I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

To me the fence looks a bit of an eyesore and we feel overlooked from next
door's conservatory (although they say they don't). I think they should have
blinds or frosted glass, but I don't think that would improve the appearance
from our side.

So my ideas so far, have been to lay a small patio and put a raised bed
alonside the fence hiding the bottom concrete panels. I've also thought of
adding some trellis to the top of the fence, but I was looking at some reed
or willow screening today in a garden centre, which could be put up to hide
the whole fence and part of the conservatory.

What do you think? Does anyone have any better ideas?

Peter.

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 15:33:09 -0000, "Snowman"
wrote:

~I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
~seek some ideas.
~
~The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
~convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
~to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
~shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.
~
~See:
~http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.
~
~To me the fence looks a bit of an eyesore and we feel overlooked from next
~door's conservatory (although they say they don't). I think they should have
~blinds or frosted glass, but I don't think that would improve the appearance
~from our side.

I have the opposite problem - thanks to a yard drop between house
levels my neighbours can looks straight down into my conservatory from
their patio which is unnerving when you're trying to water plants in a
dressing gown and find a seven-year-old boy effectively looking down
your front!

~So my ideas so far, have been to lay a small patio and put a raised bed
~alonside the fence hiding the bottom concrete panels. I've also thought of
~adding some trellis to the top of the fence, but I was looking at some reed
~or willow screening today in a garden centre, which could be put up to hide
~the whole fence and part of the conservatory.
~
Anyway, I would go for the trellis option (I assume it's their fence
so you'd have to ask), and pop in some winter jasmine and some
clematis for next year. I put a clematis montana by my (north-facing)
conservatory and it took off despite the lack of sun (ok so it's a
thug). Screens off the neighbours nicely and copes easily with being
hacked back by either side! It isn't terribly interesting in winter,
as it's deciduous, but my Dad's got a very similar appearing corner to
you (fence where there was leylandii) and it's north-facing and his
winter jasmine likes it. Yes, a raised bed is a good idea and you
could grow yet more climbers in it and a some shade-loving bedding in
summer.

Look on the bright side - with the nearest leylandii removed away from
your house, your foundations won't suffer nearly as much. This is a
Good Thing. Besides, they probably took them out as with the
conservatory there, they couldn't get down the side to keep the trees
under control. Again this means in the long term, better for you.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

"jane" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 15:33:09 -0000, "Snowman"
wrote:

~I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
~seek some ideas.
~
~The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence
and
~convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and
need
~to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of
a
~shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.
~
~See:
~http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.
~
~To me the fence looks a bit of an eyesore and we feel overlooked from
next
~door's conservatory (although they say they don't). I think they should
have
~blinds or frosted glass, but I don't think that would improve the
appearance
~from our side.

I have the opposite problem - thanks to a yard drop between house
levels my neighbours can looks straight down into my conservatory from
their patio which is unnerving when you're trying to water plants in a
dressing gown and find a seven-year-old boy effectively looking down
your front!

~So my ideas so far, have been to lay a small patio and put a raised bed
~alonside the fence hiding the bottom concrete panels. I've also thought
of
~adding some trellis to the top of the fence, but I was looking at some
reed
~or willow screening today in a garden centre, which could be put up to
hide
~the whole fence and part of the conservatory.
~
Anyway, I would go for the trellis option (I assume it's their fence
so you'd have to ask), and pop in some winter jasmine and some
clematis for next year. I put a clematis montana by my (north-facing)
conservatory and it took off despite the lack of sun (ok so it's a
thug). Screens off the neighbours nicely and copes easily with being
hacked back by either side! It isn't terribly interesting in winter,
as it's deciduous, but my Dad's got a very similar appearing corner to
you (fence where there was leylandii) and it's north-facing and his
winter jasmine likes it. Yes, a raised bed is a good idea and you
could grow yet more climbers in it and a some shade-loving bedding in
summer.

Look on the bright side - with the nearest leylandii removed away from
your house, your foundations won't suffer nearly as much. This is a
Good Thing. Besides, they probably took them out as with the
conservatory there, they couldn't get down the side to keep the trees
under control. Again this means in the long term, better for you.


--
jane
Thanks for those ideas, the only problem I thought with climbers, is that it
would stop the fence panels being lifted out for maintenance. I agree with
you about the hedge though.

Peter.

