Getting more privacy in the garden

[kitkat321]

We live in a new development which means gardens are generally small and houses are squeezed in on top of each other.

We're generally quite lucky with the position of our house as it's sort of on the corner so our garden backs on to the side of the house over the back from us and their double garage gives us privacy.

The issue is with the neigbours to the right of us. Their garden is elevated - they've got this ugly raised decking at the back of the garden (which their joiner attached to the fence that we paid for without even mentioning it!)

This means that on our side the fence is 6 foot but on there's its much lower. There doesn't seem to be much we can do about that and I did get annoyed last year when all their visitors through it appropriate to lean on our fence and stare into the garden.

Anyway, I'm keen to get as much privacy as we can. I've looked at the willow/bamboo screening and I'm not sure how sturdy it looks?

We could put up some trellis on some sections but others run alongside the patio so not sure if we could do much with that?

Looking for any suggestions? We've already spent a small fortune on the property so not looking to spend too much.

[UnmentionedElephantDildo]

Invite some racey friends round, and have them behave Very Inappropriately in the garden as often as possible, and definitely when your neighbours are entertaining.

Either that or a 90 year old naturist who will tell people off for staring.

You'll find the neighbours come to you for a mutual solution in a flash.

[echt]

A friend once recommended throwing a shit-filled nappy/suitcase of clothes out of the window, while bawling over the insistent top volume music: "Fuck off, and take your squaddie friends with you."

Just saying.

[luciole15]

Decking more than 30cm from ground level needs planning permission, as does decking covering more than 50% of a garden. Am sure you can complain about it being fixed to your fence too.

[shovetheholly]

Normally with privacy threads, I feel like the British have a very odd attitude towards needing to screen everything. In this case, though, it sounds like your neighbour's deck really crosses a line and is incredibly intrusive into your space.

I also think this sounds like it might be in contravention of planning. Maybe get in touch with your local department and see if there's anything they can do first of all. If they can't take any action, then I would think about that trellis plan with climbers. You can plant something quite rampant in a piece of ground close to your patio area, and let it spread out horizontally.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Open trellis level attached to the top of the fence with flowering jasmine which is usually evergreen and smells lovely and brings in proper bees.

Or you could put a large compost heap / beehive at the bottom of your garden