The demise of my Fir Tree

what a difference that will make ~ i know from experience, how much more enticing the garden becomes once the light is flooding in ~ keep us posted!

Thanks Sticki, I find I am getting quite excited about it now, can't wait to get planting ! But I am so lucky to have some good friends who are doing the hard bit for me. Will keep you posted

you are going to get so much light there now, you have done the right thing having it removed Cinders, going to make such a huge difference to your garden, look forward to seeing more pictures.

Wow what a difference already, so much more light. Sometimes you just have to be brave and go for it, so many things you can do with your 'new' piece of garden :o)) We've in the process of doing the same with the end of our large conifer hedge, past the point of no return now and cold feet setting in but I'm sure it will be all for the good when it's done. Hope so anyway!

I know how you feel Lily, you feel like you are committing a murder, but it has to be done sometimes. Good luck with yours too.

Thanks Yorkshire. It just had to go. Looking forward now. A nice climbing rose and a clematis would be nice, and I do have already a honeysuckle, dont know if I shall use that or not. The pergola may be made smaller also to give a bit more garden on the lower section.

any suggestions for a tree that is even taller than that ~ but not in our garden ~ its 2 gardens away but manages to cast shade across because of its great height ~ its some type of fir tree

Why don't you ask nicely if it can be cut, or the top lopped off.

Well done for taking the decision - some conifers are just not suited for the position they're planted in, are they. You won't miss it! It looked HUGE in your photo!

omg we take our hat off to you cinderella job well done what a difference :)

Thanks Spritz, it WAS huge!

Thank you Mark. I shall be a happy bunny when its all tidied up. All depends on weather now how quickly that happens.

neighbour has already been asked but i think the idea was a little too daunting! thanks anyway cinderella

Not a fir tree Cinderella, it's a Lawson Cypress, or just plain old conifer will do! lol :0)

I agree with Spritz, it looked very tall tucked in there ! Tell me, Cinders, has a stump-grinder been used to remove it all ? Or will the 6X stuff rot it away eventually?

OK Bluespruce, whatever, conifer if you wish. :O))

Shirley, it was dug out as far as possible, then the roots were cut very low down and then it was 'wiggled' until it came away. We were going to use something to kill off the remainder, but there is not much left, so I think it will rot off now, and its so deep I dont think it will cause any bother. The 6X will be to put some goodness back in with the soil that came out

Thanks for that information, Cinders. : o )

Your welcome shirley :o))

I have three like that near my bottom pond,they were ok when we first had them but I`m afraid they have outgrown their welcome, I`ve been considering getting rid of them because they are blocking the light too much, seeing the difference in your photo`s has made me even more determined.....

It looks great now Cinders.I must admit I have a loathing of these conifers,..ok when they are small,but they just take over too much in a garden.You will really enjoy planning your new found space,and plenty of time to do that over the winter...have fun..:o)

Thank you for your comments, Lincslass and Bloomer, I am quite pleased now that its down. As you say Bloomer, they are lovely when small. That one had been there about 20 years

Whatever indeed! ..you'd no more call a tulip a daffodil although they're both bulbs, so why call a cypress a fir just because they're both conifers ....lol :o)))

I bow to your superior knowledge.

What a mammoth undertaking....and what fun is ahead to get the area replanted, Cinders. It will be so good to have the extra light and so noticeable during the dark winter months...you've timed it right :)

Too bad the neighbours are not willing to take out the tree causing your garden to be in shade. Not as brave as you in tackling a large tree...so well done you!

Thanks J, well I was only the 'foreman' and general dogs body really, and the clearer upper now.!!

I feel like saying Good Riddance, but you seem sad to see it go. I should think it made the place a bit dark.
Now you can plant something nice like you said :o)

Well, I like trees really Hywel, and it did give a little shade when ? it was hot. But I am glad its gone now, and I can start planning what to do in that corner.

Bet you had a HUGE amount of branches and debris to get rid of, how did you manage it? What a mess all the dead stuff that's on the inner branches makes!

Most of it went on the village bonfire, the rest I cut up and put in bags and it went to the local tip, the bigger stuff will be cut into logs for a friends fire, and all the brown stuff was swept/raked and bagged also. The lawn was smothered with it - what an awful mess. Luckily my neighbour drives a large lorry for work and he borrowed it to cart everything away. Wasn't I a lucky girl.

