Neighbour's huge new extension, how can I create privacy in the garden again?

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My neighbour has built a large new extension that now heavily overlooks my 30ft long garden. The end fence (which is theirs) is already slightly over 6ft tall as it stands on concrete gravel boards. The extension ground floor stands 3ft higher than the top of the fence as their land is higher. So they can look out of their huge kitchen window and see all of my garden. In addition, there is a large bedroom window above also giving a birds-eye view. I'm thinking the only thing I can do is plant trees but they won't totally disguise the house. My neighbour is against me planting any kind of dense hedging like Yew or trees because the fence is already at max hedge height 6ft and it would block out the sun to their tiny garden.

I thought about putting in some very tall posts with only thin wires between them and then growing roses along them, so it's tall but pretty from both sides. So perhaps adding another 3 -4ft higher than the fence. The extension is nicely built but it devalues my house now as I'm so overlooked. Any ideas?

But it would also block some of OPs light?

It's how most people in a semi or a terrace live. My neighbours have extended out but unless the swivel their necks they can't see into our garden, we have a 6ft fence, likewise we can't see into next doors garden on the other side. We can from upstairs but how often do you look purposefully out of the upstairs bedroom or bathroom window?

I'd do nothing for a while. You might find that you don't notice it half as much as you think you will.

I don't like bamboo but if you do you could plant some in tubs and place them along the back fence. Red robin would also be quick and inexpensive (I don't like it much though either)

I wouldn't plant any dense evergreens. They are too blocky and there are a million nicer shrubs or trees about.

I also wouldn't plant anything large. Your garden is too small.

You could do a birch in a tub and keep it at a sensible size. They are a bit messy but they are pretty, have movement and fill a big area without looking too heavy.

I agree with purpledalmation

You need to plant a row of eucalyptus trees. We have manage to create a really good screen by doing this. They don't have a say about what you plant in your own garden Ours took years to grow but they were tiny at first. You can buy more mature trees to plant but they are quite pricey. That would give you an instant screen

But your diagram (very good BTW

Oh the rest of my post has vanished!

Bamboo in pots is great idea.

I was in pretty much the same position as you 3 years ago but although I have planted a couple of Photinias - evergreen and nice red foliage in spring and autumn. They are not tall enough yet to block the view but growing nicely.
They can grow to about 4m as a nice multi stemmed tree and you can thin out the branches so they block out the view without being a solid wall. Plant it at least a metre in from the corner. The nearer to your house it is the more view it will cover.
I have found that I have got used to the building being there and haven't seen the neighbours looking out into my garden.
All that said, if they put a trampoline in the garden then I would be planting conifers.

I think planting eucalyptus would be a really BAD idea, they are too big and fast growing and even if they are one of the smaller varieties they will use up all the moisture and nutrients in the garden. They are a really bad choice to plant unless you have a gigantic garden. Maybe better if you plant them in tubs but you'd have to check how well they do in tubs.

I know they can be pruned to help them stay at a suitable size but even so they are a bad idea.

Planting them anywhere near a neighbours boundary is thoughtless! There are so many other prettier and more suitable trees to choose.

Bamboo is considered a grass and therefore not part of the high hedge rules. But it can be super invasive so you have to be careful. I am not suggesting you vindictively plant it, but if one area in particular would benefit from height this might be an option but research it.

Cherry laurels will grow anywhere even in shade and are very dense. You can buy mature hedging plants. I managed to get 2m high laurels last year I think for about £80 each.

All well and good them saying don't plant a hedge when they chose to put a massive extension onto their house whilst you have to look at it. You don't have to plant up against the fence, if you have room definitely look into planting closer to your house, you get a good blockage like that, a bit like when you cover the moon with your thumb.

It was their choice to build a huge extension therefore taking away some of their garden so tough shite. I would plant whatever I wanted and if they don’t like it then that’s their problem.

This. I would be doing a Leylandi hedge ASAP.

Sorry if mentioned elsewhere. Did they get planning permission?

I loathe huge extensions. Not only do they interrupt your life, constant tapping, drilling, mixing, digging they change the tone of the original houses.
Why not just move somewhere else that better suits you and stop all the misery they cause. The renovation programmes do not help.
They forget people do have neighbours.

And they have arguably devalued your property by not keeping it private in the garden anymore. Great.

So. Do do make it private again. You can plant whatever you like in your garden. Bamboo - there are different types etc. Some matter more than others.
A pergola or some sort of garden structure you can plant around ? But make is very private.

Whatever you do, don't plant birch. It's highly allergenic and you'll be terrorizing all the seasonal allergy sufferers in your neighbourhood, not just the extension owners.

I would plant a rowan. Choose one that gives good autumn colour and pretty berries. They have different adult height and spread so get one that isn't too tall or wide. It tends to have a bare trunk and then branches higher up so it won't take up too much of your garden. It's very hardy and robust so you won't need to do anything to it unless you want to prune it for shape, and the birds will love you for the berries

I know what you mean about being more bothered about the building itself than the overlooking windows. I had to take a tree down that had been there when I moved in and because I back onto a green that has houses built down the sides of it I now have a view of the fronts of houses sideways on. I have a bigger garden than you and can have a tree with a bit of spread so I think I'm going to get a wedding cake tree.

I love you for your concern GrumpyPanda. The birch pollen is the worst of all my tree pollen allergies, but I live in suburbia which is full of trees that are dedicated to stopping me from breathing anyway and so I have kept the glorious silver birch that was already in my front garden when I moved in. I can see it from my computer right now, I admire it's beauty and it threatens to make me feel terrible in a few months. It's the ultimate toxic relationship.

Not a boo dy leylandi...they are awful

Noy leylandii...there's a leylandii at right angles to us....and if you cut into it then it doesn't grow back...its awful.

The middle sized garden link above is really helpful. Don't just think about planting at the back hedge. Tall grasses. Rowan tree, a blossom tree will all distract from the extension without blocking your light and creating a dark curtain at the vackif your garden. It'll make it look bigger as well...

Yes of you have leylandii you need to trim it constantly so it doesn't get too far because if you do and then cut it, it just stays brown wood forever more.
They are really antisocial types of hedge. Lots of maintenance

Gosh this sounds horrible! Definitely plant something that blocks their light.

You can also erect your own fence next to their fence.

What bastards. Does it have PP?

What about one of those sail shaped parasol type things?

we have three in our garden as our neighbours extension feels very close and they give privacy coverage without feeling imposing or blocking light massively

I think people are being advised not to plant laurel now due to its invasive nature. There are also better suggestions that will benefit wildlife.

Surely it's better to be overlooked (normal on an estate) than lose 1-2m of an already small garden to a hedge? I would be tempted to use that end of the garden as a patio area with pizza oven etc. You could look at shutters for the house if you want privacy

Most council rules are fences including trellis no more than 2m. So you cant just put a trellis on top even if you owned the fence.

I have trellis above my fence but it was there when I bought the house and its passed 20yrs so I csn rightfully keep it or replace it to that same height

Also just plant whatever screening trees you want, its your garden. You could get pleached trees, expensive but will give nice screening

Please not leylandii. They suck up all the water from soil so make everything else parched. If you ever want to get them out in future you risk damage from root 'heave'. And they're bloody fugly to boot.