Neighbour (peering) gardening over the fence!

[7238SM]

We bought a derelict property 4yrs ago, spent 2 renovating and have lived inside 2yrs. Still lots of bits to do, garden beds, furnishings etc. The appeal was the fields at the end and the houses either side are a distance away with no windows/no view onto our back patio and bifolds.

1 neighbour had a gardener fortnightly and in autumn, they are both up ladders trimming the bushes on their side. I know their routine and can plan ahead. My issue is that the neighbour has started climbing a ladder at random times under the guise of trimming, but seems is just have a good look into our house and garden. All her bushes are currently bare! We have cameras and I could see she didn't have secateurs this time- was just moving the bush to appear to be clipping. If relevant, she is in her 80's, very active, we get on to say hello- but she is known as the street busy body and knows all the gossip.

We've struggled to find blinds to fit the bifolds, but I equally don't feel we should have curtains pulled all day- in case she decides to peer over. Not sure what I'm asking really but I'm finding it very frustrating.

’Forgot your secateurs again, Marge? You feeling ok?’ And nets, even temporarily because she won’t be able to see in if the lights aren’t on.

You can get film.for your windows, where you see out but those outside can't see in.

when you’re in this situation you just want respect for your privacy, not blurred windows. You want the nosey freaks to get a life.

They make a clear or clear pattered plastic film you could strategically apply to certain windows to let the light in while blocking her vision

not sure if this would block your view though

We did this - privacy film on windows.
in our case the next door neighbour can see from her bedroom window - she often watches me shovel dog shit from her bedroom - so I wave when I see her. The neighbours behind have to lean right out of their bedroom windows and then turn themselves left, again - I wave! 👋 they looked so ridiculous and could not blag it as anything other than nosing and haven’t done it still.

I like my privacy, too. The neighbour to the back of me used to use my (unfenced, because it was empty for years before I moved in) garden as his own personal car park... which would then give him prime opportunity to climb out and stare straight through the windows of my sitting room. I could feel myself being watched, looked up from my book, and saw him frowning in at me on several occasions! That, and next door's dog barks constantly, and it's worse if it sees people, so it was like the back of the house downstairs was out of bounds to me.

I have since solved this with privacy film. I lost patience with it, so a family member who likes such projects put it on all of my windows. I love it, because I can see out, but nobody can see in, and it's also anti-glare, so the house isn't baking from the south-facing back garden that seems to think that it is in the Mediterranean, not Wales.

Befriend her, she sounds like a laugh

How about just be neighbourly and friendly? She might be lonely. Ask her in for a cuppa and make friends

Is this her?

I'd go out every time and ask if she needs help with anything we had a neighbour throwing left over food over the fence I asked them not to one day it was blowing a gale bedsheets into the garden I passed them back covered in shit and giggled saying I do clean up but all that food upsets her tummy ..... no food came over again .

Has everyone really missed the glaring issue that OP has cameras watching her neighbours every minute
If a neighbour had cameras watching ours I’d be sitting up a ladder every day if they didn’t take it down.
Both are invasive but the cameras are hiding the fact they are watching all the time and can record !!

Take your cameras down and maybe you’ll get the privacy you want too

Yeah she might know some juicy gossip tbf

This is my favourite gif right now - it could literally be her! 😂

Catch her in the act next time and simply just say “ I’ll make you a drink if you want to come in and look, might stop you from breaking your neck trying on those ladders!”

Precisely. Have you asked her if she minds you using cameras !!

Otherwise, be thankful for nosy old ladies. They are better than a guard dog for seeing off would-be burglars.

I’ve only seen this gif for the past couple of days, I really like it 😂

Thanks everyone, you have given me a laugh.

To clarify. Neighbour has a husband and they too have a camera at the front and back of their homes and well aware of ours! Our cameras don't show her garden nor look into any of their rooms- unlike when she is looking over the fence. The camera in question faces our side gate, and on the very edge is the bush she was 'trimming'. I'm sure once we have some plants, it will help too.

The privacy film is an excellent idea so thank you.

Agree with some other comments. Catch her in the act and tell her you keep seeing her on the ladders and really worry about her safety. She should really leave that to the gardener.

We had the same thing with our neighbours’ children, climbing the fence and peeking over when we were in the garden just watching us and staring. It got a bit creepy. I caught them a few times at it but they continued to try and do it sneakily, so I put bird spikes on top of the fence and they haven’t done it since.

We have nosy neighbours and we still got broken into in the summer. Nosy neighbours don’t ward off burglars in the night!

Why does it bother you? Are you worried for her safety?

People have a right to privacy. I find it really weird that some think they can just disrespect that.

It isn’t certain that it is. People need to learn to co-exist in this crowded world. People have a right to care for their gardens.

Not sure if she's lost her ball ... certainly seems to be missing some marbles though ... 🤔

She's in her 80s and up a ladder. Good on her! As you seem to get on with her have you asked her why she needs to climb the ladders when the shrubs don't seem to need pruning? Just say you are concerned about a person of her years needing to climb so often. This may just jog her out of doing it without the need for any work to screen off. Remember, anything quick growing and tall comes with further work and problems which will recur for many years after this neighbour shuffles off her mortal coil.

Come out with a black satin cape and big satanic pentagram round your neck. Say 'need any help trimming your bush love', then laugh manically and walk away.