10 Landscaping Choices That Are Harming Your Neighbors’ Homes

This post may contain affiliate links.

A beautiful yard can add to the charm and curb appeal of your home, but what may be a fantastic idea for your property can become a headache for your neighbors. Some choices in landscaping have unintended consequences — whether it’s the water from your lawn flooding their basement or your towering trees blocking their sunlight.

If you don’t want your neighbors hating you, here are 10 landscaping choices you may want to reconsider.

Water Features Gone Wrong

15 Serene Water Features to Transform Your Backyard Oasis
Photo Credit:KEVAL PADHIYAR/Pexels

There’s nothing like the peaceful sound of a bubbling fountain. If that lovely water feature you installed isn’t planned correctly, it can create drainage problems that send water into your neighbor’s yard, or even into their basement. Water always wants to be the lowest point, and if your feature interrupts the flow of water, you may have unintentionally created a flood next door. That’s not neighborly behavior, is it?

High Fences

Photo Credit: Svetlyachock/ Shutterstock

You can’t just put up a tall solid fence and not think about your neighbor’s needs, or you might cast their garden or living space into a perpetual shadow. Your fence may give you privacy, but if your neighbor feels boxed in, it may just breed resentment. Talk to the folks next door before putting up a barrier to avoid making your yard a literal divide.

Artificial Turf Overkill

Photo Credit: Pexels

Artificial turf may appear to be a simple, low maintenance option, but it’s not without its negatives. Turf that’s too thick can lead to runoff, washing excess water — and sometimes chemicals — onto neighboring properties. Also, synthetic grass can trap heat in hotter climates, making it more unpleasant for all around. For you it may be convenient, but for those next door it could be a constant heat and water issue.

Over-the-Top Lighting

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Casezy Idea

Too much outdoor lighting can turn your yard into a mini Las Vegas, but well placed outdoor lighting can make your home look warm and welcoming. Spilling bright lights into your neighbor’s yard can ruin their evenings, ruin their sleep and make them mad at you. If you do not want to disturb your neighbors, keep wattage and placement of lights in mind so you don’t end up lighting up their backyard like a stadium at night.

Large Trees in Small Spaces

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

It might seem like a good idea to plant a majestic oak or maple tree, but these trees need a lot of room to grow. Planted too close to property lines, their roots have a way of rooting themselves underground, which can ruin your neighbor’s foundation or underground pipes. And not to mention, their massive branches can block sunlight, or even break off in a storm and land right on your neighbor’s fence or roof.

Unruly Hedges

Photo Credit: Pexels

While your overgrown hedges may look lush and green from your side, if they’re encroaching on the property line, your neighbors might not be as happy. Spilling hedges can obscure views, cast too much shade, or become someone else’s maintenance problem. But if your shrubs are invading their space, you may find yourself with a trimming problem and a furious neighbor.

Improper Drainage Systems

Photo Credit: LariBat/ Shutterstock

Water has to go somewhere, whether it’s from your driveway or your roof. If your drainage system is poorly designed, that “somewhere” might be right into your neighbor’s yard. No one wants to deal with puddles or soggy lawns from runoffs next door. Make sure that any water that leaves your property does not make your neighbor’s space a swampy mess.

Excessive Use of Chemicals

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

While pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers may help your garden grow, they can also drift or leach into your neighbor’s yard. This can damage their plants, their soil, or even their pets. Not everyone has the same tolerance for chemicals in their environment and what works for your garden might be damaging to theirs. When it comes to how you maintain your yard, a little consideration can go a long way.

Fruit Trees and Messy Plants

Photo Credit:Pixaline/ pixabay

If your fruit tree drops fruit onto your neighbors lawn, it can quickly become a nuisance. It not only makes a sticky mess, but it can also bring ants, bees and pests into their home. Just as plants that drop large amounts of leaves, seeds, or blossoms can clog up your neighbor’s gutters or litter their outdoor space, it can cause frustration and extra clean up on their end.

Invasive Plants

Photo Credit: Pexels

Sometimes, those exotic plants that you just have to have at the nursery aren’t the best choice for your yard—or your neighborhood. Bamboo, English ivy and Japanese knotweed are invasive species that can quickly and aggressively spread, creeping under fences and into your neighbour’s yard, making their garden difficult to manage. If a plant grows like wildfire in your garden, soon enough it will be your neighbor’s problem too.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

Affordable Home Entertainment: 11 Must-Have Finds For Enhancing Your Family Movie Nights

Affordable Home Entertainment: 11 Must-Have Finds For Enhancing Your Family Movie Nights

How to Clean Your Smoker Grill Combo Like a Pro

Image Credit: Shutterstock

How to Clean Your Smoker Grill Combo Like a Pro

15 Common Mistakes That Unknowingly Make

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

15 Common Mistakes That Unknowingly Make Your Home Look Bad

Bring Nature Indoors with These DIY Terrarium Ideas

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Bring Nature Indoors with These DIY Terrarium Ideas

Similar Posts