# Overgrown garden anyone?



## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

A month ago I bought myself some gardening trousers, gloves and tools and set about clearing weeds and brambles from my front garden. I'm on the corner at the end of a cul-de-sac so there's only my immediate neighbours to notice. I spent a whole weekend cutting stuff down and shifting the cuttings to a pile in my back garden. It's a right pain because the brambles have grown through from our next door neighbour's garden and the previous owner of this house stupidly planted bamboo. :? Most of it is done now, as it's the right time for cutting back and crap for bonfires in the rain!

The very next morning I received a letter from the local council to say that someone had complained about the state of my front garden. They gave me until a deadline to get it sorted. My wife sent them quite an unrestrained email to point out that it's not illegal to cultivate blackberries in Lincolnshire as far as we're aware and that despite this being private property we have already sorted it. We know who made the initial complaint, and they have since moved out. Same neighbour who complained about all of the other lovely people in our street.

I received another letter today saying they could see I had cut back vegetation and thanking me for my co-operation. :!: They are giving me three weeks I must clear the remaining cuttings.

So here's the question: What the actual fuck! I nearly picked up the phone and gave them an ear bashing, but decided instead to email them a carefully worded response as follows:



> Mrs *********,
> 
> I received your letter today about my private property at ********. I can assure you that I performed the clearance of a large amount of plant growth of my own accord. I was not acting under any obligation set down by yourself. I was almost surprised to receive your previous letter the week after I had undertaken a lot of garden maintenance.
> 
> ...


What do you reckon? Is there some Lincolnshire legislation I've been unable to find that says I can't leave garden cuttings to die back in my garden until I'm good and ready to clear it?

Piss take below this line please:
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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Easy piss take...

Gardening trousers FFS, surely just wear old jeans?

Do you have car washing trousers? Window cleaning trousers? Going shopping trousers?

Back on topic, pretty sure council can demand you clear if overhanging public footpath but not if on your land. How about walking round local paths and keep sending council mails every time you see an overgrown bush or shrub?


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

The gardening trousers I wore over my jeans so my Levi's don't get ripped.  
I initially cut back the brambles because they overhung outside my property. As far as I'm aware, nothing inside my property boundary is of any concern, unless it's a bonfire, an abandoned car, a barking dog or a floodlight?


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Pugwash69 said:


> As far as I'm aware, nothing inside my property boundary is of any concern, unless it's a bonfire, an abandoned car, a barking dog or a floodlight?


Councils have legal powers to request residents keep their land/property in a tidy condition and can issue fines. It's not a case of your property, your rules.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Can you point me at any legislation that states this? I searched for a long time and found nothing.

I must stress that I am currently clearing my front garden as I plan to make it all nice, but I object to the council sending me ultimatums with deadlines. Especially a deadline of December 22nd when I will most likely be indoors getting pissed!


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Have a look at Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Thank you!

For now I feel like telling the council to fuck off. The next three weeks are the busiest of the whole year in retail and I'm not going to be outside in my special trousers in this weather.


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

But special gardening trousers... Get you


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Hey, they have lots of pockets, with zips.


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## jamman (May 6, 2002)

I've never known anyone have as much trouble with "big brother" as you do Pugs.

All hail Pugs the "anarchist" our very own "Citizen Smith"

"Power to the people......."


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Pugwash69 said:


> Hey, they have lots of pockets, with zips.


Fair enough mate, lots of pockets AND zips... :lol:


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

RSPCA
police
garden nazis
skunks

:lol: :lol:


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## Otley (May 15, 2013)

Any pictures of the trousers Pug?
Been looking for some 'multi zipped pocket general maintenance' sort of strides!


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

I'll go one better and post a link. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121400346387


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## Skeee (Jun 9, 2009)

"Action Trousers" eh?

Does this explain why you're always taking action against someone?


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## Cloud (Sep 4, 2012)

Those are mighty fine trousers if you don't mind me saying so. You've just had me and my husband in hysterics, we're both crying! :lol:

Can't offer much help on the council problem though I'm afraid. :?