"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

"Snowman" wrote in
news
Anyway, I would go for the trellis option (I assume it's their fence
so you'd have to ask), and pop in some winter jasmine and some
clematis for next year. I put a clematis montana by my (north-facing)
conservatory and it took off despite the lack of sun


Thanks for those ideas, the only problem I thought with climbers, is
that it would stop the fence panels being lifted out for maintenance.
I agree with you about the hedge though.

Why would they need to lift the fence panels out? They might want to
paint (the wooden bits) with preservative - I presume the whole thing
isn't concrete? - but I've never seen anyone take a fence to bits to
maintain it?

Anyway, winter jasmine is less of a real climber than a flopper and a
drooper. I have had to wire mine to the fence to stop it flopping
everywhere.

You can easily bend the flexible stems away from the fence to get at it,
and if you can't, it will bounce back happily from severe pruning. I
don't know about clematis montana, but a lot of clematis die back in the
autumn anyway - if you could find a reasonably shade-tolerant one of
that ilk, you could cut it down each year in the autumn,have time for a
quick coat of preservative before the winter sets in, and still have the
flowers for the summer.

Willow screening is nice stuff, and makes an attractive backdrop for a
few years, though it drops to bits eventually. But it does arrive all
of a piece, so it's more likely your neighbours will notice it suddenly
appearing in front of their windows, than a plant, which moves
stealthily stem by stem. ;-)

If you think they are likely to make a fuss about the screening (maybe
not?) plants could be a more subtle way to achieve the same end.

Victoria

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I
would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence
and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and
need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit
of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

Sneeky! That's my grandma!

Anyway the link should work now. I don't know what happened, I just checked
and the file had disappeared.

Peter.

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:22:12 -0000, "Snowman"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I
would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence
and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and
need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit
of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

Sneeky! That's my grandma!

all of them? :-)

Nice photo and lots and lots of other nice photos.


Anyway the link should work now. I don't know what happened, I just checked
and the file had disappeared.

It does work now. What about building a similar green house to your
neighbour?
--
Martin

"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

"Snowman" wrote in
news
Anyway, I would go for the trellis option (I assume it's their fence
so you'd have to ask), and pop in some winter jasmine and some
clematis for next year. I put a clematis montana by my (north-facing)
conservatory and it took off despite the lack of sun


Thanks for those ideas, the only problem I thought with climbers, is
that it would stop the fence panels being lifted out for maintenance.
I agree with you about the hedge though.

Why would they need to lift the fence panels out? They might want to
paint (the wooden bits) with preservative - I presume the whole thing
isn't concrete? - but I've never seen anyone take a fence to bits to
maintain it?

Anyway, winter jasmine is less of a real climber than a flopper and a
drooper. I have had to wire mine to the fence to stop it flopping
everywhere.

You can easily bend the flexible stems away from the fence to get at it,
and if you can't, it will bounce back happily from severe pruning. I
don't know about clematis montana, but a lot of clematis die back in the
autumn anyway - if you could find a reasonably shade-tolerant one of
that ilk, you could cut it down each year in the autumn,have time for a
quick coat of preservative before the winter sets in, and still have the
flowers for the summer.

Willow screening is nice stuff, and makes an attractive backdrop for a
few years, though it drops to bits eventually. But it does arrive all
of a piece, so it's more likely your neighbours will notice it suddenly
appearing in front of their windows, than a plant, which moves
stealthily stem by stem. ;-)

If you think they are likely to make a fuss about the screening (maybe
not?) plants could be a more subtle way to achieve the same end.

Victoria

"martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I
would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence
and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and
need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit
of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

Sneeky! That's my grandma!

Anyway the link should work now. I don't know what happened, I just checked
and the file had disappeared.

Peter.

On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:22:12 -0000, "Snowman"
wrote:


"martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 17:43:23 +0100, "JennyC" wrote:


"Snowman" wrote
I enjoy my garden, but I'm not very good at design, so I thought I
would
seek some ideas.

The neighbours removed part of a hedge by the house and put up a fence
and
convervatory. We recently had the patio doors and steps installed, and
need
to do some paving. The back of house faces due north, so this is a bit
of a
shady corner, but nice and cool in the hot summer.

See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.crowther/Corner.JPG for a picture.

I'm getting 404 ..........
Jenny

but this one works

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/p.w.cro...%20Cyclists%20(Scanned&Enhanced).html
--
Martin

Sneeky! That's my grandma!

all of them? :-)

Nice photo and lots and lots of other nice photos.


Anyway the link should work now. I don't know what happened, I just checked
and the file had disappeared.

It does work now. What about building a similar green house to your
neighbour?
--
Martin