Privacy Plants

SecondTimeBuyer

I have just moved into a ground floor flat and the south facing lounge looks onto the street via a small (2m deep or so) patch of grass that we don't own. I'm finding it as if we are in a bit of a goldfish bowl and I really don't want to put up net curtains as they really darken the room.

I was thinking of putting some pot plants on the patch of grass on the front to create some privacy. I don't want to plant in the ground as we don't own that land, but pot plants we could remove them if asked.

Please can you suggest some plants that grow to around 5-6ft within large pots to give us some privacy? I was thinking a long the lines of a series of Acer trees but would welcome some guidance.

laurel7172

Acer wouldn't give you much privacy in the winter. What about olives?

SecondTimeBuyer

Sorry to be niaive, but wouldn't an olive tree grow to be quite large?

theoretica

Not a plant suggestion, but you could try plastic film on the windows (or as curtains) to turn it into the sort of textured bathroom glass that lets light through but not vision. Also, I find net curtains on the bottom half of the windows stops the goldfish bowl feeling while light still comes through the top.

laurel7172

Pots restrict their roots/growth. Combine with an annual trim and they can be pretty much any size you choose

Ash_McCloud

Pots will kill the grass they're sat on.

Maybe try to find out who does own the patch of land, and ask if you can put a fence or some trellis up at the boundary with the pavement, or if you can even buy the land from them. Or maybe if you offer to maintain it while you're living there they'd let you put some plants on it, or plant a hedge, or put a fence up or something.

Vertical blinds offer quite a bit of privacy without blocking out all the light when slanted in the right direction.

Davesnave

SecondTimeBuyer wrote: »

Sorry to be niaive, but wouldn't an olive tree grow to be quite large?

No, but it might grow to be quite dead if in a pot outside and suffering a hard winter!

Bamboo comes to mind here, but first find out who cuts the grass and what their thoughts are. A contractor isn't going to take kindly to random pots scattered where they are trying to mow. These pots are going to be pretty substantial if you are not going to be putting them back upright all the time, or replacing them when they walk!

SecondTimeBuyer

Thanks for the replies. I'm really not keen on putting any kind of blind or film on the windows. There are two large picture windows and the room is really bright. The previous owner used to have blinds up and the room was so dark with them!

The land is owned by the council and I can't see it being a problem putting some pot plants on there being that other neighbours already have perenials in small pots. The grass is already very patchy due to a tree growing on the neighbours side. If it did become a problem I would just remove the plants and replace the turf (about 8-10sq m). There is a small fence (say 40cm tall) and I was thinking I could put the pots hard up against this fence.

I am currently thinking of putting say 5 or 6 pots with some small trees / bushes.

If Acer isn't suitable - would Bay be any good?

peter_the_piper

Bamboo =Very strong pots. Their roots seem to be steel tipped and can break the pots.

Leif

My thought is that pots might be stolen. These days a passing porta-p-ikey seeing them might well snaffle them. Could you not write to the council, and ask if they have a problem with you planting something? Clearly it would have to be small, given the proximity of the flats, so maybe some ornamental grasses, pampas, that sort of thing?