Sloped garden - need to block my view of the street at the back

[ohhhhitsme]

We have an incredibly sloped garden which is just about to be landscaped to make it actually useable. Whilst prepping for this, we have removed the fences that split the garden into two sections (these went across the garden) as well as removing a couple of small fruit trees, and have now realised that we are basically staring into the front of the houses in the street behind, not just the ones that back onto us, the houses over the road from them. We can see every person and car that walks up and down that street, as well as straight through somebody's front window...
When the patio at the bottom of the garden is done, from down there we won't be able to see this, as there is a normal sized fence, however the view from the back of our house and the top patio is now just awful. Does anybody have any ideas of how we can in someway block this view without erecting a 20 foot fence? Trees are a no go as we removed the other trees so that they wouldn't damage the patio that is about to be laid, plus in winter the trees were bare anyway. Thanks in advance

How big is your garden. trees are always my answer though. I think you were crazy to remove small fruit trees than could be pruned to keep manageable.

I didn't want to remove them, however the landscaper advised that if we want low maintenance then it would be easier not to have them dropping fruit and leaves all over the patio, resulting in it needing cleaning often, and also the roots growing under this new patio. The reason for having the patio down at the bottom is that it is the ONLY section of the garden that has sun after lunch time, so we are desperate for a nice, tidy area that we can actually enjoy.
But to be honest, I think it is more due to the removal of the fences that were mid-way down the garden (after which point the garden has the biggest slope) than the removal of the trees that has caused this view

Oh, the garden is approx 12m / 40 foot long

OP is there any chance of a diagram as I think I can envision it but it would make it easier, plus it's MN law isn't it?😁

could you put trees halfway up the garden, before he steepest slope, where the fence was?

Pergolas, where the trees were. Bamboo in pots. Tbh I’m struggling to visualise it.

I just wanted to avoid trees. There are a few huge sycamores in the area, including next doors garden, that we have the fall from throughout the year. From a bit of research this morning, maybe erecting a pergola or strategically placed sail shade in the bottom left corner, which is the offending area, might work. A pergola can be 8 foot so an additional 2ft higher than the fence, which might be a welcome distraction. I was just hoping that what I'm already paying for the landscaping would be the final price!

@MaryIsA It's basically a 40 foot long, rectangle shaped garden, that slopes gently from the house, but about 20 foot in drops quite suddenly. We are having it levelled to three terraces, the first terrace by the house will be a patio (but this is shaded from after noon), then a step down and a terrace of artificial lawn, the width of the garden. Then there will be a much bigger drop, with retaining walls and steps down to the lower patio. This patio are has to be at the current lowest point of the garden, as if we built it up we would taller than the 6 foot fence down there and so looking into the garden at the back.
Now that we have removed the fences that went across the width of the garden, about mid point down the garden, its become obvious how big that drop behind it is, and therefore at the bottom left of the garden we can see straight through the middle of the two houses at the back, and onto the road behind and the house over the road. It just looks strange

Sorry for the typos. Hopefully you get an idea

@Wishingwell75 I will definitely upload a diagram later!

ere was an episode of love your garden recently that dealt with being overlooked, 2 woman in Manchester. There was lots of screening ides, some of it planting, to provide a distraction technique...people look at the plants not you. And some structures.

I’m thinking some big architectural grasses or phormiums.

NZ flax

Also maybe post the diagram in the gardening section. There’s some really knowledgeable people on there.

12 metres is quite short for 3 terraces of patio or lawn. I think I'd have gone for two. Shading sounds an issue, if you put a fence or hedge would it shade the patio?

Can you plant bamboo at the bottom of the garden behind the new patio. A fast growing tall variety that will let light through but obscure the view.

Good update OP, think I can really picture it now. I agree about asking in the gardening section. I was going to suggest bamboo like a pp has already said and the idea about tall grasses in pots. Although be wary of pampas grass, I remember reading on here that it signifies a swinging household! I wish I could remember more details but apparently it was widely known but it was news to me!

Sounds very similar to our back garden. Is the issue only when you're standing or when you're sitting too? We decided that it wasn't as much of a problem that we could see into the houses down the hill while standing as long as we couldn't while sitting.