How to increase privacy in garden

Snuggles

Hi,

We have tall fences on two sides of our garden, but the fence between us and the neighbour is low, and as you can see from the pics, we have absolutely no privacy.

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Snuggles2012/IMG_1046.jpg
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Snuggles2012/IMG_1045.jpg

So we want to do something to increase privacy. Is it possible to somehow increase the height of a fence like this or will we need to take it out and put a new fence in (or put a new fence in front of the existing fence if the neighbours won't agree for the existing fence to be changed).

Alternatively, would it be easy to add some trellis panels like the people at the back have, or would this require new taller posts? Me and OH aren't in any way DIY minded, so we're not really sure what's possible here. Whatever we do, we'll get someone in to do it for us, but just looking for ideas on what might be feasible. So any thoughts would be appreciated.

The next hurdle will be broaching the subject with the neighbours without offending them!

newbie1980

Snuggles wrote: »

Hi,

We have tall fences on two sides of our garden, but the fence between us and the neighbour is low, and as you can see from the pics, we have absolutely no privacy (and the neighbours don't seem to understand that we might like some peace and quiet when we're in our garden rather than having them hanging over the fence the whole time).

http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Snuggles2012/IMG_1046.jpg
http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb328/Snuggles2012/IMG_1045.jpg

So we want to do something to increase privacy. Is it possible to somehow increase the height of a fence like this or will we need to take it out and put a new fence in (or put a new fence in front of the existing fence if the neighbours won't agree for the existing fence to be changed).

Alternatively, would it be easy to add some trellis panels like the people at the back have (although I'm not sure it would be enough to deter the neighbours), or would this require new taller posts? Me and OH aren't in any way DIY minded, so we're not really sure what's possible here. Whatever we do, we'll get someone in to do it for us, but just looking for ideas on what might be feasible. So any thoughts would be appreciated.

The next hurdle will be broaching the subject with the neighbours without offending them!

i put a fence just inside the boundary line in my garden so if you do the same there would not be any issues as its on your land

Annie1960

Who owns the existing fence?

Snuggles

Annie1960 wrote: »

Who owns the existing fence?

It was put in by the developer and there is nothing on the deeds about maintaining fences, so we will have to treat it as a shared fence.

Snuggles

newbie1980 wrote: »

i put a fence just inside the boundary line in my garden so if you do the same there would not be any issues as its on your land

Thank you, we will do that if the neighbour won't agree for the existing fence to be changed.

Mojisola

What about something like this -

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Reed-Garden-Screening-2mx4m/p/187762#

smudger1964

I have done similar in my garden..I have put a 3 ft trellis on top of fence and grown evergreen honeysuckle against it in one year they have covered the trellis to give more privacy.
From your set up it would be easy to attach 3 ft posts to the existing posts in your garden and attach the trellis to the top

Or alternatively use something like this http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Brushwood-Screening-1mx4m/p/187769

Snuggles

Thanks Mojisola and Smudger, I'd thought about some kind of screening, but I wasn't sure if it would be ok to just attach it to the existing fence, as there would be nothing supporting it towards the top, IYSWIM.

Mojisola

Snuggles wrote: »

Thanks Mojisola and Smudger, I'd thought about some kind of screening, but I wasn't sure if it would be ok to just attach it to the existing fence, as there would be nothing supporting it towards the top, IYSWIM.

Although it makes good screening, it isn't a solid barrier so the wind does pass through it - this means it doesn't need the same supports as a normal fence.

Try it tied in well to the existing posts. If it sways too much in windy weather, put a few higher posts in on your side of the screening.

bouicca21

I'd put posts my side and run wires or fix trellis and grow climbers. If you don't know whose fence it is you can't put trellis directly on to it.

smudger1964

Your neighbour might be also thinking the same thing and might be worried if he will upset you broaching the subject,most people like more privacy to a point in their garden you might be suprised..
mine looks like this now http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/smudgersmithy1/media/2015-05-23%2013.08.40_zps4riofpcx.jpg.html