Well that’s my privacy gone

[frostedviolets]

I know I am probably going to be told IBU but I am so so upset.

Neighbour behind has rows of mature massive trees.
Mostly planted right against my fence so they lean in and left unpruned they cover almost half of my garden.

I constantly have to prune them back to the boundary which is a real pain in the arse but I love the privacy they provide, without them i can see straight into their house and garden and they mine.

Every year they get some bodger with a chainsaw to behead them all about half way down in a straight line so they look utterly ridiculous now they appear to be chainsawing them down completely.

All my privacy gone.
I’ll no longer be able to go into my living room or bedroom or garden without being clearly seen now.

I have an espalier tree growing in front of the fence that I am very careful to keep in a single flat layer so it doesn’t fall onto neighbours to have to keep pruning it but it’s small, it’ll be fucking years before it gets anywhere big enough to provide me with some screening.

WIBU to plant bamboo or even the devils work, leylandii or something?!
What grows mega fast and mega big..?

I’ll keep the side trimmed back so it doesn’t cross their boundary.

I need privacy!

I totally sympathise op.

For over 20 years my garden was an oasis completely screened from most neighbours by an ancient and huge tree at the back as well as my ndn's deeply forested lol garden (older woman with significant MH issues). The tree at the back was a (sweet) apple tree which supplied me with apples in season because it hugely overhung my garden - came home from work one day and it had been razed to the ground 😭

Then next door was sold and a property developer got some thugs in who chopped down every single tree, including lovely established fruit trees along the border with mine (pears, plums, apples which again overhung mine). Then they took down the entire fence!! I couldn't afford going halves on replacement fencing. My haven was totally desecrated and I wobbled about it a lot. It really affected me.

So I get it

Laurel grows quickly and is nice

quietly suggests fake screening
www.primrose.co.uk/artificial-screening-c-318_2315.html
or one of those seats which has arch behind it or a gazebo? with nice climbing plants real or fake

or if its your fence place a trellis on top?

How quickly would a rambling rose grow? Some tall trellis, and a couple of vigorous rambling roses would be lovely and fragrant and give you some privacy while getting some trees established. If you got a variety with fierce thorns, the tree- and wldlife killing neighbours would have a reminder of their idiocy every time they cut them back.

My MIL has one called Rambling Rector that grows like mad, but that may be indicative of her skills as a rose gardener rather than the plant itself.

Pleached hornbeams would be fabulous but they take a lot of upkeep and pleaching is quite a skill. My DSS maintains a row of pleached hornbeams for a client and he spends 3 days there every spring, and goes back again for a day in the autumn to work on it too.

Pleached limes are nice too, but for privacy pleached beech would be best as they don't lose their leaves till spring. They keep their golden leaves all winter and they make a lovely rustling sound when the wind blows.

This is one of my favourite pleached hedges

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans/features/summer-in-the-garden-at-batemans

I think your garden slopes away from the house towards the fence? If so, a shorter plant nearer the house should screen your downstairs windows quite well?

I appreciate your predicament. You could plant your own trees? You can buy mature specimens but they cost more - it depends what price you put on your privacy. I would pay bigtime!

We have a massive bay in our living room and a really small front garden so we are really exposed too, and like you I absolutely hated it. But vertical blinds have been a saviour for us, they let the light in but nobody can see in, maybe try those? We picked ours up really cheap in Dunelm

Probably controversial, but I don’t think Residential trees should be allowed to grow more than 6 metres high. I say this because I’m so bitter that we lose afternoon sun in a north west facing garden because a neighbour 4 houses away has a row of leylandi that are about 12-15m high. It’s so selfish! I can’t grow the vegetables and flowers I’d like in my garden because of it. If you want to have trees in a garden you should care for them and not let them get wild and huge.

absea

I was thinking the same: screening trees don't have to be right on the border.

Poplar trees are quite fast growing. If you are limited by regs re the height of the fence then get a privacy screen. This placed a short distance away from the boundary fence and is on tall fence posts but the palings or trellis part is well above the ground - starts shortly below the boundary fence height. Saves on timber costs. Grow roses or a creeper up it

I understand your frustration, but ultimately, if you want the privacy, you need to plant something in your own garden and sacrifice the space and bear the cost and hassle of the upkeep of it. You can't really expect a neighbour to have to give up a chunk of their garden and spend money on upkeep of trees (very expensive if they need to be trimmed professionally) for your convenience if they would prefer to remove them.

I'd personally put a shed at the very bottom of the garden, and then a high trellis screen in front of that with some kind of flowering climber grown up it. Or plant your own row of trees on your side of the border. That way you can control the height (and pay the upkeep costs) yourself.

You can buy semi-mature trees which are already a good height. You'll need to use a planting service - the trees are big (obviously) and need a big planting hole.

But blinds and voile curtains won't help her privacy in the garden.

What is wrong with all these people chopping down trees at the moment?

It is illegal to disturb nesting birds and there will doubtless be nesting birds in them right now. Or there was. That is why decent professionals will avoid cutting down trees at this time of year.

I would report them. They WILL have killed birds.

On another note, get some silver birches.

Similar happened here a few weeks back. The neighbours whose garden backs onto mine had a wall of bamboo about 10ft tall backing onto my fence. We both live in bungalows but mine is in a higher position, so the bamboo prevented them seeing into my bedroom, and me seeing into their living room and garden.

At first I hated it, I felt like I couldn't look out of my window as it felt like I was being nosey. And as it's my bedroom they can see into, I no longer felt comfortable wandering around naked!

A few weeks down the line, I'm growing used to it. It was their choice to chop it down and I've decided that if they've got a problem with me occasionally glancing into their garden, or seeing me naked in my bedroom, then they'll have to plant some more bamboo 😂

If you plant bamboo, then did a trench, line it with a metal feeding type trough and then plant. It will run absolutely rampant otherwise.

Dig not did

watching this thread. We're also looking for a good plant atm.

How the hell are voile curtains “disgusting” or “vile”?

They are plain white translucent pieces of fabric. I honestly cannot see what there is to them to inspire such a visceral reaction, apart from snobbery lest someone think you’re “common” I suppose. Personally I can’t see what’s so much more classy about having bare windows that any bugger can look into but there you go.

You can't really expect a neighbour to have to give up a chunk of their garden and spend money on upkeep of trees (very expensive if they need to be trimmed professionally) for your convenience if they would prefer to remove them

yes this. Honestly you were lucky to have the privacy without the inconvenience for so long. I think you should regard the time you got this as a bonus, even though right now I understand it feels like a loss.

As well as other ideas mentioned above, I suggest an awning or shade sail - you can sit under it and be pretty much invisible from the neighbouring houses upper floors. An awning will also provide privacy indoors.

For privacy in your upper floors presumably you have blinds or curtains there already?

grow a poplar tree - no way along with willows they are the worst thing for causing subsidence!!! they can grow up to - 30 ft a year (look it up on RHS!)

Isn't it illegal to chop down trees between 15 March and 15 September?

Install curtains at the end of the garden. Old theatre curtains with a remote control.