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Planting to break up or hide wall of adjoining house extension

5 years ago

Our neighbour has build an extension right up to the fenceline between our properties. the view from our main living room feels dominated by a not particularly attractive extension.

I'd like to plant something to break up the view of the house from our property. If in was given free reign I'd plonk a 20ft silver birch but that's not realistic. does anyone have any planting suggestions?

Thanks

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Comments (4)

Tani H-S
5 years ago
If you go onto my profile, I started a post about garden screening/plants and found some fast growing bamboo that was evergreen and none invasive and perfect for screening. Think I put the names on there as well! They can grow quite high. You could put them in taller planters if there is no soil there so make them instantly taller as well.

Alternatively, for a faster fix you can buy some lovely screens (like a bamboo but stiffer) and mount them higher up your fence panel to hide their wall. Then add plants or climbers onto it.
Sonia
5 years ago
A silver birch would be a nightmare next to an extension. They are forest trees and grow to 50 - 100 feet high and the roots will spread and start to break up flooring and walls, as well as affecting yours and your neighbours house insurance. Lecture over! There are many lovely plants you can grow against a wall either climbers or free standing shrubs. What shrubs will depend on your soil type and whether the area is shady or sunny. I find the RHS, Royal Horticultural Society, website extremely informative. You can search, for example, for wall shrubs that grow in the shade and you’ll get lots of ideas. Good luck.
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PRO
Peter Reader Landscapes
5 years ago
I agree climbers may well be the best way to go. The RHS has lots of suggestions.

If it is a sunny site then Trachelospermum jasminoides is a great option. Don't be put off by the name it is widely available. It has evergreen shiny leaves that get a little red blush in the cold of the winter and in June/July it is covered with strongly scented Jasmine like star white flowers - stunning!

Also consider using a trellis to screen the wall at the same time. Not an ulgy traditional square trellis, but one that is made up of horizontal slats - they look great and very chic.

Finally I would caution against Bamboo - even the non spreading ones will get to a clump of 1m width in a few years. They also like a lot of water to look their best, and so whilst you do see them in pots, they always look a bit shabby under those conditions.
Angie
5 years ago
I agree about trellis being a good plan. Just a thought, if the extension goes right up to the boundary did your neighbour get a party wall agreement with you? They probably should have done if I understand it correctly. Maybe they'd agree to you fixing trellis to the offending wall in mitigation?
Angie

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