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What height is a high hedge to you?

Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
edited October 2020 in Plants
What do you consider a high nuisance hedge to be?  In a large rectangular south facing back garden. 

I know there is the high hedge act which deems it as anything over 2m but with the profusion of raised decks and slabbed platforms, extensions with side facing windows (looking into neighbour’s gardens), giant trampolines and two storey playhouses in our modern day back gardens, is 2.5m (an average shed height) really unreasonable?  
Not asking for a friend...
Thanks for your input.  
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Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I think so because it casts too much shade and consumes too many nutrients and too much water plus at that height it's hard to maintain safely without ladders and platforms.

    Better to keep to 1.8m which is above eye height for most humans and if you feel you need more privacy, get clever with taller trees planted 2 to 3 m in from the boundary and/or pergolas, arches, gazebo or a sail over a seating/dining area in summer.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    @Obelixx. Thank you.  I’m always happy to hear another’s perspective and take on board all your points. There’s no shortage of water where I am however - just the opposite.  

    I’m in the position of having to take action to regain my privacy as a result of a neighbouring property owner’s overlooking window in her new extension. It didn’t seem so bad until she hacked back my hedge complaining of a lack of light - the hedge has been there 20 years plus!.  C’est la vie! I guess.
    Thanks again 😊
  • SuesynSuesyn Posts: 664
    Our neighbours applied for planning permission to extend above their garage which would result in bedroom windows overlooking our conservatory so we planted 2 birch trees to shield us from view. The trees have grown to about 15 ft tall, neighbours have separated and sold up and the extention never did get built! 
  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    @Suesyn Ha! That’s typical.  At least you have a ready made screen if anyone else plans a similar extension.
     I’m a live-and let-live kind of person but I struggle to compromise on privacy. I don’t want to block her light nor my own so will have a think about a screen in from the boundary so I can at least go out my back door without being clocked by anyone watching from behind the window. It’s enough to make a person paranoid! 😱

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    There is no legal height to hedging.
  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    @Fire I agree and I know the high hedge act is supposed to be used (or not) by councils after investigating a complaint rather than direct action by a disgruntled neighbour.  Once it’s cut, it’s cut after all.  It’s annoying but I’m trying to keep a sense of perspective over it. I was just interested in other’s thoughts about an acceptable hedge height.
    Thanks 😊
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    In my opinion it really depends how close it is to their house/used areas of garden and how large all the gardens in question are.  And of course if both neighbours want a high hedge then it can be higher than if only one side does.
  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    Thanks @Skandi
    The hedge is close to their house in one part as their house was built right up to the boundary.  They recently built a new rear extension that is about 4-5m away from the boundary with a window that directly faces the hedge and my garden seating area beyond. I didn’t plant the hedge but it was a feature I liked when I bought the house as I value my garden privacy having had neighbours from hell previously (air gun target practice in the back garden anyone?)
    It’s not nice feeling so overlooked when our gardens are really quite big - all the house plots in my street are broad and long.  I’ve created other seating areas and will try to re-establish privacy with creative planting away from the boundary. Or maybe erect a superlong summerhouse near it😆
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Crikey, from some of the hedges I've seen on this forum, 2.5 metres seems positively demure. If you have got pretty big gardens, as you seem to suggest, maybe that's fine. Trees maybe a better answer and less hassle, as others suggest. I have tiny gardens front and back, and I seem to spend my life cutting my hedges back so they don't eat the house.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    How about Italian Cyprus (pencil cyprus) small diameter but tall to break up the view.
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