Old garden walls

[overlander matt]

Thanks Stuart. I should be starting on the arch today.

 

[stuart45]

One tip when putting in the last brick, or key brick. Butter up the bricks either side with only a very thin smear of mortar, and butter up both sides of the key brick. The thin smear on both sides stops the mortar on the key brick being pushed up as you press the key brick down. If you make the mortar a slight wedge shape on both faces as you push it home excess mortar doesn't get trapped between the brick and arch centre. This stops the brick going down properly. It's important not to allow any mortar to get under the brick. If the joints aren't filled properly, it's easy to get more mortar in with a tuck jointer or finger trowel. Make sure it's well compressed in.
I'm sure you'll work out and look forward to the photos.

 

[overlander matt]

Thanks again Stuart. The arch went together OK I think but I'm going to leave the former in place over the weekend. The last brick was not as tight as I had planned but hopefully it will be solid.



How long would you wait before putting on the coping bricks? I have a slight issue with these - I'm missing around 5m worth of these... How easy it will be to find replacements, time will tell.

Time for a cold beer after a warm day!

 

[a twig]

I’m trying to find an excuse to build a brick or stone arch here as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do - that looks brilliant - great job

 

[stuart45]

The arch looks spot on. Building over the arch will give it extra strength. Worth leaving the arch centre in for a while. The time consuming bit now is all the cuts. Enjoy the beer tonight.

 

[overlander matt]

Rain has stopped play on the wall for today unfortunately. I managed to get a few cut bricks in around the arch but that is it for now.



I have a slight complication in that the top of the arch is a little higher than it should ideally be - 15mm. Because the older wall side was leaning back a little, I have twisted the arch a little resulting in a slight lifting of the back of the brick. I didn't notice at the time being too focused on getting all the bricks in the right position. One to learn from next time! I could probably shave a little off the underneath of the coping stone to hide it...

We intend to build a lean-to greenhouse approx 6x2.5m along this wall in future. It will be of the home made variety that is in the style of various old house greenhouses for want of a better description. Not as grand as the ones below but more glazing bars than a typical modern one.



This will require planning permission as we are in a conservation area and are G2 listed, but I wonder whether I could include it on a future application retrospectively? I can see there being sheds and other outbuildings in future but I'm not sure I want the expense and bother of making an application each time I want to build one. I can't see why a greenhouse of this style would not be allowed. I just wonder whether a retrospective application is too risky?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Stevers]

You've made a lovely job of that wall!

You might want to consider 'span and a half', unless you want to go on up with the brickwork. Gives a hard to clean bit of roof, though it's out of sight and doesn't need shading. There was me thinking that da*n hedge was a bit tall now it's a foot lower!

 

[overlander matt]

I’m trying to find an excuse to build a brick or stone arch here as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do - that looks brilliant - great job

Thanks! The arch is a little twisted but hopefully it will do the job. We have another arch needing some attention at some stage... Good luck with your arch project!

 

[stuart45]

There's a lot of skill in building a twisted arch.

 

[overlander matt]

I started working into the corner by the old walnut tree this afternoon. I'm wondering what the best way to approach this is...

The wall that joins my new wall has a bit of a kink in it - perhaps related to the tree but it's unclear. I was wondering whether I should simply lay on top of the existing footing or try to straighten out the kink with a new footing. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

The tree does worry me. Anyone happen to know walnut trees?

Thanks.

 

[Flyfisher]

We have a couple of walnut trees (which, incidentally, are absolutely loaded with walnuts this year after very little in recent years - perhaps due to the extreme weather earlier this year?), but neither of them are leaning like the one in the photo.

Assuming you want to keep the tree, the only thing I can think of is to just build the wall around it. Now you're au fait with building an arch, how about a sort of inverted arch underneath and around the tree? Not touching, but maybe leaving a 100mm gaps all around the errant trunk? Of course, if the tree moves significantly in future years it'll likely destroy the wall but if/when that time comes and it finally has to be dispatched to the great woodburner in the sky, at least there shouldn't be too much of the wall that needs rebuilding.

 

[overlander matt]

We have a couple of walnut trees (which, incidentally, are absolutely loaded with walnuts this year after very little in recent years - perhaps due to the extreme weather earlier this year?), but neither of them are leaning like the one in the photo.

Assuming you want to keep the tree, the only thing I can think of is to just build the wall around it. Now you're au fait with building an arch, how about a sort of inverted arch underneath and around the tree? Not touching, but maybe leaving a 100mm gaps all around the errant trunk? Of course, if the tree moves significantly in future years it'll likely destroy the wall but if/when that time comes and it finally has to be dispatched to the great woodburner in the sky, at least there shouldn't be too much of the wall that needs rebuilding.

Thanks Flyfisher. There are lots of walnuts here too this year. I think the tree has to stay for now - it is not ours to make any decision on. There is one large branch extending over the new wall that makes me nervous given the hollow nature of the trunk in that area. I would like to remove that but the landowner was not so keen.

That corner will become a garden admin area behind a potting shed so will be mostly out of sight with room for the wheelbarrows, spare bricks, compost bins etc. An inverse arch sounds interesting and would certainly tidy up the tree wall. I get the feeling that I'll be doing more work on that wall in future...

 

[overlander matt]

You've made a lovely job of that wall!
View attachment 17218
You might want to consider 'span and a half', unless you want to go on up with the brickwork. Gives a hard to clean bit of roof, though it's out of sight and doesn't need shading. There was me thinking that da*n hedge was a bit tall now it's a foot lower!

