How can I make up for losing 20' of trees, shade and privacy?
by
Karen Hyde
+1
The buyer of the teardown next door didn't like the line of trees between our yards. He said he was going to cut down everything over his property line including branches and roots of trees on my side which would cause the rest of the trees to die and then I would be stuck paying to cut them down. So, the 25' trees came down and now my house has no shade or privacy AND vegetation growing everywhere now that there is sun. He put up a 6' fence which is as tall as the village allows and a row of 5' evergreens. What can I do to make something high enough to block the sun and dense enough to provide privacy? I haven't used my deck in the 2 years since the trees came down as it's 4' off the ground, so, again, no privacy. All suggestions appreciated.
Related Discussions
Suggested Project Book
What an ass. You can add privacy walls on your deck with lattice or privacy walls. Add arbor or roof overhead, or sail cloths. If you have room plant more trees. Visit your local nursery to get more information for your area and project. Good luck.
Hi Karen. Sorry your neighbor is a jerk! Here's hoping his evergreens take flight and soar to great heights. Depending on your zone, I'm all for adding some fast growing evergreens to your side of the fence. Red cedars, podocarpus, thuga, grow quickly and will provide shade and homes for birds, and more importantly, make the neighbor disappear from view. You could make an inexpensive curtain system using Pvc pipes and polyester fabric to block the view and gain some privacy. I love Kelli's idea with the arbor and lattice too. 😊
Green Giant Arborvitae might be a good option.
Also, check with local authorities because he may have been in violation and be responsible for removal and replacement costs. This is why I'm holding my breath for the house next door, hoping not to get jerk neighbors.
First of all, I would not have let him bully you into doing that. Anything on your side is your property. Now it is true that any branches from trees on your side that hang over on his side may be trimmed back to the property line. That is why plant placement is so crucial. Obviously no thought went into placement that provided for mature growth.
Not using your deck is just ridiculous. Go out there and use it. No one cares what you are doing, they are too wrapped up in their own lives. If you want to add privacy, build a screen using lattice and attach to your deck. Install tension rods and use curtain clips to attach fabric and use as curtains. Or provide us a photo so we can provide better options.
For the ground that you want to be low maintenance, look into Xeriscaping.
All can be remedied, just don't let anyone bully you into submission. Get your municipality involved or hire an attorney.