Neighbour wants to paint our side of their fence

[Katy4321]

Our neighbour put in a fence over 2 years ago, before we moved in. They painted their side last autumn to protect it in a dark colour I'm not keen on.

We have just put a new flower bed in along the fence (with new sleepers holding the earth in away from their fence). I went to ask them if they would be happy for us to put a couple of wires on the fence for climbers just on one panel (if they said no we would consider a bit of trellis with it's own posts 6 inch away from the fence). They said ok to the wires, but then said out of the blue they want to paint our side of the fence and already have the paint. I asked if it could be a more natural colour and they have agreed to that.

My main worry is that we have just put most of the plants in the bed this last week and don't want them to be trampled. It is the first chance I've ever had to have my own garden and has been really special to me choosing them and putting them in.
I understand them wanting to protect an expensive fence, but wish they had said something anytime in the last 2 years when it was just gravel.

Is it reasonable for me to say if they provide the materials I paint it, so I can do it really carefully around the plants?

Well , of course.

The obvious question is - WHY do they want to paint YOUR side of the fence!

If it is to protect it and/or make it stronger fair enough, but if it were me, I'd say I'll do it myself if you supply the paint and brushes, no problemo.

Yes, that sounds like a very sensible and neighbourly compromise.

Yes, that sounds like a very sensible and neighbourly compromise.

Agree - you'll no doubt be drummed off MN for this

That said, some fences have panels you lift out - they might not have to come your side of the fence at all.

It's not your fence though. It's theirs.

Is it the type of fence with concrete posts? In which case you just slide them up and out, paint both sides and slide them back in again.

Your solution is ofcourse fine too.

Fences are enormously expensive I’d be made up if my neighbours supplied paid for erected and maintained a fence

the cost of replacing a few plants is minimal compared to the price of a fence

Thanks everyone - just felt a bit cornered by the neighbours into them potentially doing it and frustrated, as I just want to get on and enjoy the garden grow having just finished the work over winter

I don't think the panels slide out. They want to paint to protect it which I understand (although if they had said even last week, would have been better, as the plants weren't in then).

It would be more convenient to you both for you to paint it. Unless you don't mind them coming and going as they like randomly, you would have to arrange convenient times for both parties. You can just do it as and when convenient.

Keep an eye on your plants. A hard frost will kill them. Mine don't go out til late April.

Thank you. They are perennials - and an experienced gardener helped us choose them and we are quite south, so fingers crossed they'll be ok. We will wait until end of April to put in a few annuals.

Is it a fence or a wall? If a fence, surely it looked odd when they painted their half only? If a wall, I can understand.

It's a solid wooden fence. They have paint their side of it. The side facing into our garden has not been painted (although a little paint came through small gaps)

The thing is though, surely you knew fences need maintaining and painting, they are ok for the first year or so but then they need annual maintenance, in good weather when it's not likely to rain.
Perhaps planting the plant further from the fence would have been wiser, can you move your planters afoot to allow an access path and for the trellis for the climbers

Good lord, they want to paint it and pay for it, perfect 👍🏻 it's a hideous job painting a fence, I'd just let them get on with it.

Although I have to say I've never come across this before and I've never asked the neighbours what colour the other side of our fence is. I just paint my side and they do theirs.

They had not indicated at any time in two years they wanted to do this. Even a mention when we had the neighbours over for drinks a couple of months back would have helped and I'd have happily planned around it. Our garden is very small and there is a small gap behind plants but not enough to walk down.

@nokidshere did either of you pay for it? The front fence I'm less precious of as it was put up by the old owners the back one I had to shell out £££££ for I want it done properly.
If you are both painting your own side that's fine as long as you both use the same colour, not so good if you use different ones as it can seep through.

It's not 'your side of the fence', it's 'the other side of their fence'.

That's exactly why I said our side of "their" fence in the title! But they do need to enter my property to access it.

But presumably they need to come into OPs garden to paint it so she can refuse if she wants to

@Singleandproud we both paid for our own paint, the fence was already there when we both moved in. An no, we didn't paint it the same colour.

I'd just offer to do it yourself, and save them the trouble. I expect they will be quite pleased they don't have to do it.

Do you seriously have no plants in your garden between the first frosts and April?! I'm just mind-boggled by this.

(And OP, I'm sure your plants will be fine, but the issue isn't whether they're annual or perennial, but whether they're frost hardy. You get tender perennials, but I am sure your gardener friend will have got you sensible things.)

Just say sure as long as you’re careful of the plants, honestly folks paint their fences all the time and have plants, it’s fine.

They're probably worried you won't bother painting it, my neighbours don't paint the fence panels l put up, l wish now I'd painted both sides.
I don't grow climbers on my neighbours fence, but l do grow them on my own.