Once a neighbor's plantings cross into your yard, is it OK to trim them back?
That’s a question posed by a reader we’re calling Persephone. Her neighbor planted English ivy years ago and it has spread onto Persephone’s yard where it is strangling shrubs and climbing trees. Persephone has trimmed the ivy back several times, but it keeps returning. Her neighbor refuses to do anything to control the ivy’s spread and when asked responds: “It’s just a plant.”
Persephone would prefer her neighbor removed the encroaching ivy, but he seems disinclined. “Is it OK for me to remove all the ivy that crosses onto my property even if it risks damaging the plant in my neighbor’s yard?” Persephone asked.
It's not uncommon for neighbors with adjacent properties to wrestle with how to maintain their landscaping while respecting the people next door. Trees, shrubs and vines often cross into neighboring yards without regard for property lines or fences. That's part of living near others.
Unlike plants, however, neighbors have choices. Once they know their landscaping causes problems for someone else, they should address it rather than dismiss the concern. Persephone’s neighbor's English ivy doesn't recognize property lines, but he should.
Persephone has already tried to preserve a good relationship with her neighbor by mentioning the ivy encroachment before she decided to remove the ivy from her property herself. By responding that “it’s just a plant,” the neighbor was dismissive of Persephone’s wishes.
It is possible the neighbor sees English ivy as an attractive ground cover and doesn't realize how destructive it can become. Once Persephone explained that it was damaging shrubs and climbing trees on her property, however, he should have taken her concerns seriously, even if he disagreed with her solution.
I am not a lawyer, but regulations in many municipalities permit homeowners to trim branches, roots or vines that extend onto their property if they do so from their own yard. Questions about plants crossing property lines have come up before in my column, which suggests the issue is a perennial one for readers. Even if the law is on Persephone’s side, that doesn’t mean it’s best to remove the ivy without letting the neighbor know of her intentions.
Before cutting the ivy back, the right thing is for Persephone to tell her neighbor of her plans. She likely doesn’t need his permission to protect her yard from his plants, but it’s respectful for her to tell him. A short conversation or note might lessen the possibility of an escalated conflict. Once the neighbor knows her intentions, it might even result in him deciding to address the problem himself.
Living next to other people means accepting that our decisions sometimes affect those around us. Good neighbors don't have to agree about every landscaping choice, but they should listen when those choices risk harming someone else's property. Persephone can protect her yard while still treating her neighbor respectfully. She can’t control how her neighbor responds, but being respectful gives the relationship its best chance of surviving long after the ivy is gone.
Jeffrey L. Seglin, author of The Simple Art of Business Etiquette: How to Rise to the Top by Playing Nice, is a senior lecturer in public policy and director of the communications program at Harvard's Kennedy School. He is also the administrator of www.jeffreyseglin.com, a blog focused on ethical issues.
Do you have ethical questions that you need to have answered? Send them to jeffreyseglin@gmail.com.
Follow him on Twitter @jseglin.
(c) 2026 JEFFREY L. SEGLIN. Distributed by TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC
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