Screening Ideas to Block Chronic Curtain-Twitchers

[harry_angel]

We have a few - to put it politely - weapons-grade level curtain twitchers near us.

 

Now, granted, our dwelling house is a loooong way from them, but that doesn't stop them from peering in to our gardens and wider plot, probably keeping a log of everyone who's coming and going, etc etc

 

We already have evergreen hedges growing but these are going to take a long time to deliver the right result, and they're also (arguably) close enough to the border fence (owned by us) to be restricted by the 2m law. 

 

The good news is that with some judicious planting further in to the plot/garden, we could block any wider view in to it.

 

However any serious growth is going to take years, so what alternatives are there to the following?

 

• bamboo in planters
• bamboo in the ground (but there are water pipes and potential electric cables nearby, albeit no buildings/structures)
• AN other plant which grows crazy quick and ideally is not massively invasive
• AN other very large/pre-grown tree that can be bought and planted and will still take and not die

 

Before anyone mentions Leylandii we have already planted a lot of them along the border but they lack width (which we need to block the neighbouring windows), and they grow quick but not fast enough.

 

Not being knowledgeable at all on a horticultural level it would be great if anyone has suggestions.

[Jilly]

Most quick growing plants are invasive, but laurel can be a good compromise. It doesn't grow super fast, but is very dense, and grows reasonably quickly in most soils and is controllable and not too expensive. 

 

Privacy can also be gained by having height close to the house, ie at eye level, rather than at the boundary. It can more cost and privacy effective to put taller specimens close to the house as you can experiment and move them. Pleached trees can make a good screen (like a hedge on stilts). Quick growing shrubs and trees can work, like buddleia or hazel.

 

It can be really difficult to keep large expensive trees alive once transplanted because their roots have grown round the pot so they ted to rock. Most trees will establish best when planted small and chosen for site suitability. 

 

Fencing/trellis is the best way for an instant screen which will protect your growing hedge, best planted in autumn so it gets watered in by the rain. Otherwise you have to monitor constantly. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Jilly

[Shoestring]

You could try Pittosporum for quick growning evergreen hedging or even use them as strategically placed specimen shrubs as they come in many different types, many very attractive, with varying degrees of vigour.  We took down our leylandii hedge as we couldn't stay on top of it and replaced it with pittosporum (3ft plants maybe 3 or 4 years ago) they are now easily 8ft tall.  The advantage with them (and laurel as Jilly said) over leylandii is that you can cut them back quite hard without ending up with ugly dead bits.  The other thing you could do for more privacy is to build yourself a pergola and then grow things up it - perennials to establish and come every year like; honeysuckle/ clematis / climbing or rambling roses / virginia creeper / grape vine or annuals (to just last the season) like; sweet peas, morning glory or black eyed susan.  It obviously won't cover your whole garden but it would give you an area you can sit out and relax without being watched and you could even put a polycarbonate roof on it to extend its use through the seasons.  Good luck, we all hate nosey neighbours!!

[Ferdinand]

If you allow certain trees in your hedge to grow taller that are not joined up that avoids High Hedge regs.

 

You don't say how tall you need it, or how wide the spots are.

 

Bamboo and the other suggestions will take time to establish, so it is buy a big one or wait. For upstairs windows that is probably 5 years.

 

Alternatives can be things like solar sails, sheds with pitched roofs, a gazebo or pergola, or even a covered way.

 

So I'd start from what you need. And with planting draw a clear distinction between what you need to block, and what you want eventually. Blocking a smaller area to be hidden behind when being frisky al-fresco is a viable option. 

[harry_angel]

Thanks and @Jilly and @Shoestring

 

The problem we have though is that it's 1st storey windows said curtain-twitchers are peering out of. Sorry I should have been clearer about that.

 

I mean.....one the CT's windows is about 6m, the other must be closer to 8m high.

 

So it's a tough assignment to block their height....and also block their span...

[patp]

Screened off areas sound the best bet. Trellis and pergolas at strategic places. All very annoying when you want light into your house though.

There is an ivy type plant known as "Mile a Minute" that is very vigorous and will ramble over a trellis or pergola in no time.

 

I wonder if anything could be done with lighting? Perhaps some lighting that points towards the offending twitchers and so makes it uncomfortable for them to look in your direction?

[Jilly]

3 minutes ago, patp said:

Screened off areas sound the best bet. Trellis and pergolas at strategic places. All very annoying when you want light into your house though.

There is an ivy type plant known as "Mile a Minute" that is very vigorous and will ramble over a trellis or pergola in no time.

 

I wonder if anything could be done with lighting? Perhaps some lighting that points towards the offending twitchers and so makes it uncomfortable for them to look in your direction?

Russian Vine aka mile a minute can be like bindweed to get rid of though (ie you almost can't!)

 

I'm ultra fussy about sight lines. We parked a horse lorry strategically and it gives loads of privacy from the road. Also if you have any soil to get rid of, a bank can give a hedge a head start. 

[Mr Punter]

Be warned that bamboo can be very invasive.  As others have said, you may be better screening the areas locally rather than attempting a high barrier at the boundary.  A well planned layout with a pergola and some focal points and trees, shrubs and paths will be lots better.  It can take a while to establish though.

 

I did this one about 25 years ago and there is a very large building all the way along the left hand side.

 

[patp]

There is a bamboo that does not spread. I will try to look up the name of mine as it has been in its spot for nearly 30 years with only minimal spread.

[joe90]

If your hedge is not growing quickly then put a watering hose along its base, this will speed things up quite  a bit.

[Ferdinand]

One other very useful trick is to build a mound and plant it on top.

