Reply With QuotePlant a hedge. So much nicer than a fence. Use native species. Will only need cutting twice a year.
Hi All,
Was hoping for a little advice/thoughts. Bear with me and let me try and explain the issue.
We are looking at a new house and the back garden has a very low/open fence running along the back of the property across the back garden. The issue is there is a public footpath running behind that fence, I don't think there will be that many people as it is right in the country side but the idea that people could be walking and looking into my house at the back doesn't appeal. Also any garden time would be weird if people could just walk past openly and we would be completely exposed.
So, the easy solution would be to run a 6+ft high fence along the back of the garden and we would have some privacy. The problem there is part of the reason I like this place is that the views out the back of the house are stunning, hills and fields uninterrupted for miles so putting up a 6ft fence would obviously kill the view and make any outside time less enjoyable.
I have seen these that might work but not 100% ideal as the view would still be obstructed even when opened.
http://www.liveoutside.co.uk/shutter-panel.html
I was thinking of some kind of 1 way glass or glass that can turn opaque at the flick of a switch but apparently I may have imagined that and doesn't seem to exist for this kind of purpose
Does anyone have any clever thoughts/ideas/solutions to this?
Thanks!
Plant a hedge. So much nicer than a fence. Use native species. Will only need cutting twice a year.
A hedge would be lovely but same issues as the fence I guess, blocks the lovely viewOriginally Posted by aldfort
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Screen a portion of garden to provide a private seating area?
4foot fence with 3foot trellis on top, plant Clematis etc to grow on the trellis.
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Spend a few hours on the path and speak with the people using it and it may be the odd dog walker in which case do nothing and enjoy the view.
Perhaps a screen of pampas grass may be the solution? ;-)
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Put a sign up saying 'Nudist camp this way' with the arrow pointing away from your garden.
Thanks for the suggestions, I think I will spend some time there and see if I even need to bother. I don't think there is a really suitable solution so that feels like the best way forward
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Remove the existing fence, open a tea garden, and welcome the walkers.
I think this is sensible - it may not be an issue at all once you've settled in
Our last house, where we lived for 17 years, had a public footpath through the front of the property. It was well used by dog walkers and others, but just wasn't a problem. People were friendly and would usually say hello, stop and pass the time if you engaged them in conversation. Never a problem.
But if you find it doesn't suit the low fence and trellis (as mentioned before) would probably put them largely out of your mind without destroying the view.
ATB
Jon
Without knowing the topography or architecture, is there any scope for a raised deck, terrace or balcony from which you could enjoy the view while making part of the garden private with a fence, wall or hedge?
Beware of the Bull signs near the path entrance, or 'Land mines are placed around this area'.
You can see through the sort of hedge I described if you are stood back from it. The view from close to it will be different.
If you keep the depth of the hedge controlled it may deliver what you need.
Try thinking Venetian blind, stops people seeing in much more than it stops you seeing out.
Or perhaps something like this:
In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.
^^^ this^^^
A hedge attacts all sorts of birds and other wildlife as well!
Having said that: change the problem! Make sure that people passing your garden cannot the parts of the garden you want to ‘protect’ from eyeing people.
I'd probably just leave it if I enjoy the view. Most likely the people that walk on the path is also likely to do so because of the view? Strike up a conversation - never know what you might learn!
Dig the path down making it 3' lower?
It's likely any solution will be a compromise of sorts but I'd favour a fence/trellis, with young hedge behind, plot the angle of sight over the fence and then consider siting some decking or similar far enough back to see but not be seen.
Venetian blinds or louvre drapes work on the 'keyhole' principle, where those who are in the house, in the comparatively darker position and relatively close to the gaps in the blinds enjoy a reasonable view out. Those outside and farther away have a very limited view past the slats, which are illuminated by the daylight, into the comparatively darker interior.
Last year, in a village in northern Majorca, I noticed a house where a similar problem to the OPs had been dealt with very effectively. Along the boundary the owners had built a low, broad wall and inserted a series of vertical blades/fins of Corten steel, in an arrangement similar to vertical louvres in an open position. Views out of the house or garden, from a static position were virtually unaffected, as the steel blades were probably only 10-15mm thick. On the other hand, anyone passing on the footpath was denied an oblique view into the garden and would have to stop to stare in and be very conspicuous when doing so. This effectively prevented any casual overlooking of the garden space by anyone passing by and was, to my mind, a clever solution that retained the view out.
Digging the path a bit lower sounds like a good suggestion.
Presumably it's not his land, how can he do that?
A hedge to block the view in and an elevated gazebo or decking for the view out
Last edited by Possu; 25th September 2017 at 16:51.
If you are not in too deep and have not fallen in love with the place I would look for another house.
Rights of way, footpaths, shared driveways etc, can be grief. Just a thought.
Plant a deciduous hedge, leaves in summer, gone in winter. That way you'll get the privacy in the summer when you're out using the garden, and the views in the winter when you're not. Had this arrangement in a previous property on the edge of a village, works well.
While this will work, and work very well the visual impact will be high. A hedge on the other hand will blend in. Also planning permission might be needed for this type of fence where generally speaking none is needed for a hedge.
Cleft chestnut fencing and establish a blackthorn hedge. Very easy to put up yourself, ages beautifully and is in keeping with the area. By time fence is rotten the blackthorn will be impenetrable.
Is it transparent?
It does exist, and is in use in office blocks both internal and external, but the issue may be the fact that this will be at truly outdoor structure, rather than part of an existing building and thus comes with the issue of requiring a supporting structure and power supply etc. and it's going to be rather more costly than a trellis! Have a search for 'switchable glass' and you'll find a bunch of options. Could perhaps link up a motion sensor so that when someone is approaching on the path it automatically goes opaque, thus maximising your view of the view.
For a slightly more accessible approach, you could go for outdoor blinds, and even get them automated if you so desire.
Last edited by hughtrimble; 25th September 2017 at 17:10.
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