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Family Matters:  Help! Need fence ideas...nosy neighbors  |
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Yogifarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
297 Posts
Jenn
Swiftwater
PA
USA
297 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 07:44:47 AM
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Hi
I have neighbors that are very nosy. I have no privacy in my yard (and I live on 2 1/2 acres of wooded land, go figure) They clear cut there yard and now when I am out they feel that they have to have a conversation with me. We planted blue spruce but they are just not growing fast enough to give me the privacy I seek. Any ideas?? I am hesitant to do a stockade fence since we live in very rocky soil and digging the posts would be HORRIBLE, plus I would be taxed on it. Any creative solutions would be appreciated...
"Breathe in the Sunshine" |
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katiedid
True Blue Farmgirl
601 Posts
Kate
West Jordan
Utah
USA
601 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 07:52:21 AM
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I like the Lombardy poplars. They are grow really fast and really tall..they are great to plant along a property line. They don't produce a ton of shade, but they are kind of like a natural fence.
Check 'em out
Kate |
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LJRphoto
True Blue Farmgirl
760 Posts
Laura
Hickory Corners
MI
USA
760 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 09:28:56 AM
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I have a row of lombardy poplars that I just love. I don't know how old they are since they were well established when we moved here last summer.
As far as the neighbors, they probably are just being friendly which I know is annoying when you just want to go out and have some quiet time in your own backyard. I don't know how you approach that without ostracizing them completely.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority." -E. B. White
http://www.betweenthecities.com/blog/ljr/
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 11:07:22 AM
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Jenn, Take a look at Leyland Cypress trees, too. We used three as a nice little "lawn accent" (I.E. privacy fence) at our place once, they can be trimmed back but will gow tall and wide if you let them be.
It's tough with neighbors - can you try waving Hi and saying I've got to blah, blah, blah - See you later! or something like that? Or put your earphones on and act like you are singing to the music you and only you can hear. Or invite them to help with your projects - then they might hesitate before striking up a conversation! Hopefully this is a new situation and it will get better...if not a new situation, you might need to get creative until your "fence" grows, or when they figure out how to come around the fence and come through the yard to talk! Ah, neighbors, gotta love 'em!
Jo |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 11:59:54 AM
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wax myrtle grows very fast
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl
4877 Posts
Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 12:38:44 PM
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plant a fast growing hedge both a sound barrier and a sight berrier and you wont get taxed for it it improves the property value both asthetically and financially. You can normally buy things like that cheep on the internet or from a wholesaler/grower
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/
http://sunshine.harbaugh.googlepages.com/home |
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happymama58
True Blue Farmgirl
1210 Posts
Patti
Missouri
USA
1210 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 3:32:49 PM
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I don't have a bit of advice to offer, but you do have my sympathy. At the house we just sold, a retired gentleman lived next door. He was sweet as could be, but the nosiest man alive. He walked our entire (very large -- about 8 blocks by 3 blocks) twice a day and knew everyone's business. The day we put the contract on our house at noon, and by his evening walk he was telling everyone who bought the house, where we worked, what we paid for it, and a few other pieces of info. I tried not to let it bother me, but there were times I wanted to tell him to hush. We could not go in our yard that he wasn't at our side within a few minutes, and it was almost impossible to get rid of him. He'd follow us around while we did chores, yakking at us and asking questions the entire time. So I do understand how frustrating it can be -- you want to be neighborly yet you want some privacy. I hope this works out soon!!
Some people search for happiness; others create it.
http://happymama58.typepad.com/my_weblog/ |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2006 : 6:18:14 PM
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I mentioned wax myrtle..the reason being is we too wanted privacy quickly without having to build a very noticable and very obvious reason as to why..fence...so my inlaws brought us some wax myrtle tree starts about 4 yrs ago..at the time they were only waist high..they are now well over 10 ft high..perhaps even 14 ft or better now..in just 4 yrs!
they also fill in very well at the bases of them..
you space them about 4 ft apart and believe me..they will give privacy fast..just keep them well watered.
I too have one of those neighbours that are a royal pain..the one I have..everytime we used to go outdoors to dine under the tree out back..she'd find a reason/ any reason to come outside and "pretend" to be checking out her blueberry tree at the edge of her backyard..LOL and this was when you know darn well the blueberries aren't even blooming or doing anything that time of year!! finally it got on my nerves so much that I gave up on al fresco dining for a while.
One day I was trimming the jasmine vine that she had on the fence that had tendrilled over, way over onto my property and was twining around a tree I had planted for privacy..I was afraid that if I didn't trim it off that it would start choking the tree sapling..so what does she do but come out and proceed to tell me that I had to trim it a certain way and that if I did I better get the debris up off my side of the fence and get it up good.I about tossed those pruners at the lady I tell you. Heaven help me..I came inside and told my husband he needed to print me out a t shirt for everytime I was in the back yard that said "I don't give a darn about your dang fence!"LOL
She was also the one that 5 minutes after we moved in proceeded to tell me that the back fence was her fence and 12 inches of my property was her property and to make sure I did not plant anything within that 12 inches... and that if she ever moved her fence was going with her.
