Privacy Issue...Your suggestions please!

I think I've over analyzed this one in my head to death.

I need fresh eyes and opinions. This photo is my current backyard, taken from the second floor so you can get an idea of the scope. The homes behind the fence are brand new. This used to be a greenbelt with huge native trees. Most were evergreen. It was the perfect backdrop.....well....you see my dilemma now. Moving is not an option for us right now.

I know I need evergreen....something. The tree in the corner is a Mountain Hemlock. I think it grows about 3" a year. LOL!

You can also see how I'm digging up the garden right now!!

Thanks for any and all suggestions! Sue

That's pretty hemmed in there! Looks like the new houses don't have much in the way of garden themselves. Apart from whitewashing their windows, I'll be interested in seeing other peoples' ideas.

One of the most hated trees in the UK, Leylandii, is extremely effective, bit like your Hemlock there, but it doesn't make for good neighbours.

Well I am sure glad you got your yard first! I wonder how the view actually is from their side or how much is blocked? Does the fence block anything? I hope you don't like to garden naked. :) How about four foot tall lattice on top of the fence? I'm gonna have to think about this. Like Baa, I'll also be watching for other suggestions.

The fence is already 6 feet. (I think the tallest allowed by our 'bylaws'. :-/ . The neighbors lots are actually 'higher' than ours, so they get a nice view of our yard. :) Eeeeeeevry little thing I do.........ugh. I knew the homes were coming, but did not realize the impact until they were done. But now,......I can look and actually see two or three different neighbors looking at me. Not as if they can help it, they are only at their kitchen sinks or whatever! You know what I mean?

Don't get me wrong, I like getting to know my neighbors and all, but heck, I can't see how I'm going to enjoy my patio this summer.

The new homes have very little in yard size, it's almost all house.

This photo is what I see standing near (about 15 feet from) the fenceline. I'm 5'4" Neighbor to the right.

Panning to the left, our second neighbor, to give you an idea of what I see...........

Now I've turned around to view our house and patio (sunken 2 feet) to show you what they see.

Hmmm, I think I took this photo crooked!! lol..........

Your Mountain Hemlock is beautiful! Perhaps between that and your compost bin (?) you could construct a temporary 3-4 ft high shelf; maybe with cinder blocks or something as pillars. On these shelves put less expensive evergreens in pots to give you height coverage while they grow a bit. It would give you some nice shade underneath for some shade lovers. To the left of the Hemlock (from my view point), appears you already have a bed. Perhaps a few very thin inconspicuous poles at the present fence posts to which you attach fishing line (invisible) and do MG's or some such to give you coverage for the summer.

Your yard sure is pretty though - feel for ya !!!

And I should say, objects in the photo are closer than they appear. LOL....

Yes, there is another bed running along the fenceline to the left of the Hemlock. Dea you have great ideas! This is what I needed. Thanks so much.

Please anyone else who has an idea of what to do with my dilemma........

Photo here is of homes to the left of the Hemlock........

this is why I bought a 25 acre farm.

Maybe you could make garden "rooms" to give you some privacy. In particular, a room by your patio that would give you a way to enjoy being out there without being on display. You could use lattice walls with vines. If something's by your house and free-standing, so to speak, it wouldn't fall under the 6' tall limitation, would it?

Sue, I haven't started to think about landscaping my small clay-filled property with neighbors all around. But, in the Landscaping forum this month someone suggested putting up trellises for privacy ... perhaps with evergreen vines. Luckily my property came with tall arborvitae along most of one side which blocks the view of nextdoor's driveway and gives privacy to my deck. My back neighbor has 20+' airy conifers which provide us both privacy. However, that may provide too much unwanted shade??

I was thinking along the lines of gardenwife's suggestions-in it is a free standing plant wall (here) it does not qualify as fence- lattice on top of the fence may not either-all the rules are different. Also a nice "room with large bamboo poles-covered with quick growing vine. Will give more thought-Have the same issue here. I have seen ads of fast growing evergreens-but you never know. Willows grows fast.

Oh, this is so great, thank you so much everyone. GW and Marcia, yes anything inside our side of the fence is 'ours'. I have considered the trellis idea around the patio, but your idea just reinforces mine, and I do believe it might look okay with a 4' section interspersed with an evergreen shrub or low growing tree. I am hoping you can visualize that?

Sveiks...your idea is the one I've had many a time. The sun travels across our yard in the summer....FULL sun. Any heavy trees I place across that back section would certainly cool their home. It is such a hard hard decision to make.

Thank you friends! Please if you have more ideas or suggestions...keep em' comin!

Here is a photo of our view sitting on the patio

..........edited for description!...........

