He sounds like a dickweed! It's one thing to "be private," but to isolate? In that case, why live in a neighborhood?
The people who bought my old house did that same thing--ripped out all the gardens and put in gravel. The opposite of what I'd done when I bought the house. I still boil over when I think of it!!!
Why buy a house with a garden if you are just going to rip it out? Also why live in a neighborhood if you don't want people looking at you? What do you have to hide? Are you a drug dealer?
I would have him checked out by a Private Eye too...he might need to do some time up the river for something.
What a twit.
Love Faith's idea 
I think you most certainly need to be the upstanding citizen that we all know you are and if he needs to be reported... well, so be it.
People who don't love gardens are in peril of their soul. Because flowers=happiness.
Me?
I tell him straight out (but nicely) that I totally oppose the idea, but as long as it's within the city's CODE and proper PERMITS are pulled and it's on HIS property ... there's nothing I can do.
Then smile and offer to move the rose bushes for him ... onto your property!
Hey, not every husband. I'd be having a fit. Not because I care about flowers that much, but because that guy talked like a real jerk.
I think you're doing the exact right thing (or that you will....) I have a neighbor that I hate. Unfortunately, his property extends the entire width of ours (he lives behind us). He's taken to yelling at my dog.
Don't mess wit' mah dog.
Can I borrow your Dane? My little Poopy Puppy doesn't strike fear in anyone's heart. I know Dane's aren't scary (having grown up with them), but they are big!
I love how you've already got your mode of attack ready and willing. This is why I love you. Demure and innocent on the outside....operative word being outside.
Sorry you are next to such a jerk--I so feel your pain (I have a jerk that cuts down trees because they drop acorns next to me).
I am sorry to be opinionated and tell you that I can't stand by and let you report him, etc. We are battling our neighbors right now. We own 12 acres. and we wanted to put in a little trailer on the bottom of our property for my grandmother. Well the evil new neighbor lady comes out and tells my dad which trees he can cut on his own property. It gets worse after this, but I will spare you the details. It has been an uphill fight since then. See both of my parents are Americans. (I am Canadian, I believe Canadians can be more laid back then some Americans. Long story) My dad doesn't take things lying down or work behind his neighbors backs. But if you do it to him, it's war. So far, we have the trailer there, but it can't be a permanent dwelling. If you want to photo proof of how retard is that this is such an issue with the neighbors. I will do a post on it.
Back to the moral of my story.
Lay down your southerner-ness and approach him with a wise appeal. I know you can do it, and save those roses!
I like Nancy's idea of moving the rose bushes a few feet over onto your property.
As for the rest, bring it ON! He'll soon learn not to mess with you.
Hmm. Yep, definitely salvage the rose bushes. If he won't give them to you, get them under cover of darkness. He sounds like exactly the kind of lazy jerk who would be more than happy for you to do any or all of his work for him. He probably wants the fence so he doesn't have to mow his yard. I think I agree with D, though, tell him about the permit, etc. up front. He sounds like the type that would try to poison your dogs. (Actually, now that I think of it, he didn't move there from Kentucky, did he?)
I just wanted to post a quick reply to Faith's comment "Why buy a house with a garden if you are just going to rip it out?"
I bought a house that I fell in love with, a 1919 Craftsman- and don't garden or work in the yard at all. Did the nice gardens around my future house influence my decision? Not one bit. I've slowly getting rid of everything that needs too much care because thats the kind of person I am. I'd rather have an easy-to-maintain yard than one that suffers and looks crappy due to neglect. I don't really think thats a fair comment. However, thats just IMO of course.
And Jolie, sadly my husband is the opposite - finding fault and jumping the gun when there's nothing wrong. grrr...
I personally like your mode of attack. I wouldn't tip off my hand by telling him. I wonder if he told YOU just to get your reaction. My parents live in the same area as you, so I know the kind of fencing that is attractive and that works with the neighborhood. Good Luck! ang
Gah! It hate my first comment. Let's try this again. I agreed about the husband thing. Then I said I thought you handled it great. After all, like you say, he may not even go through with it.
I'll bet the city and the building codes will do the heavy lifting for you.
I'll admit that I have feelings on both sides of this. When we built our lake house, some neighbors insisted on making us follow setbacks that they were making no one else follow, and we ended up having to build up instead of out. They're sorry now, I suppose.
But, if they had approached us in a spirit of fairness and reason, we could have compromised and we all would have been happier in the end.
I'm not sure your neighbor sounds like he has much of a soft spot for compromise, but I would still give it a try. Maybe if you try to soften him up a bit with some jam?
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