Hiding a bad view!

I've got a small garden (20x20ft) and from the garden you look at the back of a row of houses, one of which has been converted to a shop and they have put up very atractive (not!) spikes and other anti burglar type deterrents, good for keeping the burglars away, not so good for my view! Any suggestions as to the type of plant I could put along the back fence to detract from it without feeling like it's taking over the garden?

 

Hi Jac, and welcome to the forum.

I think that what makes this a friendly place is that we all have the same problems, - and hiding the neighbours is one of them. You have my sympathy.

Perhaps you could help us with a bit more information. What sort of fence do you have - see through wire, or solid wood panel, etc.? How tall is it? And up to what height do you want to block out the view - do you want to go above the height of the fence?

I am sure that there are people here who can help.

 

In a previous incarnation I was a shop keeper so can empathise with the predicament. You could augment the burglar deterrance with some form of 'green razor wire' such as berberis thunbergerii or a lovely but wicked Berberis x frikartii. Any intruders will definatley not want to fall off your side of the fence :D

 

Ooh thanks for your replies. Um, well my fence is 6 foot panel at the bottom and trellis at the top and I put bamboo screen round the trellis bit while I was waiting for my clematis to grow up and spread (which it's done, in fact it's gone a bit mad and now reaches all the way round and provides excellent cover). The thing is that when you sit in my garden looking towards the back fence you can see beyond it to where they have put up the wiring etc. It doesn't immediately back onto my garden, there is a road that separates the back of the houses on my side to their side but it's not a main road, just one that gives access to rear of the properties. I was looking for something that would go a bit higher than the fence really just so that your eye goes to that rather than wiry fencing. Does any of that make sense?!

 

Jac - that makes a lot of sense.

If you only want to go a bit higher, you could extend your fence upwards a bit. Some uprights attached to your fence or to the trellis at the top, could project it higher, and if you then string wires across them you could give your clematis a foothold so it could climb higher. You could even use chicken netting. I bit unsightly at first, but when it is covered, you would be unaware of it.

I was going to suggest Clematis based on your first post, because it is very nice, and also not "heavy". If you don't extend your fence higher, you are left with using additional plants.

How about a small tree - such as a flowering cherry, which could grow to block out the view. If you ask at a couple of garden centres (I always like to ask in more than one place) they could give you suggestions and ideas of heights.

If you had an idea of the height required, I am sure someone can help.

 

From your description I think I would go for a couple of small trees - and thinking of winter, I would go for a couple of white barked birches - the tracery of the branches in the winter would distract the eye in the winter, and its light foliage shouldn't be too much of a problem in the spring and summer.

 

I would go for a panel fence, although I personally don't like them, for speed and grow some more permanent plants in front of it. We are not supposed to use barbed wire in case a burglar gets hurt but a vicious rambling rose is ok.