overlooked property - how can we improve

[MildlyMonica]

Feedback from viewers is our property is lovely but overlooked. Other than Leiilandi, is there a relativley cost effective way to quickly improve it at all?

Do they mean neighbours overlook your garden and they would prefer privacy in the garden? Or do they mean noise issues as neighbours are close or neighbours can see into your kitchen or bedrooms etc?

beach trees offer more speckled screening. bamboo can also be good for lower screening.

If your garden is overlooked by bedroom windows there is not a great deal you can do, apart from grow trees.

It might be an idea, if you can, to build a pergola/trellis type screen patio area next to the house itself, so that you could have a coffee in the morning in your PJs, without all the neighbours looking at you!!

I think as long as there is a little private space, people won't mind so much the lawn being overlooked.

These sort of <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.free-press-release.com/uploads/news/2011/01/21/1295617855_img1.jpg&imgrefurl=www.free-press-release.com/news-buying-square-or-triangle-standard-shade-sails-in-spain-online-or-from-the-garden-centre-1295617855.html&h=1031&w=1556&sz=365&tbnid=Ki5rf2867vzBlM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=138&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgarden%2Bsails%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=garden+sails&usg=__bIRfMeV06Ayx-ft0Tv0UXNvo5kc=&docid=fnjXRvhbq_X7kM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YCc-UfDVMeLB0QXRpoGACg&sqi=2&ved=0CGkQ9QEwBg&dur=3481" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sails can be angled to give shade and privacy.

Remember that planting bamboo or leylandii can create more problems than it solves!

our neighbours upstairs windows looking down on our kitchen. Garden is not so bad when you are out there (would be better if we lived outdoor more but hey we're in the UK). Beech trees sounds like an option. Any more ideas gratefully received!

Are they velux windows? Can you use blinds? Or can you obscure the glass in any ceiling glass?

But wouldn't the trees either have to be incredibly tall or very close to your kitchen windows in order to stop overlooking from that angle?

Just a personal opinion but I'm not keen on beech as they drop leaves all winter and they're still brown in June (round here anyway) when you really feel it's about time that they acknowledged it's summer.

We've gone for a high fence then mature fast growing bamboo in front, positioned slightly closer to the house to provide a staggered screen.

Thanks all. I think that annh may be right about the height angle. I guess i just need to be patient and wait for our right buyer - after all we didn't have a problem with being overlooked so i guess someone else wont at some point.