Neighborhood Landscape Police

Yes, unfortunately I have received my letter from the neighborhood landscape police.
I will agree, I have not spent my ususal 12 hour, 7 days a week out in the gruelling heat and sun.

Here is one of their complaints, I have a real problem with. I will quote their statement:"The large purple/maroon bush near the utility box is so overgrown that it is taking over your entire side yard." Here is where my life's education comes in handy. This is a Smoke Tree, or cotinus coggygria, it grows to 12 or 15 foot tall with a width the same size. The only time one prunes or trims this bush is to train it to be a tree (starting with a young bush) or if there is damage.
Being tall and wide, the neighborhood children have used this bush as a hiding place. It also makes for great privacy without building a fence, as it blocks my veiw of at least two other homes and they can not see what I am doing in the back yard. Perhaps, this is Their problem, they can't see what I am doing?

So... one neighbors smoke tree is another neighbors tighty-whitey laying on the garage roof.