How to block nosy neighbours view

[Deloresmonroe]

We have very nosy neighbours to one side who either sit in their front garden all day or sit at their window, regardless they are watching our every move when we leave the house or come home.
They are nice enough but it’s really uncomfortable to feel eyes on you to realise the entire family are watching you without so much as blinking. I’m talking 5 adults and around 6 children.
I’m looking to add something for privacy to put a barrier between us but I also need to see the road to pull out of my driveway as it’s a busy road.
I’ve considered bamboo screening, but how do I attach this and will it even work as I’ve noticed some are quite flimsy and see through?
Plants will take too long to grow to the wanted height.
An actual fence would make it quite difficult to see cars and pedestrians.
I’m stumped for ideas but I just need these people to not have full visibility of our front garden any longer!

Do you not have curtains / blinds? If you do then just shutting them is surely the answer?

Yes we do but I want to block their view of our front garden not the house

It really depends on the size of your garden. Assuming that you have a wall already I'd add some trellis and grow some climbers up. You can get nice things like evergreen jasmine. Possibly for the bit nearest your house. Proclaim loudly about how lovely the plant that you were given is and it's the ideal spot for it

At the moment there is a small metal mesh fence separating our gardens so it’s hard to not notice them, it’s their fence so I can’t remove it.
Are there any specific plants that will grow quickly or that I can buy fully established and tall?

You need a high hedge but it'll take time to grow - or a 6 foot fence if allowable

Buy some pleached evergreen trees/shrubs and these could even be in large pots. Space them so the greenery touches. Will cost a bit though.

Pleached trees sound ideal I’ll look into those thanks everyone

If you're having to pull out into the road from your drive, double check the heights allowed: you might be able to put some 6ft screening/plants up partway down the garden, but the last however far will probably need to be lower to allow for visibility (for you pulling onto road and pedestrians being able to see the car moving down the drive).

Your council should have some guidance on the website

Clematis?

If this is for the garden I presume you need it mostly in Summer. If there is soil next to the fence I'd put fast growing sweetcorn (to eat) or sunflowers (for the birds) in next year. Pick varieties that grow to over 6 feet tall.

Russian vine grows quickly. So quickly that you have to keep on top of it, but it might work.

I’d wave to them so they realise you can se them watching your every move.
What sad lives they must lead…..

5 adults & 6 children are so invested, they sit at the window for hours on end just to get a glimpse of you?? Not buying it,

If it's a front garden you may not be able to have high fences or thick bushes etc - you'll need to check.

They do it to everyone, we’ve tried the waving thing and they continue to look blankly, they’re just a very weird family who sit around all day smoking and drinking. Not sure why some of you can’t comprehend nosey neighbours with no life do exist.
we’re going to buy some trees to line the boundary with, thanks for the plant suggestions to those who gave advice.

How about a 6ft trellis with something like Virginia creeper, jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis or star jasmine depending on the growing conditions? Faster than a tall hedge, less invasive than bamboo, and much less expensive than pleached trees.

11 people (all grouped in height order) watching your every move? Strange

Although trellis doesn’t completely block their view, you should find it discourages them hugely because it distorts and covers most of the view and makes it tiring to look through. They’ll automatically look elsewhere if they need someone to nose at.

Please don’t plant russian vine.

Pleach trees are a good shout if uou have a bit of money to throw at the problem, or an evergreen hedge. I have a Portugese laurel hedge that has grown quickly but it’s a manageable quick. Can also cut it back with a trimmer to a v neat finish.

We bought some red Robins for this reason. They are about 6-7 feet tall and do the job. We have a few of them in pots as we couldn't plant them.