New build garden ideas and suggestions

Posts

• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  August 2023

  
  
  Hi @brandy90 - unfortunately, the site looks tiny, so if you add screening of any kind planted directly into the ground, it will block a lot of light because it will need to be really high to give you privacy. The best method is to have something smaller further into the space, but I doubt you have room for that ,although the photo could be deceptive. You could add a simple screen along the patio, if that's the main area you want the privacy for. Add a few climbers etc.
  
  However, if you don't want to enclose the area so fully, I think the only answer is to make a raised bed along your fence - it would need to be a fair height, but not too deep [front to back] which you can then plant into with something suitable which wouldn't then need to be so big and wide. It would need to be something which can be kept quite narrow, and won't mind being fairly restricted.
  You'd also need to prep the fence really well - an internal barrier to prevent the timber rotting too quickly, and if you use timber for the raised bed, it will need lined with heavy duty plastic. Pond liner is good for that. For filling it, it needs to be soil based, and may need grit or fine gravel for drainage, depending on the planting. 
  Things like Escallonia would be ok there. Evergreen, and can be kept tight. Can be pruned as well. If you don't need it to be evergreen, many grasses would be ok, or just some decent sized perennials. You can add trailing plants etc too.

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

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• Plantminded Posts: 3,580

  August 2023

  If the footpath is level with the hedge and your fence is about six foot high, you're going to need something that grows to about twice the height of the fence pretty quickly!  As @Fairygirl says, a raised bed will give your plants instant extra height.  You could either plant a row of mixed shrubs or an evergreen hedge like the Escallonia suggested.  If you're in an area that doesn't get severe winters, I'd recommend Griselinia littoralis which is evergreen, relatively fast growing and can be kept to a narrow depth. I have a hedge of it to hide my fence, it's about 6 foot high and just a foot in depth.
  
  
  

  Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.
  
  
  

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