Suggestions for a trellis-type high garden fence, please?

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My neighbours are having extensive renovations done and we are okay with it. They've offered to 'make good' anything adversely affected in the course of it. We thought we'd like a new fence put back in and a bit higher than before so we're not looking at a white wall of the extension from our living room.

That said, might it be an idea to have a trellis fence? Would anything grow up it for much of the year given that we are not really dedicated or adept gardeners? There's no flower bed below. Or would it be an idea to opt for one of those faux ivy arrangements you get for sale in Homebase?

Ordinarily I'd take time to research it over a month or so but I think they'd prefer a decision next week. Should I just opt for the higher fence and take it from there? Any suggestions would be most welcome - the area gets a lot of sunshine every day.

PS Sorry about the weeds, I just got rid of them!

Please not fake plastic stuff. The leaves bow off so creating plastic litter & there are micro plastic run offs too.

I’d go for a higher fence. Even if you had trellis it may not be the best idea to plant a climber as it would soon be up on their roof and in their gutter. I don’t imagine they’d be best pleased.

If you think you could contain something, there is a lovely winter flowering evergreen clematis. Mine is romping away just in a planter at the bottom of a trellis. It’s in its second year and we now have privacy from the neighbours but I do have to keep an eye on it and reroute tendrils that make their way towards our garage wall.

https://www.rhsplants.co.uk/plants/_/clematis-cirrhosa-jingle-bells/classid.2000003353/

i'd plant a tree just in front of the fence to give you shade & screening. plus a clematis is always a good plant.

I'd request to not have a fence in front of the wall.

I'd ask for bricks (slips are fine) that match your house but they may push back on that and render but that is OK too.

Ask if they can affix a trellis to the wall. You'll gain the extra boundary space and it will be beautiful to have plants on a wall. Roses or camellia will be great.

Ask for a nice light too. Better to work with the new structure in my humble opinion.

Think the last suggestion is good. And I would always go for a rose myself. A climbing one with good scent that flowers a long time.

with a mock up.

Notes:

The fence looks in good condition. Add trellis to the top. This deters burglars too.

The mock up shows render as it may be too late for the neighbours to accommodate bricks / brick slips would be nicer.

Is it granite I see for the original house?

A rose on the trellis as @Peterpiperpickedapeckof suggests or indeed clematis per @WhenTheBeeStings. I'd dig a bed in front of the wall though the mock up shows pots and planters. Play the long game.

In the heating climate and whilst they have builders there I would ask the neighbours if they will be OK if they include a fixing for a sunshade at the top corner. It's their wall and would be useful to have a fixing so in the summer you could have a sun sail shade over your patio for evening dining.

Many thanks for these responses, in particular @RichmondMumof2 for your mock-up which has discombobulated me a bit! You even got rid of the weeds.

I'd never heard of brick slips before. The appearance of bricks, but not actually bricks...

Thing about a trellis is, does anything ever look that lush in the winter months? We'd be growing it out of a pot, but doesn't it all die back come October? In which case, if we don't have brick slips we're looking at a white wall mostly again...?

Not sure about the trellis along the top of the fence... aside from deter burglars (not a massive problem in our area thankfully) how do they work with plants, I mean if they can get to that height surely they don't need a trellis. Or is it for plants to move sideways along?

When your neighbours said make good, did they mean you can choose whatever you want? You may want to double check with them. They may just mean putting the fence back up and any plants that may have got trampled.

They may not have the budget for bricks, trellis etc ......

Just a thought.

Yes, fair point. Not sure they would stretch to a trellis but we might see what the builders can offer to put us in the right direction.

For clarification adding the fence in front of the wall is not a good idea. It won’t hide the wall and aesthetically looking at a fence in front of a wall is no better than looking at a wall.

Fences do degrade and the small gap between the fence and the wall will be problematic, it will be good for moss and insects. It will be difficult to treat the fence panel.

Hmm, not sure what to put there instead of a small fence! Should we be looking at a small brick wall instead?

Depending on the length from what I can see a brick wall is going to cost well over ten grand. It needs foundations built as well, it’s a huge ask and if was your neighbour I’d tell you to do one. It’s akin to rinsing them.

a fence with a trellis on top is a reasonable solution.

Why don’t you put a colour trellis in front of your existing fence ( maybe paint the fence as well, maybe a mirror behind part of it. Then you will get a perspective effective.

Plenty of climbers stay properly green all year - some even flower during winter. Winter clematis, star jasmine, forsythia, pyracantha (vicious spines, though), ceanothus ... loads to choose from.

Just don't get potato vine or Russian vine/mile-a-minute. Often recommended for quick coverage, but absolute thugs and you'll regret them.

Re @RichmondMumof2 that's a nice photo you had of your own set-up - just confirming those are brick slips in the picture you've posted, and if so what type?
Your trellis looks nice too - any views on whether a metal one is better than a wooden one? Do you have a source for the one in the picture?