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## Tangerine Knight (Jul 25, 2010)

Bear grylls would be proud to wear them


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## t'mill (Jul 31, 2012)

They're actually called action trousers too!


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

t'mill said:


> They're actually called action trousers too!


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Well you can't fight city hall.. . . But you can crap on the steps and run like mad!

Alexei Sayle

Do the action trousers have a back flap?


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Pop down the town hall wearing your action trousers, I'm sure they'll agree to your demands.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Pugwash69 said:


> What do you reckon? Is there some Lincolnshire legislation I've been unable to find that says I can't leave garden cuttings to die back in my garden until I'm good and ready to clear it?


Have you checked your deeds? It might state a specific height/distance from any road/foot path/pavement for vegetation.

I'm living in a house with "open plan" garden. As set out in the deeds, my garden hedge must not be any higher than 5 ft. Any hedge has to be 1 yard away from from the pavement and I'm not allowed to erect a 'solid' fence there. The same goes for my neighbours of which one had to remove a bed of tall plants that was too close to the perimeter. Other neighbours had to remove their solid fences. This was enforced by the local council. 
Could it be similar in your case?


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## jamman (May 6, 2002)

You could always look after your garden in the first place :wink:


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

jamman said:


> You could always look after your garden in the first place :wink:


Which is great fun and very theraputic 8) 
[getting my coat]


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## jamman (May 6, 2002)

A3DFU said:


> jamman said:
> 
> 
> > You could always look after your garden in the first place :wink:
> ...


I agree although the same can't be said about chasing a rabbit around the garden for 90 minutes because the liddle furry fecker decided she didn't want to go back in her VERY large enclosure.

Jasmine (rabbit) stew if she does it again......


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

There is no clause in my deeds about my garden, the same as there's no legislation about growing wild plants. I don't even think the council would go as far as getting a legal copy of the deeds to my house?
I suspect you missed the part where I described me clearing my garden prior to receiving the letter? It's one of those jobs I was already doing, but obviously I object to the council telling me to do it when I'm busy and they have no authority.

I've had no reply to my email so far. If I get a letter I'll be very surprised.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

Pugwash69 said:


> I suspect you missed the part where I described me clearing my garden prior to receiving the letter?


Yup; I read this before I posted my reply


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

A3DFU said:


> Pugwash69 said:
> 
> 
> > I suspect you missed the part where I described me clearing my garden prior to receiving the letter?
> ...


Get a special pair of 'reading trousers' they will help


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Good point. Also if you get taken to court by the council, make sure you wear your legal action trousers with well prepared briefs. :lol:


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## YoungOldUn (Apr 12, 2011)

There are obviously specially designed trousers for all occasions


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## Lollypop86 (Oct 26, 2013)

Well this has been an interesting read......seems you draw all kinds of attention lol

J
xx


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

For anyone interested in our garden, rather than my awesome trousers, the council haven't replied to my email.They have't sent us another letter either. I might even get time to clear the cuttings in the front garden if the weather holds off, but this is only of concern to myself!


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

Pugwash69 said:


> For anyone interested in our garden, rather than my awesome trousers, the council haven't replied to my email.They have't sent us another letter either. I might even get time to clear the cuttings in the front garden if the weather holds off, but this is only of concern to myself!


time to dig out the action trousers then,.. do you keep them in a glass case in a secret room like batman?


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Pugwash69 said:


> For anyone interested in our garden, rather than my awesome trousers, the council haven't replied to my email.They have't sent us another letter either. I might even get time to clear the cuttings in the front garden if the weather holds off, but this is only of concern to myself!


Won't your special gardening trousers be a bit hardcore for just clearing cuttings?

Maybe you need a new pair of special trousers just for clearing cuttings?


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## Samoa (Apr 4, 2014)

Suggestion.

Go round the county photographing say 20/30 areas which are in far worse condition than yours that have been like it for yonks.

Go visit the council & ask to see evidence they have taken in these areas... & see if they've been so active

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Samoa said:


> Suggestion.
> 
> Go round the county photographing say 20/30 areas which are in far worse condition than yours that have been like it for yonks.
> 
> ...


