and then put a pyracantha and/or berberis hedge beyond that fence to both hide it from your garden and also to provide a tertiary barrier.

Haven't heard back yet from the school - you know how most teachers treat parents in the way they threat children? I suspect it's a bit of that Johnny Neighbour is winging - make the right noises and he'll get over it. She's in for a shock!

I don't want to fell the Lyandii - I suspect the noise from the PLayground will be unbearable. :evil:

It would be so much easier for them to put the fencing on their side between the garage and wall - but with them having built almost right up to it and ending up with the guttering (not fitted yet) over the wall - it would almost be impossible.

Barbed wire - I did think about running it between the trunks, sort of figure of eight between 2 trunks, but obviously most of them - but would probably cut myself to ribbons! But even if it's behind the trees - (i.e. my side of the trees) - Why seriously inconvenience myself - for the selfishness\illegal actions of another.

Would it be possible to fell the trees, fit the fence and plant something that may come already at a height of say 1.5m tall? I suppose if the fence posts were just my side of the trees - but projected out to the wall - as it would be a post every 2.5m, this would be ok. A bit more growth and I wouldn't really see them and they wouldn't pose a problem for my children playing in the garden (at some point).

The problem is going to be there will be tons of roots for say a 2' radius of the trunks which will cause issue no matter which way one goes.

 

[Dibs-h]

Update: Rang the School - the Head's only doing a few hrs here and there due to recovery from a knee operation. so spoke to the Deputy Head.

Pointed out what has happened - aka trespass & criminal damage to the trees. Not to mention the coping stones have been dislodged on a fair part of the wall - I did point out that if hit by a football or something and then fell on a child, the School would be looking to me, whereas the damage has been caused by their workmen.

Did throw the bit in about - happy to give permission but must be requested in advance, might need to agree matters in writing, take pictures or engage a surveyor to ensure no further damage takes place. This being being related but separate to dealing with the damage caused thus far.

Looks like they may well arrange a meeting between the School, me and the Project Manager - that'll be fun.

She did say she was going out to inform the workmen not to continue with any work that may have to be done on\near the wall.

If an Auger (portable or on the end of a digger) was used how much damage would it likely do to the trees if holes were dug every 2.5m for fence posts, fairly close to the trees?

 

[matt]

Is the security risk as real as I'm intepreting from this thread? You say the main purpose of having an enourmous barrier is to make a would be thief go elsewhere but, as things stand, they'd have to be in the school playground and climb a 6ft wall. Are most other houses in your area better protected?

 

[Dibs-h]

Is the security risk as real as I'm intepreting from this thread? You say the main purpose of having an enourmous barrier is to make a would be thief go elsewhere but, as things stand, they'd have to be in the school playground and climb a 6ft wall. Are most other houses in your area better protected?

Let's put it this way - if they've been once, most folk say that you'll be targeted again.

Fair point - ordinarily I might say sod it - but part of me thinks why should I? The School's workmen have butchered the trees - reducing the almost impenetrable (previously) barrier , bar the last corner (which has now been addressed) to almost ineffective, to make their lives easier. And no doubt either save the School money or make the job more profitable - so why lie down and take it?

A lot of nearby houses are usually occupied during the day.

 

[matt]

But if they'd worked within the limit of the law you would still have only had some 1 or 2 ft bare stumps. Hardly impenetrable? In some respects their mistake has played in to your hands. You stand a chance of getting a fence out of them.

 

[Dibs-h]

But if they'd worked within the limit of the law you would still have only had some 1 or 2 ft bare stumps. Hardly impenetrable? In some respects their mistake has played in to your hands. You stand a chance of getting a fence out of them.

If you look at the 1st photo I posted -

the several to the left have been trimmed back to the wall and there's plenty of greenery left on them - whilst the majority to the right have been cut right back to the trunk.

Bit simplistic I know - but if they'd trimmed all the trees back to the wall - I suspect the almost all would have plenty of greenery left. Believe me before there wasn't much of a chance of getting to the wall from my garden, going thru the trees - so probably as little coming the other way. Now a doddle.

I just could do without the headache - I have enough from the workshop, home and the garage yet to be done (& it's basement). :evil:

 

[matt]

The ones to the left look like they're overhanging the wall but quite a bit - enough to interfere with the building if the same were true in that section too. But that's just the photo. I guess you have to have seen it in reality too.

 

[Dibs-h]

IIRC - they were more or less flush, a few inches in places if that. But will make a note to have a good luck. Either way - I suppose it's just a case of wait and see what develops.

Damn shame I didn't spot the butchering a week ago when the roofers were on with the outbuilding's roof. Putting a halt to that would have been interesting. :shock:

I was expecting a call yesterday, didn't get one, told would get one today, but as the Head leaves around 16:00 - not likely today. Just wondering whether they want to try and get the work finished and then discuss - will have another look this evening and see if they've done any more work. If no contact by Thursday - then will either write to them myself - or perhaps get a solicitor to do it. Haven't got time to muck around, and reasonable only goes so far.

 

[dazarooney]

Some useful advice in here, saved me the research