Privacy Issue...Your suggestions please!

Yes started it from seed,in the fall,grew it over winter,
and when planted it outside in April it was only a foot tall.

So I presume it was not winter hardy so that is why you chopped it down? It is certainly an impressive looking plant!

Hi, Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens v. fastigiata)trees all along the fence or just in front of windows of other houses-planted about three feet apart will screen the view, wont drop leaves on you, and grow plenty tall. However, they cast a dense shade and I don't know how fast they grow-maybe some one can help out here? They are great here but the yards to the North of them are too shady for most gardeners taste.

One other idea,I have is to place those rectangular mirrors,the kind you hang behind a door,have a lettace fence
about 2/3 from the back of your patio,and face them so the neighbors see there own reflection,instead of see you!LOL!
Well if that doesn't seem to good,turn then around so they catch the sun,and the glare shines all about!!!

I knew he was dangerous! LOL

Bdseed,keep it up and you'll convinced me too!!!LOL
You women,when I had the flu first of the week,went to the doc,and his nurse was to give me a shot,I told her just to give it to me in the arm!She said no,turn around bend over I said no in the arm,after several minutes of an losing argument,she jabbed me in the tail section,hurt like heck!!!!She was a purity gal like you,I saw your picture!!!
Its kinds like you who are the dangerous ones!!!
And I have the brooze to prove it!!!

Ummmmm, are you talking to me?? *blush*

I had to get a shot in the rump, well high hip last week. The nurse offered to give it to me in the arm and I was surprised. I have had this shot 10 times and always in the rump. She said they could give it either place but assured me it was better in the bigger muscle of the rump. Now you know why my pic is only a head shot!!! LOL

I love the tropical look. And I have my own machete and a sod hook and a pitch fork and well, maybe I am dangerous! LOL

Blush my ....LOL!
Ain't no maybe about it!!!
You have all the weapons of mass destruction!!!
Whoops!Blonde and blue eyes are enough weapons for danger!!!

Sue are you leaning towards trees to create a screen? I was looking through the Wayside Gardens catalogue and they have Thuja Green Giant, zones 5-8, H-70' W- 10-12. Grows 3 feet or more each year.

http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10067&langId=-1&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=47599&FromTextSearch=thuja

Tropicman, I'd love to do a similar Jungle somewhere here, that looks fantastic! Teach me! LOL

Sue, I'd do as the others have suggested, and invest in something about 12 feet tall and run vines across, a wisteria is pretty , but doesn't last long, unfortunately.

You don't have to make it a solid wall, as long as the view they get, and that you have is obstructed, I think you're going to feel better. I like the idea of Evergreens on Stilts...or cinder blocks. Depending on how handy you are, you could always purchase those windowbox hangers, and place at different levels in the cinderblocks, and grow different things all they way up...regaining, maybe even adding a little more space than what the cinder "pillar" is taking up, and hiding the cinder as well. And they wouldn't necessarily have to be permanent fixtures, you could try different things until you found what worked for you the best.

You could do the same with posts, just add braces along the way to attach planter boxes.

Hi Melissa.
I'd love to teach you.
First thing you need to do is find all the vines you get your hands on,whats a jungle without a vine or two!
Next color,all the pretty cannas with big leaf foliage.
Third Elephant ears,all kinds and colors,
Fourth,get you some of those hardy bananas basjoo,if you keep them dry and mulch heavy,with a few feet of hay or straw,they'll come back every year bigger and better.
Find a corner of your property and make a french s curve winding your way to a pond or fountain or even a bog garden,and on your way there make sure you walk under a couple of trelles.
Fifth,grasses,lots of diiferent grasses,bamboo,boulders at stopping points before you reach your destination!!!
Hope these ideas will get you started,on your way to a tropical paradise.!!!!

Sue, you could plant some tall junipers like ‘Blue Point’ http://plantsdatabase.com/go/60701/index.htm along your fence. Junipers are fast growing and very easy to take care of.

We are loving all of the suggestions for the evergreens / conifers for the back. Also, the suggestions of bamboo in decorative pots would be a beautiful addition to them. I have been also toying with the idea of elevating the pots somehow to get that instant screening effect......my husband and I have really enjoyed reading the different ideas you have all come up with, it has helped open our eyes.