Just make sure you have your photographing trousers on. Makes the difference...


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## misano03 (Nov 21, 2014)

Man I was laughing at this, gardening trousers, and you ride bikes as well, thought you would have been a bit more you know, manly, as grease and bike maintenance go hand in hand... :lol:

Back to subject, it doesn't matter by the sound of things as the person you suspect who made the complaint has moved, hurrah... 8)


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Well it's been 2 clear months since the council's previous letter and they haven't sent another one. I noticed that my immediate neighbour has also chopped all his brambles back and they're still on the ground. I might pop around and compare notes.


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

So put on those gardening trousers as the gardening season has started already.

I'll give my hedge a quick cut at the weekend before the birds start building their nests [smiley=wings.gif]


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## jamman (May 6, 2002)

Pugwash69 said:


> Well it's been 2 clear months since the council's previous letter and they haven't sent another one. I noticed that my immediate neighbour has also chopped all his brambles back and they're still on the ground. I might pop around and compare notes.


It might well be them that reported you


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Nah they live through the wall. If they had anything to complain about it's my home cinema


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Does your neighbour have special gardening trousers, or is he behind in the fashion stakes?


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

Pugwash69 said:


> Nah they live through the wall. If they had anything to complain about it's my home cinema


Maybe they like your taste in music and film.

Do you have a special pair of home cinema trousers with extra large pockets for stuffing popcorn and hotdogs in


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## JesseJames (Feb 18, 2015)

I'm actually going through a slightly different situation to yourself.

I live on a new build estate in the old show home. There is a massive sign in my front garden but so they don't have to pay me for having the sign the deeds were modified to show the section of land on the far side of my path is "common land".

But they don't maintain it and even tried to put it into the purchase paperwork that WE would maintain it (I got that removed).

I've had letters from the council saying the bushes are overhanging the path and I have to remove them to which I kindly informed them that it's common land and as such their responsibility.

We are very close to having the whole estate built and once that happens I will be applying to the local council to take ownership of the land.


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

JesseJames said:


> I'm actually going through a slightly different situation to yourself.
> 
> I live on a new build estate in the old show home. There is a massive sign in my front garden but so they don't have to pay me for having the sign the deeds were modified to show the section of land on the far side of my path is "common land".
> 
> ...


Next time we get some wind just make sure it blows down :lol:


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Would be a real shame if someone 'stole' the sign one night then, or pulled it up and dumped it on the pavement. Would imagine it would be developers job to clear it away as well if that happened


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Pugwash69 said:


> Well it's been 2 clear months since the council's previous letter and they haven't sent another one. I noticed that my immediate neighbour has also chopped all his brambles back and they're still on the ground. I might pop around and compare notes.


So what was the outcome? Did you wear your chatting trousers on this occasion?


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

John-H said:


> Pugwash69 said:
> 
> 
> > Well it's been 2 clear months since the council's previous letter and they haven't sent another one. I noticed that my immediate neighbour has also chopped all his brambles back and they're still on the ground. I might pop around and compare notes.
> ...


Ordinary chatting trousers or the heavy duty "special" chatting trousers?


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## JesseJames (Feb 18, 2015)

brian1978 said:


> JesseJames said:
> 
> 
> > I'm actually going through a slightly different situation to yourself.
> ...


I've been gradually loosening the bolts and little by little digging it out of the ground lol shhh


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

brian1978 said:


> John-H said:
> 
> 
> > Pugwash69 said:
> ...


Not the accusing trousers surely? It would be too provocative to stride up in those  . I would have expected the friendly warning trousers at the very most


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## A3DFU (May 7, 2002)

JesseJames said:


> I've been gradually loosening the bolts and little by little digging it out of the ground lol shhh


Sshhhhh.

