Neighbour complaining that our rose is weakening their fence

[jakesmith]

We are very cordial with our neighbours, They may be 100% correct in what they say, They’re concerned that our rose is weakening the trellis on top of their fence

In fairness it is quite bushy. I’ve spent 6 years training it along the top and would be a bit sad to cut it all off but we need to find a solution

Is there anything we can do to support the bulk of the weight in our side without looking rubbish? If we got some decorative wrought iron stakes and drilled them into the ground say at 2 foot intervals tight up against the fence to take the weight?

Or thining it considerably perhaps

Or do I need to just accept it’s too big and remove it apart from on our arch?

[paua]

Glyphosate is the solution.

[Andeh1]

Is the rose entwined within the fence, or just growing on top?

[jakesmith]

paua said:

Glyphosate is the solution.

Their solution perhaps if I don’t do anything!!

I’d like to keep it in some form but not at the expense of cordial relations with next door, Having read a million threads on here of people who end up falling out with neighbours, the relationship is more important than the rose!!

[jakesmith]

Andeh1 said:

Is the rose entwined within the fence, or just growing on top?

Just on the top trellis bit where I have mainly trained it on our side with garden wire

[essayer]

Your neighbours have been pretty tolerant, that’s probably enough weight to weaken the fence let alone the trellis on top. You’ll be miffed if it falls on your car one day.

I’d be cutting it right back to the arch, perhaps you could run a set of wires on supports your own side and run the rose along it, but I think that weight of plant atop that sort of fence is asking for trouble

[Tyre Smoke]

Looking at that pic, your neighbour makes a valid point. I think you're going to have to get seriously pruning. Which is a shame because it's a magnificent size of plant.

[Johnnytheboy]

My father's next door neighbours have grown a huge clematis Montana on his fence which has total overshadowed his veg plot.

I help out with the gardening for him, so I cut it vertically back to the fence on our side with a hedge trimmer.

Can't imagine their side looks that good now, given the way clematis grows.

[gmasterfunk]

It needs a trim but is a potential solution to offer to replace the trellis/ fence if it ever breaks, at your cost. It's a few panels and a bit of trellis not going to be much more than a couple of hundred. Is your enjoyment worth that much?

The rose will probably hide the trellis anyway

Or do they feel is blocking light/ view which cannot be solved by the above.

[bennno]

jakesmith said:

We are very cordial with our neighbours, They may be 100% correct in what they say, They’re concerned that our rose is weakening the trellis on top of their fence

In fairness it is quite bushy. I’ve spent 6 years training it along the top and would be a bit sad to cut it all off but we need to find a solution

Is there anything we can do to support the bulk of the weight in our side without looking rubbish? If we got some decorative wrought iron stakes and drilled them into the ground say at 2 foot intervals tight up against the fence to take the weight?

Or thining it considerably perhaps

Or do I need to just accept it’s too big and remove it apart from on our arch?

That badly needs cutting back. I don’t think neighbour being unreasonable.

[hotchy]

essayer said:

Your neighbours have been pretty tolerant, that’s probably enough weight to weaken the fence let alone the trellis on top. You’ll be miffed if it falls on your car one day.

I’d be cutting it right back to the arch, perhaps you could run a set of wires on supports your own side and run the rose along it, but I think that weight of plant atop that sort of fence is asking for trouble

My dads clematis took the entire fence down but the plant was too nice to loose so we managed to sort it, his however never had a nice car parked next to it just grass...

[BigMon]

gmasterfunk said:

It needs a trim but is a potential solution to offer to replace the trellis/ fence if it ever breaks, at your cost. It's a few panels and a bit of trellis not going to be much more than a couple of hundred. Is your enjoyment worth that much?

The rose will probably hide the trellis anyway

Or do they feel is blocking light/ view which cannot be solved by the above.

I was going to say something similar to the above. If you offer to replace the fence if it breaks, and they're happy with that then problem solved.

If they're not happy with that then it's going to have to be severe pruning or, as you've said, putting more support in. You would hope a landscape gardener or similar would have some ideas.

[jakesmith]

bennno said:

That badly needs cutting back. I don’t think neighbour being unreasonable.

Is it realistic to thin it out substantially but keep the length along the top of the fence? It’s taken so long to grow and the screening is nice

Neighbour isn’t concerned about the loss of light

I am not willing to take on responsibility for maintaining the fence though or risk my R8 getting damaged... would rather remove the rose.

Happy to remove it if needs be but preference is not to if there’s a solution

[greygoose]

We have a trailing rose and it grows by a couple of feet a year, you could trim a fair bit of it and maybe leave a couple of long branches and it should be ok.

[Bill]

If you both like the rose and are just concerned about the fence I'd have thought you could get a wrought iron support made up.

[motco]

If the fact that the arris is on your side is any guide, the fence is yours anyway. It is not a golden rule though.

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

My gut instinct on seeing the picture was that it is a bit excessive on top of that fence and I agree with your neighbour.

[steveo3002]

i had a much smaller bit along our fence and it ruined the fence , constantly damp and the added weight when its windy wont do it any favours

if its not your fence get it off

[Tlandcruiser]

Worst I’ve got an Audi R8 thread ever.



Cut it right back

[DozyGit]

Firstly you cannot legally use your neighbours fence to support anything.
Secondly I think if that falls you and car would be scratched
Thirdly solution is to have it grow on a pole, much nicer and safer