Garden hedge debate

[Greedo]

Please read and give your point of view.

My brother and his wife have been looking for a house in a specific area for years. One has eventually come on the market and it's a beauty. In a quaint village with 2 pubs, post office and all that. The house is one of 3 that sit far apart from each other but are all virtually on the village green. IE they would walk out their garden gate onto a path that is on the green. The house in question has a lovely tended front garden but the front hedge has been sculpted within in an inch of its life by the previous owner. It is about 40 feet long and about 4 foot high and in the shape of an alternate triangle and ball shape kind of like this. ^0^0^0^0^0^0^

My brother said that he would square it off as it is
1. too much work to maintain
2. looks too showy for his liking
3. doesn't want to be known in 5 years as the guy with the poncy hedge (it does look a bit anal and over styled)

His wife has said that there's no way he's doing that as it has obviously taken years and is almost part of the village as first time visitors to the village take photos of it etc... and it would probably alienate them from the community.

What do you reckon? Square it off, ask the locals their opinion or just leave it.

 

[Just4Fun]

the front hedge has been sculpted within in an inch of its life by the previous owner

My subconscious made my inner thoughts on this obvious to me because I initially mis-read this as "the front hedge has been sculpted within in an inch of its life by the pretentious owner".
I would let it grow into a simple "normal" straight hedge.

 

[Geoff_S]

I suspect, damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

 

[galleywood]

Leave it and gauge the situation after they have lived there for a while.

 

[thetyreman]

did they watch edward scissor hands on drugs or something? what made them go so mental? makes you wonder.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Consult the locals. Quietly. Village politics can be intense and bitter. Feuds can last for centuries, if not millenia. They don't want to be the unwitting target of one, or start one by changing something the village is proud of. On the other hand, if the village thinks it's a poncy show-off, they've got a bit more leeway.

Downside is - if they're not too dipmolatic in how they phrase their questions, the entire village will know (within minutes, probably) that they are potential purchasers as soon as they open their mouths. However, if they want to live in a village, they'll have to get used to that.

How much do they want that particular house? A front hedge is probably marginally less of a downside than death-watch beetle or bats in the attic. Or living next to Jacob …

 

[transatlantic]

If the community want to maintain it, then fine. But I don't think they can expect the new owner to put in the same amount of work.

How about split the difference. Something better than squared off, but not so 'showy' as it currently is?

 

[treeturner123]

For anyone who lives in a village, please note Cheshirechappie's comments which are oh so true. Move, make friends leave it for a few years then see what the feeling is.

If it's anything like the next village to me, within a short time the only people living there will be holiday makers or AirB&B!!

Phil

 

[Sheffield Tony]

If your topiary skills are as good as mine, what you intend to do will have little impact on the result ! Our garden had a box topiary bear peering out of the undergrowth. I tried to maintain it for a few years, but it ended up looking kind of simple - like something a child would draw. In the end it had to come out (it was, of course, made of boxwood ... )

 

[Lons]

Just get the house if everything else is right and tackle the hedge later. My approach would be to let it grow a bit and get a contractor for the first "square" cut. Can blame him for it later. :wink:

 

[Trevanion]

Rip up the hedge and put up a nice big 6ft fence.

Happy days.

 

[Nic.Watson]

Square it off. Far better things to be done at the weekend than constantly trimming a hedge!

 

[Mrs C]

We had a similar dilemma moving into a picture postcard property where the gardens were immaculate and the lawn appeared to have been vacuumed every day BUT the previous occupants were both retired, loved gardening and also employed a gardener for 2 days a week!

We both work full time and often don’t see the house in daylight during the week, so opted for something that we could actually stand a chance of maintaining. So all the beautiful flower boarders unfortunately became grass.

So if you like it and can maintain it to a reasonable standard keep it, if not change it for something different.

 

[Andy Kev.]

I think if I were in your position I would get my feet under the table in the village first and that would mean changing nowt for the first year. Get to know your fellow villagers and see which way the wind blows. In my opinion, if you move into a village the onus is on you to fit in as opposed to them accommodating you and that's the way to getting into the community. If, after a year, I still felt the same way about the hedge, I would start airing the idea in the pub that it's a bit beyond my skills and I'm thinking of simplifying it etc. What I would actually do would depend on the reactions I got. I think I would have to be prepared that one possibility is to bite the bullet and keep the hedge the way people like it.

 

[Marineboy]

Their house, their choice. It’s not as if they’re going to chuck old mattresses in the garden or start repairing cars on the verge.

 

[Rorschach]

See if anyone in the village would like to take on maintenance of it, win win for you then. Buy them a case of beer or a bottle of nice scotch at Christmas. Cheap money for peace and quiet in the village.

 

[Rob Platt]

He's married to his wife not the village
all the best
rob

 

[dynax]

Rip out the hedge, put up a twin chain link security fence, with a couple of signs " HMP YOUTH DETENTION REFORM DIVISION", and sit back and watch the fear grow,

 

[Bm101]

If it bothers you that much, move in, give it a month then quietly poison it at the dead of night. Publicly despair/wailing/gnashing of teeth/dramatic fainting fits and swoons that you can't seem to keep it alive whatever you try yada yada.
In private hold a black cloak over your mouth in an overly theatrical manner, do an evil Mwahahhaah laugh and never ever tell a living soul especially your Mrs of your black deed. You Monster.
Everybody's happy and the WI will have summat to gossip about till the next episode of Gardeners Question Time.
Judging from half them detective murder shows on Sunday evenings over the years set in country villages you best pray the locals don't find out. :shock:

Oooohh. Just had a thought. This would be a more exciting option as well so that's an added benefit...
Hire a mini digger and one night grub up everyones hedges. In The Whole Village. All of them. Maybe set fire to the kids play area for good measure.
If everyone is guilty, no-one is guilty. :twisted:

Happy to help.
Chris