Think i regret removing a hedge!

[Townorcountrysideliving]

We have a mature hedge in an L shape bordering the front of our house. It gives us privacy as we are on a street, albeit a quiet one. It also gives us a feeling of privacy from next door as it was over 6 foot high. We have been thinking for a few years of removing one side - the bit between us and the neighbours - as it was taking up over 1.2m of space depth wise and we could really use that space to put in storage for the all bikes and scooters. Hedge now down and it looks so bare and ugly! I really regret it now. The side that had been removed had prevented sunlight from getting into part of the remaining hedge so that now looks scraggly/woody. And we can now see next door's front bit and all their recycling bins which is housed on our side. Obviously, nothing we can do about this!!!! I feel so sad every time I see it :(

Sorry, I realise there's nothing we can do as it's done now. We had thought it through a lot but the reality didn't quite match up to what we thought it would look like

To clarify, with the hedge in place, even if pruned back, we didn't have enough space for any storage as it would have completely blocked our living room window. Our house is quite small. Currently, the bikes and scooters live in the kitchen. Or they live in the small back garden but it's a pain getting them in/out and we invariably get mud and dirt from the back door to the front door as well as scuffing the narrow hallway each time.

Can you instal a wooden fence and train Virginia creeper over it? It grows like wildfire and it's fabulous in Autumn.

It will fill back in - you know the space make sense, it will just look a bit forlorn for a season.

@GreyhoundG1rl there is already a low picket fence there but it's low. We can't afford to have it replaced at the moment as it goes all the way round. But, yes, i did think it would be better if we had a tall fence there!

@Timeforabiscuit yes, my head tells me that. My heart feels otherwise but I know you're right. It will take a season or two to recover. I think i feel sad as neighbours on both sides are very neat and pretty out front and I feel we're letting the side down!

I can't sleep. I keep looking at the front and intensely regret removing the hedge . I really didn't appreciate the privacy it afforded between next door and we live on top of each other as it is (or feels like). I keep wishing we could undo it. Now everyday I'll have to walk past it and I'll weep inside. A really stupid thing to do :(

What sort of storage are you planning on using for the bikes/scooters? Whatever you use (a shed?) could act as screening and then you could add some shrubs or hedging either side...

1.2m is pretty wide in a small space. Give it time. You will get used to it. You could buy some cheap trellis in the meantime.

I need a diagram! I can't imagine the layout you describe.

Wouldn't the space where you've removed the hedge get screening from whatever storage you have planned for the bikes/scooters?

I hope you didn't disturb any nesting birds

What a shame. Why don't you replant it, but keep it under better control?

@HappyRaven unfortunately we chopped it up as we took it down as it was impossible to remove otherwise.

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints no nesting birds although lots and lots of litter caught inside the hedge.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I think a hard lesson learnt here. We've moved the storage out front now and DH is now worried someone will break in ans steal the kids' bikes!

Can't you put a tree in a tub - if you buy a single tree it could be a decent size and fill the space - amelancier or photinia (photinia in the south not sure about further north). Hang some bird feeders on it .