This message was edited Jan 22, 2004 5:09 PM

Have had suggestions that privet grows fast...might be another suggestion for around the patio? But I don't know how fast privet grows, does anyone have experience?

Thanks and keep the ideas and suggestions comming. You have really got me thinkin'!

Another view...from patio looking towards veggie garden...and houses.

I would plant some screening plants that are slower-growing but desirable - more hemlocks, pines, whatever.

In between them, you could place some big plastic tubs of bamboo, tall ornamental grasses, Thuja, Privet, Leyland cypress, etc. - things that grow like weeds (and you're gonna hate 'em like weeds in a few years.) But if they're in containers, when the other plants get some height and fill in, you can ditch the tub plants, and you don't have to fool with digging up anything.

Our Tractor Supply sells super-sturdy big rubberized tubs for about $20 - $30 each. Not cheap, but they have the advantage of keeping rampant roots (of bamboo or other thugs) contained.

Also, hyacinth vine (Lablab purpureus) makes a great fence cover, tends to climb another 1-2 feet above the fence, and blooms beautifully. Might help fill in the blanks the first few years, and since it's an annual, you can eradicate it when you don't need it anymore :)

How about a grape arbor? You could have privacy and food too! The first year or two you could grow some beans on it to provide some privacy.

There are some bamboos that grow in your zone, many of which get very tall. ie. Phyllostachys aureosulcata Yellow-Groove Bamboo. Is very hardy can go from zones 6 to 11, gets 15-30 feet high. They can spread aggressively with runners, so plant in large bottomless tubs.

Also, there are many ornamental grasses that might work. Miscantus floridulus grows in zones 5 to 9 and can get 14 feet high. Although my book says it can be difficult to get rid of once established because the roots go way down. The plumes would last into the winter, though you would have to cut down once new growth started. But it would get tall again fairly quickly.

LimeyLisa Kay

Hi Sue,
ORRR,you could do what I do,Plant a jungle!!!
This is what my neighbor across the street see's,and he's about 2 ft higher plane than my house.

Or my neighbor to the right see's

Or my neighbor to the left see's!

And they don't dare try to sneak up on me at all!

I was just trying to bring a smile to your face!!!
But yes this in my house during the summer.
I just wanted to share with you and everybody,I garden to please myself not my neighbors,they all think I'm a lunadict!So what!I'm happy!!!!Don't get me wrong,I get a long with all my neighbors,oh they complain a little about this and that,hey I pay my taxes just the same as you,they thank me when theres 10 inches of snow on there driveway and sidewalks,and I take my snowblower and clean them for them,oh I forgot to mention,they all in there 80's and retired,and I'm just the kid on the block and still have to work for a living,but we compromise!!!

I would LOVE to have a tropical haven like that, Tropicman, but we'd have to pay someone to do all the maintenance, lifting and replanting each year. It is GORGEOUS!

Do you have drip irrigation, or how do you keep everything watered? It's just breathtaking what you've done there.

Hi Gardenwife,
I take a week in April plant everything I can get done in a week.Water about every other nite,when I get home from work.
Not much weeding.don't leave no room for weeds!LOL!Fertilize evrey other weekend,Its a lot of work,but I don't fish anymore,so I stay home and putter around the jungle.
I got a neighbor of yours started a couple years ago with her tropical jungle who lives in New Madison,outside west of Dayton,don't know how far from you she is,but she does a terrific job,so it can be done in Ohio.Yes its a lot of work,but I call it a labor of luve!!!!

Howie and I call our home "The House of Bad Backs" ~ We've been trying to do low-maintenance. The choking out of weeds would be lovely, but I don't think I'd stay as devoted to watering (especially in the sticky heat of summer). I'd have a bunch of spindly things, LOL. I do want to plant more in our pond this summer, though, and maybe make up some other boggy gardens in containers for more foliage.

You say boggy gardens???
Thats what I want to do next year also,can you give me a list of some good easy plants to grow?
I have a few,like swamp lilly,big calla lillys,and ellen boqusanet crinium,sorry can't think anynore brain dead!!!!

Sue,

I am not a landscaper and have trouble with my own backyard ideas, but I've been watching so many garden shows on TV lately and here is an idea that might help you.

I played on my paint pad, so this is not very good and with just trying to figure out your layout in your yard, this is something you might like to consider.

The green lacy looking area, next to your patio, could be an arbor with a trellis and plant some nice vines to give color and privacy to your home. I would add some more trees, like the others have mentioned, and maybe put the tree on the left side, more into the yard to give some dimension to your yard. That way you can have some shade to sit and plant shade loving flowers too.

I hope this helps some.