Thanks Stevers. We are considering a sunken greenhouse with a floor level around 300mm below the ground level. It's still very much at the planning stage but I think that will work out to give sufficient headroom. It's likely to be another project that will run over time and over budget.

 

[Flyfisher]

I think the tree has to stay for now - it is not ours to make any decision on. There is one large branch extending over the new wall that makes me nervous given the hollow nature of the trunk in that area. I would like to remove that but the landowner was not so keen.

I'm pretty sure that anyone can legally remove any foliage that 'trespasses' into their own land and the space above it, including tree branches. I've also heard that the cuttings should be offered back to the neighbouring owner, but I'm less certain about the legality of that.

Having said that, being legally within your rights doesn't mean it won't cause diplomatic ructions and it sounds like you've already broached the subject, though it's not clear what the neighbour is not 'keen' about. Is it that they don't want to do anything about it themselves, in which case might they be more amenable if you offer to do the necessary work?

 

[a twig]

I'm pretty sure that anyone can legally remove any foliage that 'trespasses' into their own land and the space above it, including tree branches.

This is correct but as you point out, being legally correct doesn’t mean you won’t upset people

I've also heard that the cuttings should be offered back to the neighbouring owner, but I'm less certain about the legality of that.

This is not a thing - if you do cut down trespassing branches etc it then becomes your legal responsibility to dispose of them appropriately, to the extent that if you throw them back into your neighbour’s land you could be done for fly tipping. Been there and had that argument

We have a similar situation with a huge oak tree that would absolutely demolish our house if it fell, neighbours uninterested in doing anything about looking after it despite repeated asking, but when I offered to pay for the tree surgeon to thin it and remove diseased / dead limbs so they wouldn’t be liable if it did fall they suddenly were prepared to allow access for it all to happen…

 

[Flyfisher]

It's certainly a bit of a minefield.
RHS advice is that you "should" offer prunings to the owner, but if they don't want them then you must dispose of them yourself and throwing them over the fence would indeed be flytipping. Interestingly, they also advise that overhanging fruit belongs to the tree owner (fair enough) as does any windfall fruit on your side of the fence!

Trees and the law / RHS

Trees add structure and drama to a garden but their size and potential to cause nuisance or damage means they can sometimes be a worry.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[Cubist]

Nuts! Bumper crops of walnuts you say!

This morning I went out to examine a bees nest/hive that was unearthed and raided, presumably by one of our local badgers, to see if the bees had moved on. Seems not as there is still a huge amount of activity in the remains of the nest and it does not appear to have been re-visited by said badger overnight - maybe the rather large Red Kite that's also taken up residence in that field also got a late supper. I mention this en passant so to speak as that same field hosts our only walnut tree which I've grumbled about here ad nauseam in the past owing to the typical paucity of its crop courtesy of the transient community of squirrels that move in whenever the new fruit starts to bud. The tree is a relative youngster, I'm guessing at about 100 years of age based on it diameter of a little over a metre, and is in very good condition all told.

Having satisfied myself that I could take no immediate action with the bees nest - having inadvertently disturbed a similar nest with my brush cutter some years ago and suffered the First Ladies consequent ministrations to remove the scores of stings I earned for my trouble - I will not be going anywhere near this latest find anytime soon. However, I did take a few moments to check up on the walnut in the vain hope that this year may be a bumper crop year.... But no, nada nothing. Those pernicious perishers have been in again and clearly my efforts to persuade them to go elsewhere have failed, again - maybe a machine gun next year and less of a sporting chance.

All that aside @overlander matt your tree looks to be considerably older and that can't of the trunk looks alarming to say the least. I appreciate that the photo and its perspective may be deceptive but is it as bad as it appears? Also, is there any sign of stress damage near the base of the trunk and suggestions of 'root lift'? Also, how exactly are you keeping your local squirrels at bay or did you and @Flyfisher ship em off to me?

 

[Flyfisher]

Also, how exactly are you keeping your local squirrels at bay or did you and @Flyfisher ship em off to me?

We have plenty of pesky tree rats but It's a bit early in the year for them to start raiding the trees and burying said nuts in the lawn (I use 'lawn' in the very loosest sense). Indeed, I believe this particular tree is a direct result of their burying habits as it is certainly a lot younger than our largest walnut tree. While taking these pics just now I also noticed that a young oak is also laden with acorns and a horse chestnut is similarly laden with 'conkers'. We also have a couple of mature apple trees that are bending under the strain of their apple crop and a damson tree that rarely bears a lot of fruit is also having a bumper year. So something seems to be going on this year and I wonder whether this year's very dry weather in these here parts has stressed them all into 'one last gasp'. I do hope not!

 

[overlander matt]

It's good to see what a healthy walnut tree should look like. As for the walnuts, there are plenty on the tree this year. Strangely, we don't have many squirrels here but the appearance of walnut saplings well away from the old tree suggest there are just enough.

I have a few more pictures of the tree below. There is one limb that I am most worried about given the state of the trunk below. I might seek permission to cut it back a bit...

 

[overlander matt]

An update on the wall after a busy week... I've managed to finish the arch and get half of the coping bricks on. I'm really pleased with how it looks on both sides.

I didn't quite get the arch right - I was a little high on the new side but perhaps it's not too noticeable.

I need to find more coping bricks - I'm a couple of metres short of reaching the end. There's more wall to build first.

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement.