Fencing dilemma

[chocolateforeverymeal]

We have always had a high, thick hedge along one edge of our garden, and elderly neighbours who rarely used the garden. I loved the privacy.

The hedge is now thinning and we also have new neighbours who use the garden a lot and have young children. They are lovely, but I still want my privacy! I don't find it restful to watch the children, plus i feel overlooked in a way I never did before.

I'm not sure I can wait as long as a new hedge would take to fill out. Are there any plants that will grow quickly from the bottom to fill out the gaps, or do I accept we need a fence, even if only up to child's height? The hedge is still pretty bushy at the top.

If it is your boundary to maintain, put up the fence. Hedges have a life span and this may well be nearing the end of its life span.

Even if it’s the neighbours boundary to maintain, you can put up a fence too as long as it’s on your land. Reason i say this is that the new neighbour may decided to remove the hedge or cut it shorter, then you’ll be without your privacy

Saying this from experience. We had lovely foliage in both sides of us - but in the neighbours gardens so saw no need to plant anything for privacy except back fence line.

Had change of neighbour on the left two years ago and the new neighbours cut down everything. Earlier this year, neighbours in right moved in and cut down all their trees. I can now see into neighbours gardens many houses down so I’m sure they can see into our house and garden too. We’re very unhappy and would invest in mature trees except that we plan to move in @3 years

Glad it's not just me being miserable. I guess, even though we have neighbours, and I like seeing them out front, I like to maintain the illusion that we don't!

Depending on the hedge, you could get it laid. Works well with hawthorn. Basically you half cut through trunks and upright branches, then weave them in and out of uprights. It doesn’t kill the shrubs, and encourage them to shoot. You end up with a dense impenetrable half height hedge which will soon grow back to full height. Long-standing agricultural practice for stock proof hedges

Honestly I’d not be messing with plantings at the bottom it will turn into a right mess, I’d just replace it.

This came up in my active threads and I fully expected it to be about swordsmanship!

Anyway, is it your boundary to maintain? If so, yes, I'd put up a fence. You are not being miserable at all. We are a mid terrace and on one side we have people with older children who don't bother me at all. Even when they're having a bbq or whatever with friends, they are somehow fairly unintrusive. On the other side we have an older couple in their late fifties - sixties who recently moved in with each other and the constant "baaaaaaaaaybes", cheesy music blasted out and showing off from the man just annoys me.

I'm sure they're lovely people, but their noise is somehow really intrusive. When they have bbqs they blast the dirty dancing soundtrack and screech. Horrendous.

But enough about that! Put up a fence and enjoy your peace

yes, after bird nesting season put up a fence.
maybe with trellis on top so it's less imposing.
plant clematis/jasmin/honeysuckle as climbers for some greenery.

Glad the consensus is that I'm not being miserable! I will have a task on my hands, because dh wants green. But I reckon we could grow climbers up a fence and it be dense and green, whilst having something structural that needs less maintenance.
I can't explain why I don't like the noise and movement. I just don't. Weirdly, I love seeing my opposite neighbours playing. I guess the back was where I retreated, knowing I'd see no one I hadn't chosen to!