They chopped off all of your flower buds for next spring. Don't expect to see flowers next spring. They set buds for the following year late spring -early summer (assuming this is Mountain Laurel). Pruning should be done late winter, before it sets buds for the following year.

I feel you have a right to be upset. They should have at least consulted you. If you choose to say nothing, you are actually condoning their thoughtlessness and they will undoubtedly do it again after it grows back again.

I would be inclined to have a word with them and let them know what they did was, quite frankly, illegal. I would then put a trellis on top of the fence (if it's their fence you might have to attached it by some means on your side of the garden). They sound as if they don't have any idea of gardening or what they can or can't do.

Agree with Cammomile pointing out they had no right to prune the laurel. Is the fence jointly owned by both houses?

This is a difficult one; in theory, they should have talked with you about it before cutting it back, but if half that fence is theirs, presumably on the left, (which makes the left hand side of the gravel their territory too), and the laurel had spread over it, then technically, they've only cut back what was affecting their own side, taking it back to the branches your side, though it would have been good to see a picture of what it looked like before they cut it. Such a potentially large shrub is difficult to trim, because it forms quite thick woody branches.

Now for the bad news, sorry about this! Much more importantly, if that's a Prunus laurocerasus or Prunus lusitanica (difficult to be sure, pic's not clear enough) which is what it looks to be, to be honest, it should not be planted where it is. Given both grow to tree like proportions, with an ultimate height and spread of around 20 feet by 12 feet or more, and a very large, woody root system to match, I certainly wouldn't want it planted right at the foot of a wall, especially if its a house wall. It is very likely to disturb the footings of the wall, or the foundations if its part of the house.

Now they've cut it back, it'll be easier to take the rest down as low as possible, drill into the stump and apply SBK, which is precisely what I recommend you do asap, sorry.

If you want something green in there, discuss it with the neighbours and plant something smaller, like a Euonymus fortunei variety (Silver Queen possibly, but not anything larger, and definitely not Euonymus japonica varieties), planted in the centre of the fence. If you plant it a foot away from the fence and equidistant from both walls, over time, it will rise up the fence (without clinging to it) and should not cause damage to any footings/foundations.

It is my understanding that they had the right to cut off only that part of the shrub on their side of the property but should have given back the trimmings. As Bamboos says, the shrub would have, given time, caused you problems with your foundations so I would also dispose of it completely. I know that you are angry but I wouldn't confront your neighbours but wait a while and later mention it in passing. At the end of the day, not a very neighbourly thing to do.

Regardless of "who had the right" the considerate & neighborly thing to do would be to consult you first. It would go a long way to prevent hard feelings of resentment & disdain. Some people handle it better than others.

Well I think its appalling cheek and I don't wonder you are angry. But it does look as though they have unintentionally done you a favour so look on the bright side. You can now choose something rather nicer than laurel to replace it.

Yes be good and gracious for had you done the like to their side they would have given you hell. People turn their attitudes around quite quickly you know. To do this mutilation on your property without letting you know shows that they are inconsiderate. What would I do? I would tell them to never pull a stunt like that again.

I don't know what variety of laurel it is because it was already there when we moved in 3 and a half years ago. I wouldn't have let it grow to huge proportions but, thank you all, for pointing out the possible foundation problem. I didn't know laurel grew particularly large.

I will say something to the neighbours but will wait until later. They go off to their villa in Spain again in a few weeks (two or three times a year for a couple of months at a time) but when they return I shall make a point of telling them, very civilly, what I thought about their actions. They are quite friendly and have brought us Cava and confectionery back from Spain as a thank you for my husband mowing their front grass when they're away so although we give both gifts away I really don't want to fall out with them.

Actually, Jimmy, legally they should have asked if we wanted the trimmings. It's not right to just toss them back - apparently. Anyway, it's done now and I do have a Pyracantha growing just in front of it which I can plant there if we decide to dig up the laurel. They'll find that much more vicious to prune than a laurel!

I know just how you feel. We only have one neighbour and having lots of problems with them unfortunately. They refuse to cut their conifer hedge so I might have to use the high hedge act on them, they have drilled holes into our front garden wall to hang ornaments and lighting, their workmen when replacing the ridge tiles brushed all the old lumps of concrete over our garden. When they sweep the front, they just sweep it over to my side infront of our wall and now trying to use our front garden wall as the fire wall to a new LPG tank they are having installed. Unfortunately, some people don't think about their actions and when any are pointed out, take the hump like my neighbours have. Hope you manage to sort it.

As a PS to my last comment, I'm now wondering quite what to do. The fence is half ours and half theirs so our side should have been off limits yet, for some reason, they didn't cut off all the branch on their side but took most of ours off.

I could grow a climber of sorts though it wouldn't get any sun at all tucked in there. On the other hand that could cause even more problems, couldn't it?

It looks like there's no alternative but for Him Indoors to find some way to extend the plastic corrugated roof to cover the fence end which, given the way it's been built, is difficult as there's very little to attach any extra covering to. (At our age we don't want to spend a lot of money having a proper roof put on.) Then we can plant something more suitable there. I do have a spare variegated Euonymus in a pot so that's another option.

Anyway, thank you all for your helpful comments. And for the sympathy.

