@beesneeds- You sure got it! Even if i liked the natural look (I do to a point) we don’t have much property at the beach! Maybe I’m ultra considerate yet I wouldn’t want my ignorance to be a neighbor’s problem. Just seems selfish to me.

I guess a question is did you raise your concerns about this tree 9 years ago when they planted it?

It is just a different aesthetic. Many do not like overly manicured or heavily pruned gardens. Or a minimalist landscape. It is merely a personal choice.

And shade trees are planted that overreach property lines everywhere. It is not necessarily that those who selected and planted them don't know the mature size (some do not) but that was not an overriding factor in their choice. Unless the tree drops bugs, sap/honeydew or produces messy fruits that fall, most neighboring homeowners have little issue with a tree canopy that extends over their property line. It is just a fact of residential life. Leaves can blow in from anywhere.....doesn't have to be right next door!

@beesneeds - That is rich as I bought the house 3 years ago. I’m not their babysitter:)

So the neighbors planted a tree they liked 6 years before you moved in. Ok.

@beesneeds - You are clearly not understanding the concern & problem. At the end if the day their property can be covered in vines completely. The issue is the lifelong expense I have to incur by their like. It would be considerate if they pay half. They will not. They do not own my lot; I do and must care for it appropriately. Why the snark here? Are you the type that gets a positive jolt trying to argue with total strangers? lol

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) - I completely agree being a different aesthetic. We all have our own tastes & styles. Thing is this tree will surely reach my house. I don’t enjoy that aesthetic and it will be dangerous as my two cars are right underneath this tree. I clean them constantly as this tree is the culprit.

I must be missing something. I don't doubt you, Julie, when you say the problem tree is a white birch but the tree I see in both your pictures is a Tree of Heaven (ailanthus something or other -- an invasive scrap tree with its own problems.)

I'm picturing the old white birch at my grandparent's cabin up north. It was huge but not wide, and I've very rarely seen specimens as large as it was, anywhere else.

Are you allowed to build a carport?

Just was making sure I understood clearly the timeline of the tree situation. The neighbors planted a tree years before you bought the house. They could have had someone move in that was happy about the tree. Turns out years down the road it was someone that is not happy about the tree.

I don't think it's selfish or inconsiderate to plant something one likes on their property without factoring in if someone years down the road might move in next door and not like what they planted.

If you want to get trimmed what hangs over the fence, then that's on you, and not something they should be going in on paying for- after all, they might not really like or want the tree trimmed as much as you want it done. So you are likely going to have to foot the bill for what is over your property. Also, maybe check into having a carport or perhaps car covers to help keep leaves off your cars. Even with tree trimming right over your property, trees can still drop leaves and they blow around.

@nickel_kg - Hi there. There is a white birch tree and a HUGE weed that grew into a tree! I spoke to my neighbor and still waiting on the result. I legally can cut anything over my fence line. To avoid do so every two years, the tree people suggested cutting one of the three trunks it has. Cut it back a bit and it woukd fix the problem for five years. I did think of a carport but they are illegal to put up where I live. I would get a very nice modern one, not a junky tent looking thing yet i simply am not allowed. I still don’t wamt the tree growing to touch my house. If I had to file a claim on either one of my cars, I’d be extremely angry. Wouldn’t anyone? Do you think this is fair? I just took this shot now. The left side is my house, taken in my backyard/my fence.

@nickel_kg Is this fair?

It is well within the neighbors' rights and certainly not unfair. And it might take decades for the tree(s) to "touch your house".....if it ever does.

"I legally can cut anything over my fence line."

With some caveats. You cannot legally do anything that would cause permanent harm to the tree. And the cost of whatever you do to what overhangs your property is on your shoulders. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) Appreciate your take but the neighbors agreed to cut it where it doesn’t pose a problem for me. The tree guys told me it would grow to my house so that wasn’t my personal opinion. Mature white birch trees can be 50 wide so yes, it could reach my house. I was feeling frustrated with the situation but worked it out by being reasonable and fair-minded. I wouldn’t cut anything without their permission (cut some branches already) and wouldn’t take the advise of anyone but a tree professional.

Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts and some sharp commentary. It all worked out.

