Care Advice
The Law and Your Garden
Your garden is your property, so you'd be forgiven for thinking you can do what you like on it. In fact, that's not always the case. You could be breaking the law with trespassing tree roots, high hedges or even banned pesticides. So read on to be sure you're not an unwitting offender!
Pesticides
Do you have a illegal chemical lurking in your shed? On 25 July 2003, the sale of over 80 pesticides became illegal, and from March 2004 it became an offence to even possess them. To see which products are banned, see the RHS's Chemicals Withdrawn From Sale Journal.
If you do have a banned product, tipping it down the drain is illegal as it pollutes the water supply. Contact your local waste disposal authority about safe chemical disposal or see Pesticide Action Network UK. Be an Eco-Friendly Gardener has advice on chemical alternatives in the garden.
It's worth knowing that you can even break the law with products that are allowed! You must use them as instructed on the packaging, so if a product is only for use on apples and pears, don't use it on your plum tree.
Trees
If a tree is on your land, it's yours and it's your responsibility. Before doing anything to it, you first need to check it doesn't have a TPO (Tree Protection Order) imposed by the local planning authorities. If it's protected you must seek permission for anything other than removing dead wood. Chopping it down without permission could set you back a whopping £20,000 fine.
Do you have a illegal chemical lurking in your shed? On 25 July 2003, the sale of over 80 pesticides became illegal, and from March 2004 it became an offence to even possess them. To see which products are banned, see the RHS's Chemicals Withdrawn From Sale Journal.
If you do have a banned product, tipping it down the drain is illegal as it pollutes the water supply. Contact your local waste disposal authority about safe chemical disposal or see Pesticide Action Network UK. Be an Eco-Friendly Gardener has advice on chemical alternatives in the garden.
It's worth knowing that you can even break the law with products that are allowed! You must use them as instructed on the packaging, so if a product is only for use on apples and pears, don't use it on your plum tree.
Trees
If a tree is on your land, it's yours and it's your responsibility. Before doing anything to it, you first need to check it doesn't have a TPO (Tree Protection Order) imposed by the local planning authorities. If it's protected you must seek permission for anything other than removing dead wood. Chopping it down without permission could set you back a whopping £20,000 fine.
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