First on the agenda is the patio. I have been measuring and visioning the trellis screen interspersed with evergreen shrubs of some type. For the trellis, I was thinking about planting Carolina Jessamine (gelsemium simpervirens). And then possibly Privet or Ceanothus between? Still up in the air, but at least the planning has begun.

Do Cypress grow faster than Juniper or Thuja?

It's cold. The kids are home from school. I have to work tonight. I can clean or play on the computer. LOL Have you considered an arbor with a bench, covered with vines and/or lattice?

This is pretty: http://fourseasonsgardencenter.com/portfolio/str1.htm

These are gorgeous but out of my price range. LOL :
http://www.growinglifestyle.com/article/s0/a252491.html

Some of these are nice, I especially like Coventry. :
http://www.arborsbydesign.com/trellis_arbors_portfolio.html

Most of these look easy to build. :
http://www.trellisstructures.com/TrellisOpening.htm

Feeling handy??
http://www.livinghome.com/news/gardens/190-1.html#AAT

Okay, I guess I should go be a responsible adult now. :)

Bdseed,I built a lattace fence around my sons patio,last year,for privacy,wasn't hard to build at all.

That's pretty! I may have to do something soon myself. My neighbors aren't really into gardening so they like to sit and watch me! LOL We want to take off the rear deck and replace it with a patio. Then I'd have a clear view of my pond from the kitchen. ;)

My vote is Bamboo, clumping kind only. Then the neighbors won't think you are shutting them out, just Mother Nature doing her thing!
Pati

Thanks for the links Badseed! My husband really likes the wood lattice with the posts and curved wood at the top.

Tropicman: Did you sink the posts for your sons trellis in concrete? Nice job.

I took a trip to HD yesterday to price out the materials. Now to borrow a truck. :)

Was surprised to see Thuja at 6' tall in large containers in their garden section. Approx $50 each. Also some smaller ones (about 3') for about $10. Picked up some primroses for .60 cents instead. :)

Costco has their started getting their gardening stuff in (shamless plug). I picked up a big bag of Miracle Gro potting soil. Also their bulbs are out.. I was good and did not buy any. :)

Sue ,yes sank them in cement 2 ft deep.

I think the space is calling for some hard structure such as a shed with some shrubbery as suggested. Are you permitted to erect one??? There are some lovely designs......scroll down the page....

http://www.gardenbuildingsstaffs.co.uk/

I meant to mention that you could also build a pergola to extend from the shed...!! :-)



This message was edited Jan 31, 2004 4:06 AM

Mammoth Sunfowers and fast growing vines would be quick.
A nice arbor or shade room too.

Castors? They'll grow fast!

Just read your thread.Usually the back and side yard setback requirements that limit fence heights to six feet is 5 feet. The ideas put forth for trellis' would work well with sight screening vines like grape,evergreen clematis,hops or ?? .The bottom 5 feet could be left open to leave a view of plantings within the 5ft distance to the fence. robert

Do you mean, anything planted must be 5' away from the fence?

No. Only that no obstruction over 6 ft in height can be within 5 ft of the property line.Think fence,wall etc. I believe the intent is to allow fire protection access from adjacent lots in case of emergencies.Hard to hoist a firehose over a 10 ft fence I guess.A check with the King Co. Building Dept. can clarify the code, if you can get a live body to answer the phone.They seem to delight in 'push 1 for this,2 for that' kind of public access. good luck I hope whatever your choice is it works for you.

Oh, I understand. :) Good advice, and thank-you balvenie!

Well, everyone, We have been really busy with these plans of ours. The patio will have one of two things: The trellis with evergreen bush/shrub interspersed or a yew hedge.

The back of the lot which is the most pressing issue, will be Thuja and Bamboo. Not sure how this is going to be arranged yet, however. For sure the Thuja will be along the bare fence, as far as the Bamboo, I'm thinking 'temporary' and possibly pots. In addition, to really mix this up, I am going to plant some castor beans in pots too.

While this is a work in progress I would like to show you all photographs of the work, I really think this will be a solution to some of our privacy issues. We still have other areas we have to work on, but at least for this summer, we will be able to enjoy our patio. :)

So glad to hear that you have worked out a plan for your back yard. Can't wait to see pictures of the progress!

LimeyLisa Kay

Hi Sue,

Have you considered Red-tip Photinas? I don't know if they would do well in your area but here (despite the fungus warning for the South), they make an attractive screen and/or small specimin tree.

http://www.floridata.com/ref/p/phot_xfr.cfm