[Lardman]

I need to plug the hole in this leylandii hedge (yes I know).

As you can see this hedge is fine - if a bit shabby apart from the hole cut in at the bottom left by the problem neighbour -  thats another story.   The hole is approx 6ft wide to a height of 7ft.  Its far worse in real life than it looks in the picture.

I would like to put something infront of trees out of his reach thats evergreen and dense, but thin enough for me to put ladders over to trim the tops of the trees behind, ideally something very quick growing !

Its south facing but doesn't get a lot of sun as it shaded by other plants. Its also VERY dry up there, soil was good but the trees have been there for 20 years so its probably not wonderful now.

[Spana]

What about a biggish tub with something in. I've got half barrels with Hydrangeas in and they look superb from early June until November.  If you had a set of those wheel-a-tub thingies underneath you could move it out of the way when you needed to.  Not ever green, but there are lots of thing that would grow better in a tub in that position than in the ground.

[Lardman]

It has to be evergreen Im afraid. Part of the reason for the hedge was this neighbour has a an unhealthy interest in other peoples lives.  My 70 year old mother now lives alone in the house and constantly being watched is making her very uncomfortable.

I did think about some free standing trellis and an evergreen honeysuckle or clematis but I don't think it would be dense enough to give privacy..

[mumofstig]

How about a tall fence rather than a trellis with something growing over it...that'll stop them

Seriously, it would take effort to get the slotted posts in, but once there the fence panel could be slid up and out when/if you need to get to the hedge to trim it. Grow something in front that can either put up with being cut back hard now and then, or use pots.

[Lardman]

How about a tall fence rather than a trellis with something growing over it...that'll stop them

Unfortunately the ground slopes up and a fence high enough would be over the 8ft allowed without planning permission.

[Spana]

Isn't there a fence behind the conifers.  Must say I wouldn't like some nut case looking at me through the hedge either   Did the nut case cut the hole 

[Lardman]

Isn't there a fence behind the conifers. 

There is - its 6ft and thats another long story, his garden is 1ft higher than ours, so the fence is below head height.

Must say I wouldn't like some nut case looking at me through the hedge either   Did the nut case cut the hole 

I have no proof that he cut the hole, but only the 6ft adjoining his garden is missing, and only to a height he can reach.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, the trees were originally planted as a telescope was being pointed at my then teenage sisters bedroom window.

[mumofstig]

How about a tall fence rather than a trellis with something growing over it...that'll stop them

Unfortunately the ground slopes up and a fence high enough would be over the 8ft allowed without planning permission.

Doesn't the 8ft rule only apply to the boundary fence? I thought you could go higher than that within your own garden, without breaking any rules?

[digalotty]

build the ground up to his level in that section and stick a big shed in it

[digalotty]

could you stand a 8x4 sheet of ply up on stilts like a notice board style,  now if you do this in front of the trees then its not a fence is it, you could stain or paint it green and fit some bird boxes to it and some kind of rain catcher and then tell people its a kind of nature and weather station . Even if you are made to take it down it will take time and give you chance to grow ivy all over it ,   and its an instant fix.

[Rangerkris]

Go and have words with him i would if he made my Mum feel uneasy in  her own house.

[Lardman]

Go and have words with him i would if he made my Mum feel uneasy in  her own house.

I've had several words and sent several letters over the years for numerous reasons.  They're  just a problem neighbours,  to my knowledge they currently have disputes with 3 other neigbours about trees and 1 because of cats.

I need to check with the local council about fence height rules but the solution mum seems to prefer (she's housebound and will have to look at the results all day) is cut into the trees this side at 8ft and put 2 fence panels this side of the trunks out of his reach.

I then intend to plant 3 more trees against this fence to eventually hide it that I can blend into the existing hedge, while they're growing I thought a couple annual climbers would break it up a bit  - morning glory etc.

[Rangerkris]

Go and have words with him i would if he made my Mum feel uneasy in  her own house.

I've had several words and sent several letters over the years for numerous reasons.  They're  just a problem neighbours,  to my knowledge they currently have disputes with 3 other neighbour's about trees and 1 because of cats.

I need to check with the local council about fence height rules but the solution mum seems to prefer (she's housebound and will have to look at the results all day) is cut into the trees this side at 8ft and put 2 fence panels this side of the trunks out of his reach.

I then intend to plant 3 more trees against this fence to eventually hide it that I can blend into the existing hedge, while they're growing I thought a couple annual climbers would break it up a bit  - morning glory etc.

Oh ok that sounds like a good plan you have so far hope you can put the fence at the height you want to, i know we have had to deal with peoples fence's in the past and the poor guy ad a lovely new fence put up and the neighbour next door complained about it being 6 inch to tall the height of the gravel board, it cost the guy £150 for permission from the council to leave it at the height was cheaper than getting the fence put up again.


[edited by Yorkie to make quotes clear]

[Roll Roll]

I would imagin the soil would be quite acidic, so how about a Rhodendrum? They are quite fast growing.