AVS....just read the updates. One comment stuck with me. When you referred to the nasty neighbor as "The Bad Seed". Oh yeah....we all know what happened to her!!

Seems we're back to the Karma thing... :0)

Please tell me you've seen the movie (1956)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bad_Seed_(1956_film)

Hi there bungalowmo, I remember this from my youth. Scared me to death. She was EVIL. Try not to think bad thought but this does come to mind.

I just stumbled on this thread this morning, and probably have no place commenting. I live in a small but crowded little town in the treeless tundra of NW Alaska, where we all live on tiny lots and in complete view of one another. I can't help but wish a few neighbors would build a tall wall or fence and afford us some privacy! ;- )

That said, though, we do have a cabin out of town that had a vast an unobstructed view up a spectacular valley - until a local corporation built an open-pit gold mine and industrial plant in the middle of it. It broke my heart like this wall breaks yours. It has taken a number of years to stop seeing only the blight of the mine, and still appreciate all beautiful space that isn't the mine. Perspective is everything, and I pray you find your way to loving your ingeniously designed and very private mossy nook.

Snomad, thank you for your kind words. I am already plotting phase two of make the wall disappear.

Am really impressed with how you are holding it all together ASV. How does your bamboo impact your delightful neighbor's view?

Have been reading the novel of your troubles. If I might suggest, hang bird feeders and watch the lovely songbirds show you God's handiwork. At the same time, take tidbits of meat attached to string, lob them over the fence into their trees and watch the vultures (in Texas, we call them buzzards) circle their property. In Texas, that's how we roll! You have certainly worked the system appropriately. Unfortunately, homeowners do insane things. Our neighbors behind us (and I love them dearly and consider them lovely neighbors), added a massive concrete driveway that when it rains, drains hundreds of gallons of water into our yard. This created the need for us to spend thousands to rework our yard so that the backyard (garden), would not drain into our house as it did on one occasion. As a result, we now have a backyard that is even more accessible to my wife who is in a wheelchair. Forget the fact we had to refinance the house to have the work done:( Take care of yourself!

Now that's a man after my own heart. Songbirds and vultures! gotta love it!

Hi BeattieIt doesn't impact their view in any way. They just want to be difficult. If they have to cut down or remove their fence they sure as hell are going to make our lives hell (or more so) for this process. I need to find a design solution that hides their hideous fence and that wall and still conforms to the stupidity of the local laws that allow this to happen in the first place. I will take photos of the area that needs addressing soon and post it as a dilemma later in the week.

Garryeoff, soooo wish we had buzzards in our area :-). But it makes for a pleasant daydream.

In that case, if a judge had to rule they would strike that demand of theirs out. So I would ignore it unless or until you are forced to do something. Any judge would see she is being unreasonable. Hold in there.

Yes, Karma does work. You just don't know when it will happen but it is usually much harder than what they give out. It's a universal law. Hug for you from me.

Attach ivy to your side of the wall. Ivy will have two desired outcomes: firstly it will bring wonderful green look to the dismal wall, secondly, it will do it's work over time and detroiate the wall. Oh and by the way speaking of karma, what comes around goes around.I am sure of that. We have wonderful neigbours that we have literally stood by side by side during a fire, flood and an ice storms. To bad your neighbours are severing such an important relationship and can not count on you in time of need.

Garryeoff, in most places it is illegal to create runoff into a neighbours yard.

Yes, chook, if only that were enforced at our summer place...two new neighbors' reno/builds have wreaked havock -- one flooding our yard, and another whose bubbly laundry runoff runs down a public road and turns into the marsh. It's abutting an Audubon sanctuary for goodness sake, but nothing is done about it. :(

Did people put complaints?

What a saga ASV! You have been amazing to survive and grow from this journey.
Your bamboo looks great. However I am astonished to hear the audacity of them asking you to cut the bamboo. From your photos it looks like they have trees in their garden which are substantially taller than your bamboo.
While you make not be able to use 'their' wall for a green wall, how can you possibly be responsible for a plant , perhaps ivy or Virginia creeper that might just happen to grow there from 'seeds dropped by birds'.
Perhaps adding some sculpture or a feature to draw the eye to the bamboo and some smaller ferns and moss planting in the foreground will make you less aware of the wall.
While the idea of karma would be great, sadly from my experience In two similar situations, these people seem to get away with this - in this life at least. At least you can claim the moral high ground and have lived with your principles and ethics. And have the neighbourhood on your side.
.

I know what you mean anniau, but until their lives are over, you don't know what karma has in store for them. We cannot separate ourselves and the universe out of it as it is cause and effect. Claiming the moral high ground is a positive move for sure.

Have you installed the motion-activated air horn yet? :-D

Good idea alh1881! :-)

Big ol' thumbs-up, alh1881!!!!!!

The thought hit me the other day, "Did they have a structural engineer to determine whether the thickness of wall (or lack of) support the amount of pressure from the dirt being placed against the wall once the slope is leveled out?" I'm not an Einstein, nor the brightest lightbulb in the room.........but..........common sense tells me that unless the retaining wall is thick enough and has enough support built within the wall, Father Time will show them....and you that He is stronger than all of them put together. The end result, cracking of the wall and maybe you becoming the owner of their dirt. Time will tell...and maybe an engineer who reads this might be able to tell you/us something before the cracks appear. Don't mean to be the bearer of bad news.