Paper birch can grow to 70' tall and 50; wide but rarely achieve that size in a cultivated setting. And they tend not be very long lived. They are especially susceptible to bronze birch borers, which has decimated their numbers in gardens as well as in the wild where they are considered endangered in some areas. A "lifelong expense" or concern is overstating the issue rather dramatically.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) - No drama here lady. Going by what the tree guy said. If the tree will die because they have a lifespan I would like to know more info. My neighbor would be devestated as she planted it in honor of her sister who died. I googled that white birch trees last 80-140 years. Pretty sure you’d be dead by then or at best, this thread.

I'm glad it worked out, Julie. Too bad your zoning doesn't allow carports, but not much you can do about that. Personally I love trees and my neighbor has a few that overhang my fence and I am most grateful for them. But, they don't overhang my car, so that makes a difference!

I'm familiar with the birch borer problem Gardengal mentioned, it's what ultimately killed my grandparent's tree. Apparently there is at least one new-ish cultivar of white birch that is highly resistant to borer. If you talk to your neighbor, maybe she'd remember what specific kind she planted, and you could google that variety. And also, keep in mind that many trees grow fast when they are young, but then slow way down. So even if your neighborhood birch manages to live a long time, it could be many decades before it reaches its full spread -- if it's even the type that's likely to live a long time. Continued good luck :-)

(oh and if you talk to neighbor, see if she's aware of the tree-of-heaven and the spotted lantern fly issue. It's spreading along the east coast and threatening all sorts of agricultural crops. Devastating to wineries. Tree-of-heaven is one of the pest's host trees.)

@nickel_kg - Thank you for your kind answer. I have a good relationship with my neighbors and if I didn’t, I wouldn’t achieve the same results. I will mention this issue because I’m sure she has no idea. If it wasn’t over my cars, I highly doubt I would care yet I don’t want any trouble or an insurance claim to drive up my rates. As much as I love trees, I would never plant something willy nilly with the caveat of ”too bad for you”. That’s like blasting your stereo saying, ”Well, hot damn, I like it!” being fully legal just under a noise ordinance. Courtesy; it’s a dead character trait.

Julie, have you actually asked your neighbors about their garden aesthetic preference, and if they will pay for half the tree trimming? Or are you asking us to use our spidey senses to figure out why your neighbor does these things?

@ShadyWillowFarm - I know you are trying to be cute but I am on good terms with my neighbors. I am certain that they would not contribute so I don’t bother asking. They would have offered. I have great intuition yet I simply asked why people like the overly natural look. I’m not the only one who thinks my neighbors aesthetic is messy. Right now i could care less as I have a solution to a problem.

I’m sorry there has not been much understanding for your pain but I do. It’s inconsiderate to plant a 30-40 ft wide tree a few feet from the property line. Your neighbor now has half a tree that they didn't pick or want to maintain.

Our front yard has a very wide mesquite tree a couple feet from the side fencethat throws litter on a daily basis. pods, leaves and branches are always raining down on our rock mulch and not only make our yard look unnkempt but are dangerous if not cleaned up. These twigs and branches have very stout 1 1/2 thorns that will happily penetrate the sole of a shoe. We took down a Eucalyptus in their yard with permission that’s roots were destroying the masonry block fence between our yards and then we paid to have CMU fence fixed.

i don’t blame my neighbors who did not plant these big trees so close to the property line of a half acre lot that had plenty of space to be planted furtther away from the fence but i do wish people would be more considerate of those living next to them when planting the perimeter of their yards.

Well, in answer to your first question, there are very different styles of legitimate gardening out there. I once watched a documentary on tue personal gardens of Prince Charles and surprisingly, he really loves the unmanicured and very natural style of gardening. To many, his gardens would look messy, although they are maintained by a whole staff of gardeners and are visited by many gardening lovers. The style is natural abundace with structure. My husband loves the manicured look and I, the more natural, so we comprimise somewhere in the middle. Your neighbors may be gardening like that to purposefully attract wildlife ”critters”. I plant things specifically to attract native insects, bees, butterflies, birds and bats, all of which I‘m very happy to see. We do have squirrels and chipmunks, but thankfully a local hawk plus the neighbors’s dogs keep them in control. And I don’t welcome the deer! We live in firmly suburbia, by the way.

@mojavemaria - Thank you so much for what you’ve written. I appreciate different tastes & styles yet if something is affecting my property it’s a different deal. I came on this thread sincerely to understand a few things yet got some surly answers. I alwsys consider myself considerate and glad someone understands that!