 

OTOH I have a bamboo which has just about blocked nex door's upper windows, which was put in in 2014.

 

Or you can spend semi-serious money ?.

[harry_angel]

@Ferdinand were it not for the water pipe and the electricity cable down below I would spend some serious cash on the bamboo and I reckon with some care that would solve the problem quite swiftly, but I can't risk this becoming a boomerang problem via the roots...

 

Hmmmmmm, it's a tough one....I'm not convinced any of the ideas above will do it tbh.

 

I need real height, real width and roots that aren't going to cause carnage in future...

[joe90]

8 minutes ago, harry_angel said:

were it not for the water pipe and the electricity cable down below

are these a problem for roots?, I have heard of clay drains being a problem because the roots can enter the joints but cable and water pipes would think ok!!! ?

[Declan52]

Use different shrubs to form a screen around your seated area. So you have something growing up to 2m around 2/3 sides giving you and area which is totally private. You can use a pergola as a frame and have slotted sides using lath. 

Use the same idea along where you mainly walk. Small trees or large shrubs to form a thick screen. 

It will require quite a bit of planning to figure out which plant will grow to a specific height and put it in the correct position. 

Your never going to block out a line of site from a first floor window without planting something that will be huge but by concentrating on certain sections you could do it with smaller, 2m ish, planting.

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, harry_angel said:

@Ferdinand were it not for the water pipe and the electricity cable down below I would spend some serious cash on the bamboo and I reckon with some care that would solve the problem quite swiftly, but I can't risk this becoming a boomerang problem via the roots...

 

Hmmmmmm, it's a tough one....I'm not convinced any of the ideas above will do it tbh.

 

I need real height, real width and roots that aren't going to cause carnage in future...

 

You need clumping bamboo, as I have.

 

In theory mine gows to 6m, but it has slowed after 4m.

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, harry_angel said:

@Ferdinand were it not for the water pipe and the electricity cable down below I would spend some serious cash on the bamboo and I reckon with some care that would solve the problem quite swiftly, but I can't risk this becoming a boomerang problem via the roots...

 

Hmmmmmm, it's a tough one....I'm not convinced any of the ideas above will do it tbh.

 

I need real height, real width and roots that aren't going to cause carnage in future...

 

In that case tree or bush + time.

 

Or plan a multi-depth border with lots of stuff and trees at the back.

 

 

[harry_angel]

@Declan52 alas they can see right in to the driveway currently, and it's that we need to block.

 

Presently they have a clear view from an elevated position of all comings/goings, and that's the part we need to block.

 

I mean...we could probably get it done with 3 or 4 pre grown Leylandii within 5 years but....5 years is a fair old time.

[harry_angel]

5 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

You need clumping bamboo, as I have.

 

In theory mine gows to 6m, but it has slowed after 4m.

 

Interesting....

 

....as is this barrier > https://lewisbamboo.com/collections/bamboo-shield 

 

Maybe there is a way with the bamboo after all...

 

[Onoff]

5 hours ago, harry_angel said:

We have a few - to put it politely - weapons-grade level curtain twitchers near us.

 

 

For you to know this you must have spent a fair time looking back at them? Maybe they think the same!

 

?

[harry_angel]

Well, I stand on my driveway and try and work out how the f&*k to block the elevated windows they're using to peer endlessly in to my land.....so if that counts....you're right...

[Pocster]

3 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

Be warned that bamboo can be very invasive.  As others have said, you may be better screening the areas locally rather than attempting a high barrier at the boundary.  A well planned layout with a pergola and some focal points and trees, shrubs and paths will be lots better.  It can take a while to establish though.

 

I did this one about 25 years ago and there is a very large building all the way along the left hand side.

 

My twatty neighbor did exactly this so they couldn’t see our build . Bamboo not in pots so grows manic and very tall . Pig to dig out . It spread from their side of the party wall to ours ( indeed even through and under the wall ) .

Also , give your peeking neighbors a nice ‘ show ‘ . It’ll either stop them or they’ll be back for more 

Edited July 26, 2021 by pocster

[Ferdinand]

35 minutes ago, harry_angel said:

 

Interesting....

 

....as is this barrier > https://lewisbamboo.com/collections/bamboo-shield 

 

Maybe there is a way with the bamboo after all...

 

 

Looks a bit laboured, perhaps.

 

Try this page for a starter.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=79

 

Mine is in an old 'sparagus bed.

 

I've never fed mine, so perhaps that would have made a difference. But it has had our (now ex-) cat.

[Ronan 1]

You could always buy a few 6m grown trees and plant them. It will cost a few pound but get the job done and dusted straight away.

 

Well you'll have to wait till the correct planting season which is from October to Feburary ish for big trees like them.

[Temp]

I'm going to be planting a Turner's Oak this winter. Is a semi evergreen variety. I'm told the multistem versions don't get too tall too quickly. Bit rare though.

 

Otherwise plant what you like and ignore the neighbours. Walk around naked a few times and they will soon stop.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Temp

[Cpd]

Ok so I planted very specific willow and it grew 14 foot in the first year, it will now slow down and the trunks will thicken up. It’s designed for fuel production as a crop that can be harvested within 6 years but it would be the perfect screen for curtain twitching neighbours ! Use it as the quick fix and then plant some slower growing more ornamental plants that will take over in 6 years time, you can then cut the willow down and poison the stumps or cut it and let it regrow. It’s non invasive and only costs 60p per cutting. Salix Viminalis x Schwerinii DRH Brown
https://mammothwillow.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24&products_id=88

if you want to see photos or need more information just let me know, 

I have no affiliation with the company just a very happy customer.