AIBU to block this off? ( diagram included)

[yorkshireyummymummy]

I’m being driven demented by people walking across my block paving driveway. They peer into my window, often very brazenly staring. Their dogs sometimes cock their leg on the pot plants infront of my window. Recently a neighbour stood on my drive about four feet from my window with three other school mums for 40 mins chatting! I almost went and asked them if they wanted tea or use of the loo! If there is a wedding at the church then wedding guests stand on my drive, infront of my window peering in , smoking and sometimes putting their fags out in my pot plants in front of my window.

I want to put something along the edge of the driveway ( marked with xxx) but hubby isn’t keen as he thinks we will annoy people! I am as yet unsure as to what we could put up as it’s block paved so no planting of anything. All I can think of is trough like pots with something that grows to about 1m high and is a bit bushy. Cars often reverse up the path to church though and depending on the ability of the driver they often end up perched on my drive, so I do run the risk of plants and pots being damaged.

My point is that if it wasn’t block paved and it was grass with plants nobody would walk across it. Just because it’s block paved doesn’t make it less my property though!

What should I do? Just Seethe silently and live with it so as not to upset the offendors? Or put a demarcation line of - something- there?
Does anybody have any ideas of what I could put there?

As I have written this somebody else has just stopped in front of my window, looked in at me and scratched his arse. I rest my case!

Why are my strike thoughts not working on my new iPad??

Settings> General> Keyboard> turn off Smart Punctuation

Hope this helps with strike through

here

I would do something more permanent and enclosing than what planters will provide.
You can get lovely railings that will suit the traditional style of your house. This will make it more private and you can over time add planters with plants which will grow at least a few feet high and provide some privacy.

People are seeing your front drive as an extension of the foot path ratios than part of your house. It's not rude reclaiming your property and privacy. You've spent hard earned money on it why should you feel enforced to provide a shortcut/turning facility for locals.

yes, chuff that it would seriously annoy me too!! Can you take up some of the paving along the edge and plant some nice (prickly) shrubs?

YANBU! You'd need to make sure it's tall enough (or wide enough/enough of a pain in the arse if you want something shorter) that people wouldn't just try to step over them.

I don't think low level planters will stop the CF's who stand chatting on your drive though

Inspired by what's outside my neighbours house today, lots of fake dog poo! People won't want to pick their way through that . Unfortunately it's not the fake stuff outside my neighbour's

100% block it off yes.

Some people are cheeky twats aren't they?!

How about some plastic chain, but stuck into pots/planters so is removable or adjustable if needed.
Using something like these

@GardenGeek

A picture take anything from 1 to 3 minutes to show!

Depending on its size.

I'm not sure about putting planters there if you say they've been putting fag ends in the ones you already have, if I were you I'd go down the fence or wall route. Doesn't have to be too high, maybe 4ft?

gardengeek would miscanthus grass have the same connotations as Pampas grass? The op may end up replacing lurkers on her drive for swingers

If affordable I'd go for something like this

I don't know whether it would work, but could you not just paint some sort of white line type thing on the border of your block paved bit - just to make people aware that this is a different bit to the path, don't go over this bit?

thanks Boreofwhabylon

Is it mainly church people who offend? Would it be worth your while to talk to the vicar or church wardens to "gently advise" members of the congregation that this is private property?

We got something similar to these last year

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0742CZXSH/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_wg=XIO5S&pd_rd_i=B0742CZXSH&pd_rd_w=dDgsO&tag=mumsnetforum-21&pd_rd_r=NTRNEGWFVF29R1568M2X

but from B&Q and a resin type thing (so much cheaper and a resin type of material).

They create a boundary and you can clearly plant with shrubs etc that only grow to a limited height so you don't lose any light (and you can take them with you when you move!)

Sprinklers set to go off by remote control. Wait for a good collection of chattering mums and then press the button while cheerily shouting "sorry, theyre on a timer!"

I think they'll run over your planters tbh because they're not used to them being there. The chain fence is probably the easiest option.
YANBU. I'd be annoyed too.

I think I'd just take up the odd paving slab and plant directly too. Definitely something prickly. Failing that, to keep the costs down, can you find some cheap planters and do anything with them to make them more attractive? Like spray painting the cheap terracotta plastic ones a different colour.

www.architecturalplants.com/plants/id/hebe-parviflora-angustifolia

That’s lovely Garden

Planters are fine OP if you are on top of feeding and watering. Otherwise plants in pots are time consuming, look half dead and are not that cheap.

I’ve got the hebe (see link) as a hedge. Tough as old boots, clip to size, no complicated pruning, looks frothy and lovely. I always admire people’s hedges. Smart and appropriate as a boundary.

PostcodeJack those zinc planters are nice. OP, you could have fairly large gaps between those with chains between to keep people from cutting between them. It'd keep the cost down.