Hello Moomin. Thank you for posting your query. A planting design takes time, weighing up the site, your style and maintenance. Year round structure for aesthetics as well as screening and privacy come first. Always a shame when planting is an afterthought after landscaping! However this is very common and I've had some experience of planting design commissions after landscaping has been done. My initial thoughts do not take into account many things which can't be conveyed in one photo provided here (as designers we take into account the various views within the garden amongst other things) but I will outline here a sketchy response to demonstrate some considerations. There have been some good suggestions made above. Jonathandb1972 has a good one, planting a carefully selected tree, so the canopy softens (but not hides) the view of the conservatory behind. Olive could be an option but depends on the aspect given that your a fellow Yorkshire resident! Alternatively there's Pyrus salicifolia, or Prunus lusitanica the latter responding particularly well to pruning to retain the size. Always talk to your neighbour about your careful choices and help them to understand that you've considered maintenance.... And the benefit of planting for them! For best results a planter at least 50cm deep and nearly as much wide to help a tree flourish. Deeper would be better. Keeping a collection of containers of the same/similar material would unify the view. Perhaps allowing a climber up the adjacent wall which faces you when descending the steps? A third container might fit in the corner in front of the downpipe? Although the dimensions of space available would determine if this is possible. The dark colour of the fence is receding and also provides a lovely neutral colour to show off the foliage of the specimen. A very rough sketch is shown here in a version of your photo below. I've just done it on the iPad so is a bit rough and ready. In order to avoid the tree becoming too much of a focal point (you're trying to avoid looking at the building behind) a bold evergreen plant to the left corner next to the steps would draw your eye within the garden. This could then be balanced out with another one to the right of the tree or possibly one up the steps against the fence. This all depends on scale and space available. This would be my first draft concept but might well come to a different response when seeing the garden for real. Happy planting!

We have just purchased what we hope to be our last house. It is a very big plot and we are looking to knock down and get planning for a very large house over 4 floors. (12,000 sq ft). We know what we want internally however our issue lies with the external look and feel. My wife wants classic new build, with pillar entrance, sash box windows with stone cills or surroundings (Surrey Commuter belt!). I like contempory white, modern, square, glass walls, feature cladded walls with balconies (Beverly Hills!) Our compromise is classic at the front contempory at the rear. We need help! Hopeful designjunction will help offer solutions so we can move forward.

When you look at the distance from the T.V to the sofa, that's the minimal distance you can be to it, the max distance is a lot greater. A 65’’ TV– You should sit between 8 and 13.5 feet away from the screen. Median distance is therefore :- 10.75 feet A 70’’ TV– You should sit between 9 and 14.5 feet away from the screen. Median distance is therefore :- 11.75 feet You risk eye strain and headaches if you sit nearer than the above. Maybe you would be better off with a 55 inch screen if you want to sit 9 feet away as that's in the middle of the two measurements. A 55’’ TV– You should sit between 7 and 11.5 feet away from the screen.

Thanks all, see attached plan with measurements. The back sitting room is dark so I thought this could be a snug/tv room, dining table in new extension. I think because we already have the kitchen and downstairs toilet in the galley area( which is being extended outwards by 1 mtr or so) I have left it there. The rear sitting room has a lovely high ceiling and ceiling rose, I can't imagine losing half of it to a utility, although Jonathan maybe it's an idea to move the kitchen. The house isn't huge so it would be same distance to family bathroom at top of stairs to the downstairs toilet. I did think of putting it next to the understairs but husband doesn't like the idea of toilet in the middle of the house and said drainage could be an issue. Debating whether to put an island in?