Hedges that protect against unwanted looks, provide shade and slow down the wind seem to be the ideal planting for the property line for many. But not only these can annoy the neighbors, trees and bushes that are too tall, aggressive roots and high foliage regularly cause arguments and can spoil the fun of the garden. Instead of sunbathing in the countryside, those involved often find themselves in the marathon through offices or even in court. If you want to prevent this, you should pay attention to a few things.
Regulations and laws
When it comes to planting the property line and the garden in general, most people think of decorative ones first Appearance and pleasant scent, then on maintenance effort and location requirements - regulations and laws are less common Attention. However, it is precisely these that should also be consulted in order to prevent disputes in advance. It is important here that there are no Germany-wide laws. Instead, the neighborhood or neighbor law applies, which is different in each federal state.
Tip: Neighboring law can be obtained from the Internet, the Citizens' Registration Office or the local court and is often available here as a brochure.
Hedges
The most common planting on the property line is probably the hedge, because its advantages are obvious. It keeps glances away, acts as a dirt trap, slows down strong winds and provides shade. It also serves as a nesting place and protection for birds. So with
When creating the hedge, no space is lost, it is often planted directly on the property line or the fence. How inconvenient this is is noticeable when cutting at the latest. Twigs push through the fence, with deciduous species the leaves end up with neighbors and with larger plants Corrections to the outside are only possible through acrobatic contortions or by entering the neighboring property possible.It is therefore better for maintenance and peace to plant the hedge about half a meter from the property line. Corrections are possible on your own property, broken branches and leaves do not end up with the neighbors either.
Depending on the desired height of the hedge, the neighboring law should of course be consulted.
trees and shrubs
Trees and bushes can reach impressive sizes and widths and can therefore quickly exceed property boundaries. Again, overhanging branches and leaves can become a problem. In addition, there are often regulations in which the mandatory distance depends on the height of the crop. For example, a shrub that is and remains just one meter high can stand closer than a tree five meters high.
The rule of thumb is that at least half of the maximum height should be maintained as the distance to the property line. In some federal states, however, the mandatory gap is considerably smaller. Nevertheless, it makes sense in the long term to keep as much distance as possible. Forced
The slightly larger distance is also good for the bushes and trees themselves in the long term. If they are too close to the limit, they would have to be permanently reduced. Not all species tolerate this in the long term, and they rarely appear decorative. Even forced repositioning is no longer good for many older plants, so planning in advance is better across the board and involves less effort.
root
Raised pavement slabs and lawn edging stones, damage to water pipes and tripping hazards - the roots of trees in particular can become an annoying problem in a neighbor's garden. And expensive for the tree owner, because he is fully liable - provided the injured party is not complicit. This may still be possible with a raised path, but if the roots grow under the neighboring house or garage and damage the foundation here, it becomes really expensive. Insurance companies can cover the costs, but it is a long way to go.
It is also and above all for this reason that it makes sense when planting a tree in the direction of the underground growth Pay attention and use a root barrier and keep the necessary distance to the property line and your own house. If the tree was already on the property and should not be felled directly, there is still no need to hope and pray that the roots will not cause any damage. Instead, you should periodically seek advice from an expert who can identify potential problems before they become expensive. Horticulturists or foresters who can point out branches that are in danger of breaking, for example, are ideal.
Tip: If it is not clear which tree roots are causing the damage, a root expert should be consulted above all else. Only this can clearly find out what the cause is.
Foothills
Runners rarely cause serious damage, but they can disturb the planting of the neighboring garden and deprive it of nutrients. Plants that form runners should therefore also be prevented from growing in the garden with a root barrier
to spread next door. As a rule, a mere one meter distance alone does not prevent them from doing so.Tip: If planting near the property line, a root barrier is always a sensible investment. It is worth asking your neighbors whether the costs and effort will be shared equally.
Slight shadows, leaves and pollen
If residents of the adjacent property are allergic to pollen from their own plants, they can understandably feel bothered by them. However, they do not have any legal control as long as the plants are at the prescribed distance from the border. The same applies to the casting of shadows. If a hedge darkens the neighboring flower bed, but has been placed at a sufficient distance according to its height, it does not need to be removed or cut back further. The same applies to deciduous plants whose leaves do not fall onto the adjacent property, but are carried there by the wind.
However, agreements and compromises can still be useful to maintain peaceful coexistence.
Deadlines
Time and again windfalls, twigs and leaves from neighbors' plants end up in your own property because they are are too close to the limit and are not blended accordingly, the fault can be remedied by yourself will. However, only after the neighbor has been given sufficient time to correct the problem. This period must be long enough so that corrections do not take place during the growth phase.
The same applies here: It's better to ask the municipality or city council. Because if the neighbors are given a supposedly sufficient deadline and then pick up the scissors themselves, they can demand compensation. If this leads to an impairment of the crop.
renter
Anyone who lives to rent and would like to redesign the garden should definitely ask the owner and consult the rental agreement.
Conclusion
Anyone who adheres to the applicable regulations and laws when planting the property line and garden and asks the owner if necessary, all problems and justified disputes go out in advance Path. So the initial effort can save you a lot of trouble.
