Garden arch "tunnel"

[rosiedeus]

I have bought four inexpensive garden arches from Aldi, which I'm hoping to use to make a covered corridor along my garden path, and hopefully screen the view that my neighbours have right into my home from their outbuilding. They stand there (every damn day) and look directly in through my back door. I don't want to use a curtain because I like to look out at birds on the feeders and my climbing rose at the back of the garden.
This the arch www.aldi.co.uk/gardenline-black-garden-arch/p/804270464114400. While I'm waiting for climbers to grow up it, how can I screen their view? And how far apart should I place them?

How much space have you got for the arches for starters? I'd be thinking of around a metre between each one to allow room for the climbers to grow over time and planting between if you've the space. You could put bamboo or buddleia in pots between the arches to provide a screen. It depends whether you want all year round cover or not. Shrubs and perennials between the arches would provide more cover. Lavender would be lovely. Planting clematis alongside roses would work too. Evergreen clematis like Armandii would provide year round cover and flowers in winter/early spring - they flower on last year's growth.

I've just bought the same from Lidl, and turned them into a chicken run that I'll grow stuff over.

They're not especially sturdy (especially if you do the full height), so I bought some wire fencing (large squares - probably 10cm), which I've cable-tied to make a tunnel using 3 of the arches about a metre apart, which has firmed them up an awful lot, and means I can grow all over.

I was planning small squash and cucumber, as they grow fast, and give both us and the chooks something to eat - but your needs are a bit different - so you probably want something that'll still provide cover in winter. I'd go for clematis as Mother suggests, or long-term wisteria is absolutely beautiful too.

I second bamboo as a temporary measure. Definitely keep it in pots though or else it’ll spring up everywhere. Something like this.... depends on your budget obviously but I’m sure shopping around can get you a bit cheaper and also you might be able to get slightly smaller depending on height of fence/elevation of garden etc.

www.seagravenurseries.co.uk/bamboo/nigra

If you want temporary screening whilst you wait for climbers to grow, I would hammer a couple of steaks in in front of the arch and attach
This

www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Peeled-Screening-Garden-Fencing/dp/B00S3TVCMA/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=brushwood+screening&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1620817515&sr=8-7

Or
www.amazon.co.uk/JEXCUM-Install-Backyard-Courtyard-Lightweight/dp/B0915S3NTD/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?dchild=1&psc=1&keywords=Garden+sail&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMVBDRTNaSzUxVENLJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTcwODY5UElPV1FOQUlRQzY2JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxMzcyMjcxT05MTU1UWktJU0E0JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1620817689&sr=8-3-spons

I got a refund today for the arch I bought from Aldi - poor quality and paint chipped in multiple places.