Weren't you just! We've been gradually putting ours out in bags for the green waste collection then refilling the bags and putting them outside my son's house - same council, different day collection. Still a way to go though, trunks and bigger branches still waiting to be cut down when my son in law can find time to come and do it with his chainsaw....I'm so impatient to get on with it!

Yes I know THAT feeling.

Well done Cinderella. I have the same problem as Stickitoffee. Two gardens away there is a conifer about 30ft. high not much use to my south facing garden.With a big shadow over it most annoying. Especially when we have that lovely winter sun shining

Very annoying isnt it Johnjoe.

Sylvia = glad to see the conifer gone, as you say it will give you a lovely corner to plant up.
Am I too late in suggesting that the main forked trunk - the one showing in the last photo - if stripped and treated would make a lovely wood sculpture for a focal point in the garden.

What a differance taking it down as done wish i could get rid of the big one at the bottom of my garden, but its not in my garden.

I think it is very unfair that neighbours plant conifer or other large trees. It does block the light and the heat from the sun at this time of year. The conifer is a lovely tree but it is not suitable for a built up area with small gardens maybe there should be a bylaw against it.

I have a large conifer in my front garden,as I live alongside a main road it act's as a sort of sceen, but I would have no objection if asked to trim it, as I know that not everybody like's conifer's.

Stroller, I did think of that, but its too late now as my friend has been in with a chain saw and cut it up for his fire.

Oh thats a shame Clarice, have you asked them to cut any off.

Yes Johnjoe, I think people dont give it enough thought before they plant them, either that or they dont bother to keep them in check.
Mavis, I can understand when you need some sort of a screen from a noisy main road.

A big conifer to take down.... it will give more room and lightn in your garden now.....

It certainly will Holly

look forward to seeing your new corner!

Thanks Elsie.

Did anyone see the article in the paper about a man who planted 6 Leylandii in his (small) front garden and refused to cut them back? They filled the whole garden and reached as high as his roof.

He has had them cut back to about 6' now, after years of complaints. I bet he didn't get any mail or deliveries - and his rooms must have been in darkness all day, too!

I saw the same article Spritzhenry, his windows looked in a right state.

Yes I saw it too. Bet he notices a difference now.!!

Well done Cinders

My neighbour has a tree like this right next to my fence only it is about a third again as high as yours and it is amzing how much light it blocks out. All of my garden within 10+ feet of it is shaded and my sitting room is permanently in shade because of it. As the neighbour is 85 and very infirm I don't like to ask him to get it trimmed. Hopefully whoever the next neighbour will be will do it when my current neighbour has gone to that big garden in the sky. (Sorry if I appear as if I'm wishing him to - I'm really not, honest)

Thank you Mariek, It took me a year or two to make up my mind to have it down, as the birds used to love hiding in there, but eventually decided it had to go. I'm sure I shall love it once everything is finished.
Sorry to hear about your neighbours large tree. Why don't you tactfully ask if he could get someone to take it down, or lop some off as it would make such a difference to your property.

That will give you a bit more room and a little more light into the area. Glad you got it done before this awful weather set in.

Hi Paul, its already made a difference to the light. Alan has got rid of the rubbish for me, but still some work to do. So hope we get some dry weather soon.

I can see you've worked very hard on this - I can imagine the roots must have been huge. The difference it has made has been worth while - it certainly lets a lot more light in so your garden should thrive.

Thanks for looking Paul. Yes the roots were a problem,but two healthy young men between them managed to get them out. May have to wait a while to get the job properly finished, but we'll get there eventually.

hi cinderella, iv got 14 more for you to do :)))) please help , lol

What and travel to Yorkshire too ? You must be joking !!!!!!
I'm sure you could make a better job of it than me......
Sorry Mark.

I did not realize how large your conifer was, well done a big job, but, well worth it, looking forward to the follow up pics now.

Unfortunately that won't be for a while now the bad weather has set in, and I am impatient to get on with it too. Still its the same for us all now. It certainly was a big job Dotty, it will be lovely to have a new corner to plant up in the spring.