Britons are unknowingly risking a £20,000 fine if they remove common plants from their gardens

Avid gardeners across the country are being warned by the pros that six little-known laws could sneak up on them as they prepare their greenery for winter. Experts from Garden Buildings Direct urged people not to become “unwitting criminals” by learning more about what their gardens can and cannot have – and more importantly, what they cannot remove.

Remove trees

Starting with a little-known law with a potential price tag of £20,000, the experts warned people to check the trees in their gardens are unprotected before damaging, tilling, moving or destroying them. They warned: “Important trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), which restrict homeowners’ ability to remove or prune them, even if they are in their own garden. Disturbing a TPO protected tree without appropriate permission could result in a fine of up to £20,000.”

Planting invasive species

It is not unusual for someone new to gardening to misidentify the plants they have purchased, but it is definitely worth knowing which species are invasive as they can not only cause you financial problems. The experts named Japanese knotweed, which can look aesthetically pleasing, as one of the worst.

This knotweed is notorious in gardening communities for its destructive properties, as it can even damage your home or invade your neighbors’ gardens and cause widespread problems. Introducing invasive plants into your garden was banned in 1981 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Pruning flowers and fruit

If the gardens around yours have branches, fruit or flowers hanging across the border and into your property, it is still illegal to prune or take them. Despite widespread misconceptions, the plants are still the property of your neighbors and if you do prune them, they have the legal right to reclaim the prunings, including any flowers or fruits you have collected.

Covering boundaries

This divisive garden addition is actually written into law; If a hedge is created along the border between two plots, you are both responsible for its maintenance and pruning.

Garden buildings

As for more technical additions, if you have a summer house or garden building there are some strict restrictions on how big these can be and planning permission is required if you go above these dimensions. A garden building may occupy a maximum of 50% or less of the land around your home, be smaller than 2.5 meters and not be used as an independent living space.

Block light

Under the Rights of Light Act, if a window has received natural light for twenty years or more, it should not be blocked. You and your neighbors are all responsible for ensuring that nothing is planted that will violate this law and cast shade on the eligible windows of your property.