Donna

I can't think of anything better than hemlocks myself. We have several really hemlock hedges near here and they are so thick and luch and some are quite old, maybe 75 years old.
There is a new concept in housing being promoted here in NC for the sake of historic preservation but would work well in many areas. The property is developed so that the houses or condos are all in one area and the rest is left as open meadow and recreationsl areas, such as all-purpose courts, a play=ground, maybe even a community pool. The concept came up when a beautiful victorian house was sold with about 10 acres. The house was kept as a clubhouse and guest house, the house were "cluster houses" and many acres were left in woods and meadow. Everyone has a lovely pastoral view from the front of their homes and woods behind them. Of course, the concept had to be incorporated in the deeds, including fees to keep up the house and recreational facilites.

sue - see if you can get your hands on the premier issue of "backyard living" magazine. as the name implies, its filled with issues regarding back yards. hope it helps.

I'd be tempted to plant evergreen vines on the fence. I did a search on the Dave's Garden plant database for evergreen climbing plants suitable for full sun in zone 8a (your zone). Try this link for the 10 results. Note the big red X next to Kudzu:

http://plantsdatabase.com/advanced.php?nn%5B16%5D=15&nn%5B1%5D=0&nn%5B2%5D=0&nn%5B3%5D=14&nn%5B4%5D=1&nn%5B5%5D=0&nn%5B6%5D=0&nn%5B7%5D=0&nn%5B8%5D=2&nn%5B9%5D=0&nn%5B23%5D=0&nn%5B10%5D=0&nn%5B12%5D=0&sname=Plants&Search.x=22&Search.y=7

Good luck!

I love the idea of staggering sections of lattice trellis with plants. If you stagger them, you wouldn't feel boxed in. I do agree you need to do something or you are going to feel like a fish in a bowl. That would be ashame with that nice back yard.

Don your gardens do look wonderful from any view. I don't think I'd bother you either. Looks like you may come running out of there with a machete. :)

I had a similar issue at my house in Maryland, however I backed directly to the common area so I didn't have as much to hide. We built 4 foot birms with a stone wall around the deck/patio area to elevate the planting sites. I had ornamental grass and various other tall shrubs that blocked out the views from the ground. I put in a koi pond also. (actually a landscaper did the hardscaping). Kind of a garden room as mentioned above. I also had an elevated bed on one side that I put a birch tree in to strategically block the next door neighbors deck. I also had crepe myrtle and other trees strategically placed. Winter time wasn't as private, but the grasses were gorgeous in the snow.

Hi Sue and EVERYONE! What great ideas! I like lots of them. The one thing that I would plant immediately would be either robust poplar or aus-trees. They grow so fast you would get privacy quickly and then take them out when your 'real' trees have got 5 yrs. or so growth. Some sort of lattice panels with vines, I like kiwi or morning glory, there's so many beautiful vines!, sheilding the view of the patio would be great too. I would just love to have your zone!!
Tropicman - what plant is that you're cuddling? I recognize the castor bean, right? but not the other one. :)

Sue-
Bamboo would be perfect, a clumping variety that does not run. Its a great evergreen background.

Wow - what a topic!

It is so unfortunate when you have bought a home with the perfect view, and then they turn around and place crackerbox homes in it! I can't believe how close those homes are to each other! Those people probably feel they don't have any privacy at all! You'd sure want to make sure you are friends with your neighbors!

I like what Tropicman did with his yard - Absolutely lush and beautiful!

I also like the arbor idea. And what someone said about the poplar trees is right - they grow very tall and very fast. Farmers use them as wind blocks.

I am working on covering an eyesore myself - The people that live behind me don't take care of their yard at all and have like 4 or 5 big dogs (nasty). Unfortunately, our yard is 4 or 5 feet higher than theirs and supported by a rock wall, so I can't plant anything BIG like trees, because I'm afraid the wall will collapse. I've opted for big plants (like Cannas, etc) that I'm going to start this spring. (now, if those dogs would just not bark at me while I'm out there working).

check out backyardlivingmagazine.com

I had a few minutes and so I thought I would check in for a second. I'm absolutely blown away by all of these great ideas! I have to run now but I will come back later this evening to absorb and write down all of your ideas. Thank you ALL, this is great! I plan on showing my husband your thoughts when he gets back from Atlanta. Keep the ideas coming!

Tropicman your yard is gorgeous! Wow!

Thanks Sue,
Bad seed,looks are decieving,wouldn't harm a fly!!!LOL,
at least a machatee.
Kooger that is Ensete ventricosum banana,grew it from seed,it is almost a year old before I chopped it down.

Some great ideas! You might also consider a arbor type fixture covered with a good climbing rose. It would be a great place to get out of the sun and would give you a little privacy.

Tropicman: That banana plant was only a year old in that picture??