@Cecily Grace zone6— A good natural look yes, has structure but no exact architecture to it. Some beach homes have this look and it’s gorgeous. Many think their landscaping is such but without a speck a structure, it could look extremely messy, esp. if the chaos is not maintained. I remember reading a great article on a country home and its ”organized chaos”. You have to have sn artful eye for that. There IS a difference:)

Yes, that is true, one does need structure to hold it all together. And I have seen yards with shrubs really overplanted that did not look inviting but just crowded and unpleasant.

@Cecily Grace zone6 - exactly. I am on good terms with my neighbors. They showed me some pics of their vacation to South Carolina and it was this beautiful somewhat tropical paradise. I think they wanted that ’look’ but didn’t meet the mark. Their property is .0999 acres (4356 square feet) and mine is .06 acre (2614 square feet). Both of our properties are not big, not even one acre, not even 1/2 acre if the original issue is put into perspective. Does this give you an idea? From my second floor (right & left side).

Oh my! I don’t think a lot of people realize how much work goes into the lush gardening look. Especially with exotic invasive plants everywhere, if you dont keep a sharp lookout, soon it’s just overgrown junk plants everywhere, making the space unusable.

The penultimate photo isn't a lush garden or a wildlife garden. It’s a collection of junk infested with non native bindweed, Calystegia sepium. As far as I can see there is no landscaping and no gardening going on there. Just neglect.

@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK - I concur. I only have so much property so a more modern/manicured look works very well for me. I was horrified to see the other side of the fence when discussing the tree. It is worse on ground level on their side. I got so much grief in this thread i had to post a visual. The other side is rotted vegetable plants, more vines/yikes. To add, they own a house across the street on the beach they will probably sell for over a million. Hopefully my frustration was somewhat legit? ☺️

I think a lot of the impetus behind the earlier responses was because the situation was not very well defined. The question revolved around a gardening aesthetic - groomed/manicured versus loose and naturalistic. And concerns about the overhanging tree(s). It wasn't until the OP posted the last photo that the actual situation became apparent. This is not a garden under any definition but a property filled with junk and debris and allowed to go feral. There is no issue of "gardening aesthetics" here at all but simply an unmaintained and neglected property filled with weeds and debris.

Had readers been aware of this situation at the outset rather than focusing on questions of aesthetics and overhanging trees (really a non-issue), then no doubt the responses would have been different and certainly more sympathetic.

Yes, most of this thread has been based on a red herring. The situation wasn't at all what people were imagining in the absence of sufficient information. The bindweed and junk patch wasn’t explained.

Always like your scenes, Christopher. Here’s my organised chaos. Much of the greenery at the sides and back belongs to the neighbours, and I’m very grateful to them for it.

Very nice floral_uk. That scene pulls you in and makes you want to go exploring. I always try to pay attention to the potential of borrowed landscapes.

I have to say, Julia, that your attitude towards many of the responses has not been very receptive and in some cases, not even polite. Comments that were made were based primarily on missing or faulty info to begin with, which you then treated mostly with contempt. Had you been a little bit more forthcoming to start, the responses would have been more tailored to the situation and therefore less necessary for you to be so harsh with your comeback responses.

You get what you give.

Your neighbor’s backyard is not “natural-style landscaping.” It’s just neglected. It was disingenuous to act like this was ever about a difference of landscaping style preferences.

That’s not a preferred gardening style, that is mayhem.

@ShadyWillowFarm - I always thought their ’gardening’ was a train wreck yet I sincerely was asking & perhaps gave them too much credit in the ask.

For whatever it’s worth, a professional aborist said the neighbor’s tree WILL grow to my house. To trim it effectively it will cost $1,200 every 3 years. For all the know it alls, your help was trumped by a pro.

... or a borer might trump the tree! ... in any case, the tree itself will have the last word on how far or how fast it attempts to grow. I hope someday you get a neighbor who cares about the yard, that level of neglect (letting non-native invasives take over) is sad and does no one any good.

"You cannot legally do anything that would cause permanent harm to the tree".

Not so. You can cut ANYTHING overhanging your property. You are not responsible for the error in landscape design of your neighbor. Been there. Done that.

But you can probably find a better solution by talking to the neighbor.

