Ideas to screen an ugly back wall and fence (quite tall)

[united4ever]

Hi, I am looking at improving the view by covering the ugly wall and fences at the back of the garden (see attached pics). Thinking of something two tier railway sleepers in the below link and running this all the way along the back wall (up to where the trampoline is). The top level I am thinking of bamboo (non invasive species) to grow up and cover the neighbours mixed array of fence panels. Then the bottom level could be a manageable selection of small shrubs and flowers/plants.

i.imgur.com/yUxs4.jpg

What are your thoughts? Would it look good or not? The neighbours (to left side in the pic) have a rockery going up which performs a similar function. Guess that would be a cheaper option.

Would this be doable for a bit of a DIY/gardening novice or would it need a professional and if so how much do you think it would cost?

Any alternative ideas most welcome.

Thanks

I don't have a garden so I'm jealous!

also bumping this as people will have loads of great ideas.

(I'm a novice and people have been helping me out loads with advice on balcony pots). I know if I had a fence I'd want ivy and red creeper, amongst other things...

My mum had a similar problem, and planted bamboo. Great success.

I have a very similar problem but lucky that we have a Cotswold Stone wall about four foot high and our garden overlaps two others who have a rather 'interesting'array of fencing panels including a shed with a blocked out window. I am itching to put trellis on the frigging shed.

But yes I have an established Bamboo and have taken some off this to make new plants and have also put a Lavatera and Buddleia in as they grow quickly and various other stuff

Looking at your picture again you could always run some trellis on the top of your wall to hide out the ugly fence as it looks like its nice and flat and could take it

I saw this query a few days ago, but didn't have anything to contribute.

Now however: do you REALLY need that amount of lawn? Both sides would benefit from MUCH wider borders, with interesting plants in.

We have black bamboo, which is not invasive - it just gets taller, year by year, and new canes spread around the clump.

[More info another day]

Have you posted this before, OP? I seem to recall that garden layout!

As I was saying yesterday: new bamboo canes come up each year, and COULD be sliced off with some root, to start off extending the clump.

Stipa gigantea is easy to grow, and has very tall but transparent seed heads, that will last almost till next spring.

Also these grasses are worth considering:

www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/grasses/plcid.310/