I did something similar when I first moved into my house: there was a fence cutting 3/4 of my land off which was used for other people's doggie duties etc.
So when we had a strong storm in 1986 part of the fence blew down. I helped the rest to topple over and planted a conifer hedge half way between where the fence was and the foot path. On 1st April 1986 of all days half the conifers were stolen; pulled out of the grounds.
I replanted the remaining conifers much closer to the footpath, which I also own, adding 20 or so more to extend my back garden


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

John-H said:


> brian1978 said:
> 
> 
> > John-H said:
> ...


friendly warning trousers????? but you need the escalation edition MK2.. its friendly chatting trousers with an under layer of accusing trousers, they have poppers up the side so if an argument starts you can rip the friendly ones off like a stripper to reveal the aggressive red accusing trousers underneath.


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)




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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Sounds like you have a flair(s) for this :wink:


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

This thread had overgrown and I might have to get my trousers on again!


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## X5TUU (Sep 4, 2012)

John-H said:


> Sounds like you have a flair(s) for this :wink:


Reading this in the car waiting for my boss at a train station and literally spat water all over my steering wheel, dash pod and windscreen lol ... Thanks!


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

X5TUU said:


> John-H said:
> 
> 
> > Sounds like you have a flair(s) for this :wink:
> ...


Did you have ordinary trousers on, or special driving ones with additional waterproofing in case of water spillage?


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## brian1978 (Jul 10, 2013)

Pugwash69 said:


> This thread had overgrown and I might have to get my trousers on again!


is the special thread trimming trousers?


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## misano03 (Nov 21, 2014)

So did you meet with your neighbour in your CONFERANCING TROUSERS to discuss a way forward with the letter from the council and did he get one as well regarding his felled bushes in his front garden??? [smiley=gossip.gif] :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## X5TUU (Sep 4, 2012)

Shug750S said:


> X5TUU said:
> 
> 
> > John-H said:
> ...


No, unfortunately they were non-water repelling suit trousers on this occasion ... however, being a proper Northerner I make little use of trousers normally and prefer shorts ...


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## Otley (May 15, 2013)

Ah now shorts.....
Knee length multi pocket camo'?
Multi coloured Bermuda?
Dave's epic strut short shorts?
You can't just say shorts and expect no kind of investigation! [smiley=gossip.gif]


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## jamman (May 6, 2002)




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## Otley (May 15, 2013)

Ooooooh....... HELLO! :-*


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## X5TUU (Sep 4, 2012)

Otley said:


> ...Multi coloured Bermuda?
> You can't just say shorts and expect no kind of investigation! [smiley=gossip.gif]


is there any other type...not for any self respecting northern monkey like me, but they are ...

bermuda red ... passion shorts
bermuda blue ... action/hard talking shorts
bermuda gray ... compassionate funeral shorts
bermuda green ... cutting the grass shorts
bermuda pink ... camping it up shorts
bermuda cream ... matrimonial shorts

need i go on?!? ...


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## Otley (May 15, 2013)

X5TUU said:


> bermuda gray ... compassionate funeral shorts


 :lol: :lol: :lol: PMSL.


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## misano03 (Nov 21, 2014)

NOOOOOOO, that's not right, I am now completely put off breakfast...LMAO... :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

misano03 said:


> NOOOOOOO, that's not right, I am now completely put off breakfast...LMAO... :lol: :lol: :lol:


Luckily Jamman's shot was of his rear, not the meat and 2 veg shot from the front


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Trousers aside, I managed to set fire to the first load of bamboo cuttings tonight. This means I'll be clearing my front garden this weekend if I can be arsed. 8)


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## misano03 (Nov 21, 2014)

So the gardening trousers are going back on again... :lol: ...staying on the theme of the garden, I pressure washed the decking in my jeans... 8)


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## clewb (Aug 8, 2014)

Not to put a tooth in it p*** of off with your spammy s*** . edit not you misarno , post removed. Hopefully that idiot won't come back


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## briancope (Jan 25, 2014)

misano03 said:


> So the gardening trousers are going back on again... :lol: ...staying on the theme of the garden, I pressure washed the decking in my jeans... 8)


Crickey, you have decking in your jeans? Can you buy them in the patio aisle at B&Q?


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