A man with a tree so huge it has been nicknamed ‘The Big Fella’ refuses to cut it down and instead spends £500 a year trimming it so buses can get past.
The 30ft sculpted cedar in the front garden of Peter Davis’s home has been a talking point for 40 years as it looms over properties in the quiet road in Wymondham, Norfolk.
The proud owner of the gigantic tree, which attracts selfie-taking tourists from China and Japan, said there has been one single complaint from a neighbour about the tree blocking light but most locals like it.
The 72-year-old, who runs a business, said: ‘The tree is now part of the local landscape. Everybody knows about it – especially bus drivers who have to avoid it.
‘Obviously, if people were upset it might be different and I wouldn’t want to fall out with my neighbours but, as things stand, most people seem to enjoy it – and children in particular love it.
The 30ft cedar tree outside the home of Peter Davis in Wymondham, Norfolk has become a ‘local legend’
Peter (pictured) said his neighbours love the tree and he has only ever had one complaint
The tree is so imposing it has to be chopped down to let buses and lorries through
Locals have nicknamed the tree ‘The Big Fella’ and it is so big surgeons have to use a cherry picker to trim it
‘Some critics say it blocks out the light but it’s not an eyesore and the tree gets a haircut when it needs one – about once a year.
‘The tree surgeon has to use a cherry picker to get up to the top.
‘But as far as my family are concerned we have got really attached to the tree. I have always loved it and to have this one in my garden is great. It’s become a local landmark.’
He added: ‘It’s very handy for delivery drivers to find too, the directions simply say “look for a house with a huge tree in the garden”.
‘I never get tired of it. I see it every day just like lots of other people do. It’s certainly not an eyesore.
‘There was a single complaint once from a former neighbour about cutting out the light.
‘But the people who have just bought the house next door, which it over-hangs, seem happy enough. It’s not as if the tree comes a surprise.
‘Neighbours and locals are happy with it and so am I. So why would I want to chop it down?’
It comes after a picture of the tree was shared on Twitter, formerly X, showing how it was so big it loomed over the pavement and into the road.
A hole was cut into its branches for a street light and even a gap for a telephone wire.
Neighbour John Moss, who has lived opposite the tree for 18 years, said: ‘The tree has become something of a talking point and a local attraction.
Peter spends £500 a year on trimming the hedge so that street lamp and telephone wire can go through it
Despite spending hundreds on keeping the hedge safe – Peter refuses to chop it down
Neighbours say ‘it is not the most attractive’ but added they could not ‘bear’ to see it axed
‘We got to a stage when the tree had to be trimmed regularly which costs £500 pounds because of the equipment they tree people have to use.
‘They also have to leave a gap for the street light. It’s not the most attractive of trees but we couldn’t bear to see it cut it down – we have all got used to it now.
‘We have lived opposite it for 18 years and it certainly has got much bigger – there’s no complaints and we have got used to it – it certainly an eye-catcher.’
Mr Moss, 64, added: ‘We get lots of Japanese and Chinese people coming to see it and taking scores of photographs of themselves standing in front of it.
‘Once or twice a year a cherry picker has to be brought it to trim the highest parts of the tree but it is not a problem.’
Local Brian Griffiths added: ‘I see it every day and it’s a fine sight – it is evergreen too there is no problem with shedding leaves in the autumn.
‘It’s also pretty useful as a landmark for delivery drivers – there no way they will miss the tree.’
The tree is famous locally but selfie hunters from as far as Japan and China also stop by to take pictures
The distinctive tree dwarfs all others along the suburban street in Wymondham, Norfolk
Tree surgeon Zak Branch, who looks after the tree, said: There some miserable people around – but that tree is certainly not an eyesore.
‘If left, it would get a lot bigger but looking after it helps to keep it in good condition and looking nice.’
Former chairman of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society Chris said: ‘It’s good to see people being creative and have fun with the trees and plants that surround them, we’re all for people shaping plants and shrubs they already have in their gardens, evergreen or deciduous.
‘It’s great to see something that hasn’t been fashioned into a standard topiary shape like a spiral, cockerel, wedding cake – here is something that probably reflects the owners passion – it could be American footballers or sci-fi storm Troopers helmet.
‘Whilst topiary can be seen by some as old fashioned, it can be fun, inventive and not always stuck in the past. However, a topiaries scale, with respect to its surroundings, is very important… something that might have been forgotten here!’