Small Front Garden Privacy

jarrv

Hi Everyone,

Im looking for a bit of advice regarding adding some privacy to my front garden and house.

I have a small east facing front garden that other than a few shrubs is laid to lawn, it borders my drive on the left (looking from my house) and my neighbours drive directly in front.
The problem is our neighbours have greatly increased the amount of vehicles they own and on a bad day there can be 10/12 cars parked right outside my lounge window, which isnt pleasant to look at.

Shape wise its almost triangular and at its narrowest point the garden is 7ft, at its longest around 20ft (picture attached), with around 25ft in width.

It does tend to get the sun from early morning until 2pm ish, but does suffer with moss growth despite my best efforts.

I would like something evergreen that either can be supplied or will grow to a height of 8ft very quickly.

Originally i had thought about planting Laurel but im a little concerned given the lack of space and roots damaging next doors drive (not particularly nice people).

Im now leaning towards campbell's bamboo as its quick growing and non invasive, with a secondary row of shrubs at the base closest to the house for additional colour.

Any thoughts or advice greatly welcome

Thanks

Jarrv
Origin

JennyJ

Trouble is, nothing will grow to 8ft quickly and then stop (or slow down enough to only need pruning a few times a year). A fence might be your best bet for instant screening (if it's allowed where you are), then you can plant slower-growing shrubs on the inside (or nicer looking, or both).

If you go for a hedge or shrubs, check the final width and plant it far enough inside your boundary that it won't overhang the neighbour's drive, and make sure they will allow you access for pruning/trimming (they might butcher it if you leave it to them - they shouldn't cut back past the boundary line, but once it's done it's too late).

Re. bamboo, I think any of them can eventually become invasive.

Ferdinand2000

Are there fence height regs on the Estate?

A half height or 1.2m mesh fence 1950s style and a hedge in front might be an attractive option.

Hedge leaves will poke through, but if they cut back too harshly it will crunch their trimmer and damaging the fence will be a no-no.

A future easily manageable 8ft hedge will take 5 years at least imo. Quicker stuff could be eg annuals in front, or a fence as discussed.

One option is to put it on a bank or raised bed to give it stilts. Like trad farm hedges but without the ditch.

I suppose another is to do a "Cornish Hedge", which is a hedge planted in the top of a wall. And why you don't brush roadside banks too hard in Cornwall. Your wall might cost £150 per metre, guestimating.

B3

Are people looking in your windows? If that's the problem, you might be better off with blinds. Tall plants near the house will make your rooms very dark.

jarrv

Thank you for the quick replies

 B3 said:

Are people looking in your windows? If that's the problem, you might be better off with blinds. Tall plants near the house will make your rooms very dark.

I already have vertical blinds in the lounge window which remain drawn most of the day because my a) my neighbour sits in his car for 5-20 minutes just staring into my lounge b) they park a huge SUV 7 foot from my lounge window which although a nice car i dont want to look at for 14 hours a day 
So my room is already quite dark, i dont think adding a hedge would make a huge difference regards light.

Ferdinand2000 said:

Are there fence height regs on the Estate?

A half height or 1.2m mesh fence 1950s style and a hedge in front might be an attractive option.

Hedge leaves will poke through, but if they cut back too harshly it will crunch their trimmer and damaging the fence will be a no-no.

A future easily manageable 8ft hedge will take 5 years at least imo. Quicker stuff could be eg annuals in front, or a fence as discussed.

One option is to put it on a bank or raised bed to give it stilts. Like trad farm hedges but without the ditch.

I suppose another is to do a "Cornish Hedge", which is a hedge planted in the top of a wall. And why you don't brush roadside banks too hard in Cornwall. Your wall might cost £150 per metre, guestimating.

Technically my estate is open plan and has restrictive covenants in place regards a number of things, however most of these have already been broken by my neighbours so i doubt they could ever be enforced (in addition the builder no longer exists).

The garden slopes down from my house to the road, probably around 2ft, so i think 8ft would be a minimum to obscure the cars and give privacy, so i dont mind if they get a little bigger.
I do like the idea of a little fence on the boundary to give definition and keep the plants in.
I honestly dont think i could wait 5 years for the hedge to become established, it drives me mad now and by then they will probably acquired another 5 cars!


Thanks Jenny, im hoping the argesia Robusta is quite easy to manage, according to what i can find the roots dont spread as suggested.

JennyJ said:

If you go for a hedge or shrubs, check the final width and plant it far enough inside your boundary that it won't overhang the neighbour's drive, and make sure they will allow you access for pruning/trimming (they might butcher it if you leave it to them - they shouldn't cut back past the boundary line, but once it's done it's too late).

Re. bamboo, I think any of them can eventually become invasive.

B3

Your neighbour sounds like a pr*t. Good luck with finding something suitable😊

jarrv

You're not wrong 

K67

Photonia is evergreen, you can buy lollipop shaped trees or shrubs or variegated privet. Size obviously depends on your budget

https://www.charellagardens.co.uk/our-products/  this company supplies quite large plants but I haven't used them so can't say how good they are.
https://www.grasslands.co.uk/shrubs/photinia.

Metal garden screens are nice but pricey. 
Can't quite work out from the plan where you want your screening. Sometimes a tree planted in the garden, rather than at the boundary,  between you and your neighbours car can screen better even in winter the branches would break up the sight line. A multi stemmed Amelchanier would be nice. Try putting in a cane between where you sit and what you want to screen to see if it would work. 
Just noticed you mention fargesia robust. I have this and it does clump so it tends to get bigger all round. It also is very slow to grow tall. It gets bushy but it's other name is fountain grass which describes it well, now and again it will throw up a straight tall cane but the majority tend to bend.
If you go for this put in a heavyweight plastic barrier between you and next doors drive about 18 inches deep, damp proof course is good or slate roof tiles.

Lizzie27

Your neighbour, unless he has lots of adult children, can't possibly have that many cars - are you sure he's not running a business buying and selling them?  If so, the local Council might be interested.

jarrv

Thanks K67 i hadnt heard of the Photonia, looks like a possible candidate to give a bit of colour and shape.
That a shame about the fargesia robust, i had read it was quite fast growing 

Sorry by neighbours i mean my 2 closest neighbours, not a single person.

Neighbour (A) has 4 cars, 2 of which are mostly kept in the garage but 2/3 days a week one is on also on the drive.
Neighbour (B) has 7 vehicles, (3 vans, a pickup, a 4x4 saloon and sometimes a corsa).

Below is the plan sorry for my crude drawing, the black shapes are cars.
The green lines are where i would like a hedge.


This is a view from the lounge window, i need something to break up the view of other peoples cars

Lizzie27

I would just buy some big pots with tallish plants in them, that way you could experiment with different placements to hide the cars. There's no way though you need anything 8ft tall, 5-6 ft is plenty big enough. Also bear in mind that if you grow a hedge, not only will you have to keep it clipped, you will have to keep it well away from car doors, especially the neighbours.
I think you would do well just to accept the situation and try not let it bother you so much.
Or, you could always move.