I have just read/scanned this whole discussion. What I can't get out of my head is the safety issue should this wall collapse -- everything collapses sooner or later. Your neighbors seemed to have gained little to nothing in a small corner of their yard. They may be sociopathic, but they are also quite illogical. And probably get off on creating trouble. One of them works for the UN? Scary thought right there. I am struggling for words as none seem appropriate. I cannot even estimate the cost of this project. It seems as though it would have a huge price tag for an almost infinitesimal benefit to them. The cost of your already very large bamboo must have been a pretty penny too. The law in Switzerland seems strangely dense to safety issues. Can you get pictures from the top down? Maybe from their/your driveway. I have to say that I can't visualize where your mutual driveway is in relation to the Great Wall. If I were a potential buyer, I would be more than skeptical about all of the issues surrounding the GW.

Once this is resolved one way or another, you will see it as just another challenge along life's journey, but I completely understand how this could affect you emotionally and physically.

Coming here to vent and get support was a good thing to do. It gave you perspective from around the world and that clearly helped.

Enjoy all the other aspects of your home.

@garryeoff - thank you for your comment. In theory before the permit was delivered an engineer would have signed off on this. Bear in mind Switzerland is the land of mountains so they are used to building up and out. This is small beans. However at the time of the build we had excessive rains and the wall has indeed bulged out on one side by 1-2cm. I cannot speak to that issue. All we can do is attack on the legal height of the wall. If the wall were to break it would fall on our neighbour's who is in a far far worse position than I am. Although we both share the worst corner. My issue is that we take the Swiss system to court which is as daunting as the wall. Right now our lawyer is attacking on what is immediately feasible. We shall see what the next steps are. Thank you for your thoughts

The Wall builders got official permission for this wall so, presumably, had to show proper plans with a structural engineer's approval?

Interesting ASV!!

@RamonaThank you for your kind words. It is not that puzzling as they did indeed expand their lawn by about a 1/3. The problem is that they did it at the expense of those around them. I think that is what is the most troubling. Who they work for is really irrelevant as it boils down the the nature of the individual that would proceed in this manner. And yes, costs were very high to build it. As is everything else.Having said that, like the rat gnawing at the rope, I hope to eventually get some relief. But it requires patience, persistence and a certain attitude that even if I lose I tried nevertheless.I will be posting pictures of the wall, the garden etc soon as a new dilemma as I really want to deal with the cheap ugly fence they have erected and the concrete wall they have left us with.I must admit it has been very heartening to have everyone's good will and great suggestions. In there is the gem that will unlock the solution!!! Cheers

I thought about Switzerland being filled with stuff like this, so perhaps they are used to the safety issues in a way I can't imagine. But given that I lived in California half my life and many homes slid down hills, I still see the safety of this as an issue. I only mentioned the UN because they are supposed to all be trained to mediate disputes!! Ha.

It doesn't look like a third of the yard from the pictures, but I am sure you got your info right.

It's a light blocking wall that was unnecessary.

I finally had a chance to catch up on the latest. ASV, you have such an amazing attitude. I commend you!

When you post your new thread, or if you already have, will you please post the link here so we can all follow you?

Need garden help

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/need-help-with-garden-design-dsvw-vd~876764

I love all of ASVInteriors pics and projects!

Any updates, ASV?

Hi chookNot much as legal cases grind on very slowly. I am busy travelling the world and plan to come back and post a dilemma for the wall. I have some good ideas but we have to see what the final ruling is on the case! Hope all is well. Cheers, antoinette

ASV, take a look at the site plan of the link above. It's not your neighbour, is it?

Well hope you end soon with a winwin ASV.

Couldn't be, chookchook, it isn't in the clouds above all their neighbors ;-)

Have you thought of having the home appraisal value before the wall, and after the wall so you can prove the impact of devaluing - as well as your "pain and suffering"!

StPatricks day party


https://www.houzz.com/discussions/cake-tins-and-cake-cookie-jars-2-dsvw-vd~875979

ASV, just found this thread and read every single word. I'm so sorry this happened. On the bright side, it seems you've made many friends around the world. The universe is already rewarding you!

My best wishes are being beamed out to you. Hang in there. We'll all stay tuned!

Where do you live? I would plant Leland cypress or Carolina laurel if they will grow for your area.

Thanks jen046. I am very fortunate to have the support of houzz friends around the world. It has been very comforting. I am hanging in there but it is out of my hands although I am still stumped by the PERFECT design solution. Which so annoys me that I can do it for others but not for me! Plus while the legal case continues it is not wise to do anything they can challenge. So biding my time.....holly - not allowed to plant any evergreens and laurel is too dark leaved so would suck away more light In limited light environment

Seems odd you cannot plant evergreens but someone else can build a monstrosity of a wall! Hope you win your case ASV!!

Hey, I have just read your thread - whatever happened in the end?

Hi iamlin - still in the courts - of course the lawyers will win.. (either way!)

Sob.

What does the view look like today?

That means all their concrete form work is sitting on your property. Without express written permission they would not have the right to use your land for their construction here in the US. I am appalled that my countrymen have abused you so heavily. They need to stay in Switzerland (they probably need the immunity)...they aren't welcome here anymore.

Any updates on possible karma?

I was wondering, too.

Sad .. something tells me that the wall is not as strong as it looks. Is there any rebar (metal rods) connecting it to the already existing ground? What is going to prevent the new fill from exerting pressure on the wall & making it collapse?

Just read this story, please let us know the outcome, it's been a long haul for you. x