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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

privacy screens - help !!

8 replies

argeybargey · 13/05/2010 21:19

We currently have a three foot fence between us and our neighbours. They are not willing to extend it up to six feet , which , as it is their fence, is fair enough. However ,we do feel the need for a little more privacy than the current fence affords us , especially as we are very overlooked by additional properties to their side , and , having two young children to consider, privacy and security is important to us.We don't particularly want to stick a six foot fence up on our side either ; but would rather look at a little strategic yet fairly innoffensive planting to create a privacy screen. We don't really want to do the whole leylandi thing (although it would be super effective on the privacy front) - as we worry about it getting too full on and hard to keep control of (i know that these grow so quickly).Also , we have to be careful on the roots front as the screen is very close to both our kitchen and theirs (plus obviously , house foundations).Does anyone have any suggestions as to what may work ?? Ideally something that is under six feet. Also , does anyone know if nighbours can complain about losing sunlight as a result (even if we keep it under six feet ?) Any help / ideas greatly appreciated -thanks in advance!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 13/05/2010 21:24

is the problem that they don't want to pay for a new fence, or that they jiust don't want something that high?

would they be willing to stick a bit of trellis along the top for example?

I hate bamboo as my neighbours have it and it is now growing all over my lawn, however it IS good for screening, and if you plant it in pots then hopefully it shouldn't spread.

argeybargey · 13/05/2010 21:31

thanks thisisyesterday - i hadn't thought of bamboo, but to be honest i am not a big fan of it (outside of China) - it just isn't my cup of tea...they just don't want a six foot fence....to be honest i think that they enjoy the view of our garden ! I love gardening and we have a big well established garden (by luck rather than being minted - we bought an old house very cheaply about seven years ago and it had this gorgeous cottage garden with it that the previous owners had loved and tended for over forty years - it is gorgeous , and i can totally understand why someone would want to look at it.Also, to be honest , it probably makes their garden feel bigger as you get that sense of space across the two gardens.I don't think that the trellis on top would be an option either ...be down to us to make the changes this side i think.just not sure what ...

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 13/05/2010 21:42

hmmmm, i guess if you;re garden is spacious then i'd go for a bog-standard hedge of some kind, nice and green and good for wildlife!

i'd like a hedge but my garden is so small i[d lose half of it if i hedged all the way round lol

argeybargey · 14/05/2010 09:00

I would love a hedge ...definately to encourage wildlife as we garden organically and already have lots of lovely wildlife sharing the garden with us....i don't like leylandi all that mush ...hawthorn i was considering but not sure how wide or deep the root span is ....that is the real issue near to the houses and foundations....i love willow too but don't know enough about it's properties , how it grows etc ..... been eying up some hawthorn on e bay ...

OP posts:
Pannacotta · 14/05/2010 09:54

What about some climbers grown over a trellis panel or willow hurdle on your side? Good for wildlife, screening and providing scent if you choose a combination of say evergreen honeysuckle, climbing rose, clematis (evergreen clem armandii is great for screening), akebia etc etc...

NO issue of roots either unlike willow and they wont dry out the surrounding soil.

HonestyBox · 14/05/2010 11:14

Look into a living willow fence, sorry I don't have any links but google it - sorry if anyone else already suggested this . They look lovely, nice and airy rather than a solid hedge but would give you privacy in summer. It looks like a lattice so you could probably grow sweet peas through it too which would be nice in summer and suit your cottage garden style. I saw a child's maze made of living willow at Bristol zoo and thought it looked lovely.

It is difficult to put a hedge into an established garden so I can see your problem.

GrendelsMum · 14/05/2010 11:27

I think I'd go for a mixed hedge of native species, perhaps including some flowering shrubs - I think it would give you your privacy and would be most appropriate for the style of the garden.

isthatporridgeinyourzone · 14/05/2010 12:45

Second a native hedge. Be careful with the living willow hedge, if it likes your soil it can be rather, ahem, rampant.

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