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Overlooked garden

CompostmaniaCompostmania Posts: 31
in Problem solving
Good morning. My neighbour recently removed a 10 feet tall leylandii hedge which was behind our 6ft high closeboard fence. Whilst it's great that the leylandii hedge no longer sucks all the goodness out of the soil it does mean we can see into the neighbours garden and vice versa. We get on well with our neighbours, but would appreciate a little bit more privacy. The concrete fence posts aren't tall enough to put a trellis on top, so would appreciate any advice on how we can get our privacy back?

Thank you for your help
I could agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong...
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Posts

  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
    Bamboo in big pots along the fence?
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Frequent posters to the forum would know how I absolutely hate the obsession with "privacy" what the hell are you doing in a garden that can't be seen 🤣 but we have all kind of agreed that an easy way is to use the sightlines as your guide and maybe use a structure over or in front of you seating area for that buffer of obscurity. Lots of creative ideas posted in the past with using screens and trellising alongside the more conventional arbours etc.
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • CompostmaniaCompostmania Posts: 31
    amancalledgeorge said:
    Frequent posters to the forum would know how I absolutely hate the obsession with "privacy" what the hell are you doing in a garden that can't be seen 🤣 but we have all kind of agreed that an easy way is to use the sightlines as your guide and maybe use a structure over or in front of you seating area for that buffer of obscurity. Lots of creative ideas posted in the past with using screens and trellising alongside the more conventional arbours etc.
    Sorry if I’ve touched a nerve! My problem is that next doors garden is three feet higher than ours ! 
    I could agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Have you got a pic of the site? It's far easier to offer ideas if we can see the general area and the size etc. 
    Sometimes, a simple structure with climbers is the easiest solution.
    You also have to be careful with heights of fences - 2 metres is usually the permitted max. height, so it can be problematic if you try to add anything, but there's nothing to stop you putting another line of posts to the inside of the fence with trellis on it. That's where the screen idea can be better though. I've done something similar here, but mainly to block the nearby road rather than people, and I have a path and a border beyond it. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    edited 11 March
    To obscure the view of my neighbour's home office I have used a selection of small trees and large shrubs, strategically placed so that I don't see it from inside my house! Depending on the quality of your soil and aspect, there are many evergreen options you could choose. I have used Thuja, Bay laurel, Camellia, Buddleia, Griselinia, a Rowan and two varieties of bamboo. This gives more interest than a typical hedge.

    You could also use a few fastigiate trees in strategic places, either in a row or in a staggered arrangement. I've used Amelanchier Obelisk on the other side of my garden to obscure another neighbour's garage! There are many other small tree and fastigiate tree options to consider. Have a look at a specialist tree nursery's website and decide which look, height and spread will suit your situation, soil and climate.

    I'm not keen on arbours, trellising or large structures in gardens unless they can be hidden with climbers. They become attractive perches for pigeons!


    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 221
    I had a similar situation and ended up growing a line of Thuja a few feet in from the boundary fence although it’s not quite doing its job yet.  I also had a summerhouse on a raised base erected which was an instant fix - you just have to be careful of its height in relation to distance from the fence. 
    Do you know if your neighbours are going to replace the hedge with something else? 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I agree with @Plantminded about small trees and mixed shrubs. My daughter has a hedge of mixed shrubs but I can't find a photo. It has Photinia, Weigela, Eleagnus and some other evergreens. You could also plant a few small trees such as Amelanchier and crab apples.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    amancalledgeorge said:
    Frequent posters to the forum would know how I absolutely hate the obsession with "privacy" what the hell are you doing in a garden that can't be seen 🤣 
    Some like to sunbathe naked, in the nude.
    Some people are nosey and take offense.
    Just saying.
  • McRazzMcRazz Posts: 440
    edited 11 March
    amancalledgeorge said:
    Frequent posters to the forum would know how I absolutely hate the obsession with "privacy" what the hell are you doing in a garden that can't be seen 🤣 but we have all kind of agreed that an easy way is to use the sightlines as your guide and maybe use a structure over or in front of you seating area for that buffer of obscurity. Lots of creative ideas posted in the past with using screens and trellising alongside the more conventional arbours etc.

    Picking my nose
    Taking a leak on my compost heap
    Sunbathing naked
    Generally being weird

    I can go on...

    Plantmindeds border looks great!
  • ciaranmcgreneraciaranmcgrenera Posts: 313
    there’s an instagram account called gardenthirtythree. It’s a girl who has a back garden heavily overlooked from all sides, who has addressed that by very clever planting combos throughout her garden rather than just a big screen of the one thing all down one side. It might not suit you if you have a mature garden, but on the other hand might trigger some ideas.
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