Needless to say..she has never made a good impression with me..LOL
So yes, I can understand very much the privacy issues.
All the more reason I long for the country..this way if the daggum noseys come on my property I can shoot their sorry butts! LOL joking of course..but hey..self defense huh? LOL
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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Aunt George
True Blue Farmgirl
1476 Posts
Georgann
Midlothian
VA
1476 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2006 : 6:26:22 PM
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I hear ya. I live smack between people who are very, very passive aggressive and their children never, ever do any wrong. I want a country home with my house right in the middle of minimum 10 acres! Then fenced all the way around the edge of the 10 acres! OMGoodness, I am truly at a very miserable point in our neighborhood. Today at the pool when I said hello to the one neighbor as we passed walking in opposite directions, he looked me in the eye, and turned his head and turned up his nose....and he is one of the county's "finest." My children can't even go out in their own back yard without being harrassed by their little darlings. I need a country home.....fast!!! And I live on three wooded acres. :( Any of the suggested trees grow in the shade? I need something too!!
Georgann
http://auntgeorgeshouse.blogspot.com/
Thanks for checking out my apron musings! |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2006 : 7:15:09 PM
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Hellooooooooo Ladies:
I have the perfect hedge!! I too had not only a nosy neighbor but a peeping Tom neighbor as well a while back. Here's what I did - Since his porch was within 10 feet of my kitchen window, at night he would sit in the dark and watch our every movement from this perch. Real Creepy!! Solution: I have spotlights on all four sides of my house that lit up my entire yard like a spaceship! My dad's idea when I built the house. These lights were kind of left on four about 3-4 hours when I knew he was outside peeking ; ) It made him really mad and he would stomp off inside and then I would turn them off, and if he did it again, I would do the same procedure. It stopped the peeping Tom act really quick.
I also planted THE BEST hedge around. I am not sure what the full name is but the nursery called it "Tall Hedge". It gets large Queen Anne's Lace type flowers on it in the spring and little red berries (can't eat them) in the fall. I bought 10 bushes and planted them about 3-4 feet apart right between our houses two feet inside my property line. The bushes were about 4 feet tall when I bought them all for about $100. These bushes were guaranteed to grow 1-2 feet per year. They actually grew faster than that because they were fed alot of Miricle Grow every other week for the first summer.
The Kicker: When this guy saw me planting this hedge, he said, "I might as well move now because I won't be able to see into your house"!! I replied, "you might as well start packing". He was the worse neighbor I ever had but the hedge worked. It now stands about 25-35 feet tall and is 15 years old. It is also a very pretty privacy hedge all year and grows in the sun or shade. I try to be a nice neighbor but some people just don't get it and you have to speak in a language they understand. Hope this helps everyone.
Doglady ; )
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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Aunt George
True Blue Farmgirl
1476 Posts
Georgann
Midlothian
VA
1476 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2006 : 8:14:28 PM
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Doglady,
Thanks, I'll start looking for these bushes. I think I heard of tallhedge a while back. I want it down both sides of my house. We are stuck in the shade, but a little more won't hurt. Ooooo that man sounds horrid! Did he ever move?
Georgann
http://auntgeorgeshouse.blogspot.com/
Thanks for checking out my apron musings! |
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doglady
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Tina
Howard
Ohio
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2006 : 04:56:57 AM
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Aunt George,
Yes, he did finally move once he saw how fast those hedges were growing. He actually told me that was the reason he was moving. Too bad! My DH and I went to dinner to celebrate when they were moving out. The new neighbors at this house aren't the best but at least it's not as bad. We've had some problems with their kid being the neighborhood bully, their 4 big dogs pooing in our yard, and trash, but believe me, it is better than what we had. The new lady loves the privacy that the hedge provides too. It's a great hedge and requires little care once it has a good start. Hope it helps.
Doglady
The dogs own the house but the people pay the mortgage!
www.kennelcreations.com |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2006 : 06:24:19 AM
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We planted Leyland Cypress for this very reason about 8 years ago. The neighbors to the left of us are nice enough, but their son was horrible. Throwing eggs and things at the side of our house. I just left them there,as that was the side that faced their house- so they were the only ones who could see the mess! The Leylands grew quickly filling in beautifully at the bottom and giving us our much needed privacy.
Karin |
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Yogifarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
297 Posts
Jenn
Swiftwater
PA
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2006 : 5:54:59 PM
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Thanks to all of you for your wonderful ideas. I am also in the shade because I can't bear to cut down my large trees to grow privacy hedging so will look into those tall hedges and wax myrtle and see what will grow in my area and if they can tolerate shade. I can then move my blue spruce trees which are taking too long to grow over to my driveway in fall. Thanks for all your help!
"Breathe in the Sunshine" |
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Family Matters: Help! Need fence ideas...nosy neighbors |
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Help! Need fence ideas...nosy neighbors
