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?