I've just had another look - had you thought of standing a large container in your corner with an evergreen shrub in it? Or even growing a climber up your house wall instead (if you have membrane under the pebbles rather than concrete of course.) A Euonymus planted next to the wall would grow some way up it without attaching itself to the wall.

What about a family of plastic gnomes to take the place of the shrub?

While your neighbours are away on holiday I would take the shrub out for all the reasons given by Bamboo. As you obviously have enjoyed a reasonable relationship with them I feel it could be a real disaster to fall out over what seems to be a necessary removal. I would thank them for trimming and taking away the foliage and explain that you no longer want anything growing there, just in case they plan to put in an ivy or something similar. Shared land which is effectively what this is causes a lot of unnecessary heartbreak for many people. If they have suggestions on how to improve the look of the area then give that consideration. A problem shared is a problem halved and by making the first approach to the problem it might be a time for building foundations for the future instead of ruining the foundations of both houses. It is a pity that the planning department did not specify that front gardens should be physically separate from each other. I take it this is open plan at the front.

I know what I would do If I were in your shoes. I'd just get rid of it all together. That would give you closure on the whole matter and you will never have to look at your neighbor's mistake again. Don't worry about the roots, just decapitate at ground level and be done with it. It looks embarrassing, laughable, and everybody who sees it will wonder what YOU were drinking that night. You'll be doing your foundation a favor too. Plant something else, maybe not so close to the house and not so unruly. Planting nothing at all is also an option. Good Luck.

In the end it looks like their irresponsible action will be costing you concern, time, effort and money. It is a situation which should have never been presented to you. They don't give a fig care if they have rocked your boat.

I'm a believer in karma. The universe will give you exactly what you deserve and the scales of justice will balance.

If you cut it right down, you will need to use a stumpkiller, or it will most definitely grow again. If it was there when you moved in, there's no way those roots can be dug or bored out, poisoning them's the only way to kill it off I'm afraid.

I agree that the only thing to do is to remove it - fast. We had a laurel at the end of the bungalow which needed to be moved and it took a small digger ages to get it out, let alone move it and the root ball was about four feet square, without all the other roots! Cutting it back will only encourage it to put out more shoots and they can grow at a prodigious rate. We have another shielding the oil tank which is encroaching on the pond side, just can't keep it down!

Don't worry about the roots; they will dissolve and turn into compost. Just cut off the top at ground level - quick work with a chain saw - buzz buzz :)

Oh dear... well I guess it proves the old saying, you can take a horse to water, but ...

The horse isn't thirsty and the water is rank.

I knew an old lady who finished up in hospital because she didn't drink when she should have done...

Sorry to hear that. Sounds like she didn't want to drink.

I understand what you are saying Stera and I'm not trying to a jerk. Some people may not be strong enough or have the time or means to deal with the roots. It's not a big deal. Just lop off the top, including the stump, and the occasional shoot that might spring up. It will all be gone very quickly.

I stumbled upon this website and am enjoying the conversation strings...because I'm not British. Y'all British right? I'm learning a little about plants and a lot about language. In this string I learned "take the hump" from Jenlewis. I think it means "become offended".
Happy gardening everyone.

Mostly British, yea, with three or four exceptions - Bathgate, Loosestrife and Tugbrethil are USA based, and there's a couple of others not in the UK. Vernacular varies a bit from region to region of the UK - here in London, we'd say 'get the hump', not take the hump...! But your interpretation of the expression is spot on... enjoy...

Well I haven't tried getting rid of a laurel but just cutting and stump grinding most certainly doesn't work of sycamores or ash -or brambles or blackthorn come to that. These are the only ones I have experience of trying to get rid of.... I guess it depends what you're dealing with.
I would use a deep root killer on the remains just to be on he safe side.

I once had to SBK 12 Prunus laurocerasus stumps in Spring, the remains of a hedge along a side border - the wood's like concrete, broke three drill bits before I found one that'd do the job, though probably it was worse because it was spring, with the sap up and obvious new growth starting.

Well, I certainly stirred up some comments, didn't I? Now to your suggestions:

Digging it out at our vast ages isn't viable but I wonder if taking it to ground level then constantly spraying any shoots with a killer would get rid of it. It seems to be working on the regrowth from the ash tree on the other side at the back. I have no compunction to climbing the stepladder and reaching over with the spray can as it's rented out and not cared for except once a month by a local Ian of all trades.

I like the idea of the Euonymous growing up the house wall but will it damage the brickwork or the pointing?

Gnomes? Funny you should mention those, Jimmy, because my son, ever the joker, knowing we have one that is almost as old as my husband, bought us a pair of garden gnomes a few weeks ago which, when he returned to Ireland, were quietly hidden in between small shrubs. Once before he bought us the 7 dwarfs made from concrete. I was glad when they deteriorated and I could dispose of them. A gnome lover I am not but it was an amusing suggestion that is more likely to suit the neighbours!

As for the chain saw. Bathgate, my husband is 82 and I won't let him go near one!

The final thing is that, despite what you all say, I liked that laurel but it's looking more and more like it will be a goner.

Thank you everybody for such interesting answers.

The Euonymous won't harm the brickwork Arbuthnot. Its self supporting. it only climbs when it has a wall behind it, otherwise it makes a bush.

Thanks Stera.