When I bought my house, my neighbor turned out to be an old friend, which was awesome. He had planted a river birch way too close to my back yard, and though it was not really an issue for me yet (other than all the yard mess every time it got windy) he planned to have it cut down. Well he ended up moving before he had it taken out darn it. The new neighbors were nice enough, but not really into yard stuff, and never even noticed when one of the trunks grew to within a foot of the top of my fence. And the cleanup had become horrendous as well, never mind the gutters that were continuously filled with river birch leaves. I called a tree-trimmer and got an estimate on taking out that one trunk (it was growing at a sharp angle straight over my fence). I then took the estimate over to them and asked if they would consider paying for half of the cost of removing that trunk (and of course I explained why). They were completely agreeable, and we had it done the next week. Once THOSE neighbors moved, several years later, the next neighbors had the tree removed completely. I was thrilled.

@Chessie - I have to admit I am upset about the price it will take to trim their tree every 3 years. The roots will affect my driveway too.

Julie, For what it's worth, I think that price is absurd. I just had my massive willow oak trimmed heavily (raised the lowest branches by about 10 feet), severely trimmed another front tree, and lightly trimmed an everygreen that is next to the house. All of that was $750. I would find another tree guy or two to provide estimates. Also, I doubt you'll have to do that every 3 years.

BUT, as to those roots - yeah you can have those removed. I would do that in a heartbeat when they get close. You can inform the neighbor or not, but it is YOUR right to control damage to your own property.

https://answers.uslegal.com/real-property/neighbor-relations/16575/

"You cannot legally do anything that would cause permanent harm to the tree".

"Not so. You can cut ANYTHING overhanging your property."

Check the law, It varies slightly by state but in virtually ALL cases, YOU (the neighbor) are liable if any attempts to control the tree or its spread results in its death or any serious permanent damage. "You have the legal right to trim tree branches up to the property line. But you may not go onto the neighbor's property or destroy the tree itself. In almost every state, a person who intentionally injures someone else's tree is liable to the owner for two or three times the amount of actual monetary loss. These penalties protect tree owners by providing harsh deterrents to would-be loggers."

"For all the know it alls, your help was trumped by a pro."

And once again we have a decidedly unpleasant comment from the OP :-( Since there is no way for her to know who is a landscape professional or not or exactly what their experience and skill set is, she is making some very erroneous assumptions. And her professional arborist is also taking her to the cleaners. An infrequent pruning job - canopy thinning or branch reduction/shortening - should not cost anywhere close to $1200. That is what is charged here for a full tree removal!

I never said anything about going onto a neighbor's property and directly injuring the tree there.

If the neighbor willfully refuses to deal with a nuisance plant that impacts YOUR property, you can have it cut right to the property line. If it then dies, you are NOT liable. If there is a state that would find you negligent for doing this, hell, I would move, but I have never heard of one.

If what you do on your side is serious enough to impact the health of the tree and cause its death - like cutting roots - then you most certainly ARE liable!! And that's true in pretty much any state that I am aware of.

btw, you don't get to decide what is a nuisance tree or plant or not. That is also spelled out by state or municipal statutes.

@Chessie - I can definitely get someone cheaper yet after an extensive conversation with the arborist, cut incorrectly I will have a worse scenario. I really need a tree pro not just a guy that trims trees. I can get other estimates of course. Maybe it’s just CT prices. Sigh😔

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) - I'm sorry, but that is not the case. At least it is not in my state. By nuisance, I meant this:

A nuisance is a substantial interference with the right to use and enjoy land, which may
be intentional, negligent or ultrahazardous in origin, and must be a
result of a defendant's activity. If a nuisance interferes with another
person's quiet or peaceful or pleasant use of his/her property, it may
be the basis for a lawsuit for damages and/or an injunction ordering the
person or entity causing the nuisance to stop or limit the activity.
Abatement of a nuisance may involve elimination of a nuisance by
removal, repair, rehabilitation or demolition.

Julie, yeah I would not get "a guy who just trims trees". In my area, there are a ton of tree specialists that do this work. The one I hired IS a certified arborist, and every single one I called for an estimate has that certification. Definitely make sure you get someone that knows what he is doing!

And FWIW, I can't see where trimming that tree will have any negative impact on it. ESPECIALLY if it is a river birch. Those things will take a HARD CUT and not even blink.

@Chessie - I think a few more estimates are in order with that certification! I wish more people handled things fairly & with concern as I always try to do. Doing so keeps the peace & avoids lawsuits! lol

Packed in like sardines on the beach in Connecticut. Connecticut? What's the point? You can't even get in the water. The beach is supposed to have palm trees not birch trees.

It's always been about the tree and nothing but the tree hasn't it Julie. That tree pro must love you. Got trumped by a pro. Ha ha.

My whole family lives at the beach - with palm trees.