<p>$12k! That’s expensive! Don’t people usually buy them smaller than 7’?</p>
<p>We wanted real screening from a neighbor’s lot. We have an upper deck with spa (beach home) and want to skinny dip. Don’t tell my kids! 9 feet would have been perfect but would have actually almost doubled the price! Privacy has it’s price! In about 2 years the dips will be less risky.</p>
<p>I love the idea of vine covered trellises. We have one exploding with grapes right now that makes me feel like I actually afforded that summer trip to Italy or France. No way after the trees and your TV suggestions!</p>
<p>NYMomof2: a different approach that might stall her decision for a bit. I completely understand her anger and frustration with trouble-seeking kids. I’m sure she feels unsafe, too, knowing kids like that live right there, and not having parents that will discipline them.</p>
<p>What if you offered to install an outside video camera that streams images on someone’s computer 24/7? It’s much less expensive, she might feel safer overall, and if the kids do do something, she has evidence and can report it to the police as opposed to asking the parents to intervene.</p>
<p>Maybe she’ll give it a shot, and feel she rather prefers it, because ultimately it will catch anyone who’s up to mischief. Like you said, a fence can be an invitation to climb.</p>
<p>Chain link fences are less obtrusive than wood- neighbors have one running through hilly woods that can be seen in the winter only. I would hope your vacant lot is not devoid of trees and bushes. Growing up there were chain link fences built by back lot neighbors, we had a wooden one in our old house. I vote chain link, plant some bushes, eg cheap old fashioned lilacs alternated with other bushes for variety/interest that will grow twice as tall as the fence in a short time. A 4’ fence is logical.</p>
<p>I would put up some trellace on the fence, and plant some flowery plants that will climb and cover both fences…we had to do that, and the trellace was even higher, but it was really cheap and the flowers are lovely</p>
<p>Hmm, building on citygirlsmom’s recommendation…I could go out in the woods and get you some starts of kudzu! (the weed that ate the Southeast). I think it’s pretty as it drapes over things…trees, fences, houses, small children… Maybe clematis or roses or other more scenic (and less diabolical) plantings would be a better idea.</p>
<p>NYmom:</p>
<p>Yes, we are thinking of replacing our picket fence with an aluminum fence that looks like wrought iron. Our lawn would look rather bare without some fence. We’re not trying to keep children away, though dogs could be a problem. On one side of our yard, we have a wooden fence, about 6 feet, which is partially covered wit Ivy. It cost a fair amount to buy the ivy at the time, but it certainly covers the wooden planks.</p>
<p>teriwtt, thanks for the video camera suggestion. It’s a great idea, and I’ll mention it to her. I’m not hopeful, because I think her mind is made up, but I will certainly try.</p>
<p>I am probably going to have to start planting. Is kudzu evergreen?? But my children play near there, so I probably don’t want to risk it!</p>
<p>Ivy! What a great idea.</p>
<p>emerald arbovitae…
you can buy 4/5 footers to start,they grow fast and grow high,
and do well in NY and stay green all winter.Mine have been planted for about 8 years and are truly beautiful.
I have them growing across the back of my property which is in a HOA and has a common-area PVC fence (now thats expensive fencing,and all the rage now here on Long Island).
I have wood around the rest of the backyard and it does require maintenance.</p>
<p>You will be surprised at how well a black fence will eventually blend in to some degree. Use plantings. Mix it up with hedge and vines.</p>
<p>Regarding planting yew, and some other things, do you have deer in your neighborhood? In my very suburban area we have a huge deer problem that has essentially made recrational gardening impossible–no unfenced day lilies, no roses, and so on. And deer love to eat yews. They will make the bottom of the bnushes totally bare and have done so in many places here. They also will eat rhododendron, azaleas, even started munching viburnum and lilac. So if you decide to do any hedge planting for fence-hiding reasons, keep that issue in mind as well as the need dto coddle them with appropriate watering. There are shrubs that deer so far don’t like, and a good garden center or landscapre designer will be able to advise you. We had some planting done a couple of years ago and so far it seems the deer do not eat boxwood, andromeda, and several other things, but they get hungrier each year. Just like the tax people.</p>
<p>Ummm, an acre is ~200ftx200ft=~40,000sqft.
It has an 200+200+200+200=800ft perimeter.
At $10/sqft = $8K.</p>
<p>Geomom, while the rest of what I had erroneously posted in my deleted post was insane, an acre is 43,560sq.ft… And I did say I was doing the math in my head.
Should have had a pencil.Or a cuppa joe LOL.</p>
<p>While I realize that buying her half of the lot would be expensive, I’d bet that right now the two half lots are considered unbuildable, because they are half lots. Thus, her half lot is worth far less than the total value of the two half lots together. So if the total lot is worth $500K (which would be a lot, even in an area of million-dollar-plus homes), it’s only worth that if it’s a buildable lot. Thus the half lot is worth considerably less–and buying it would increase the value of your own property substantially, both by increasing the size of your own lot and by protecting your view. Yes, it certainly would be less expensive to put up a hedge, but consider the long term value of having a buildable lot that you could sell, in addition to your own house, should you choose.</p>
<p>If you were here, I would have all sorts of good hedge or ivy suggestions (dwarf oleander, carolina jasmine or star jasmine which smells heavenly, or fig ivy which grows fast on ANYthing), but I’m sure anything that grows well here would have freeze issues there. </p>
<p>However, I do think growing over the fence with ivy would eventually produce a lovely result…sort of an English countryside thing. Only thing is, you may have to get permission from the owner of the fence before you let any of your plantings grow on, or even touch, their fence. (Just skimmed the thread, forgive if this has already been pointed out.)</p>
<p>You have to be careful with Ivy. Like kudzu, it will grow out of control and take over everything. We planted some in our backyard in an area where grass would not grow. Now DH has to constantly “weed-eat” the Ivy to keep it from taking over our whole yard. We have a split rail fence around our yard. Our neighborhood restrictions forbid chain link. Over the 20 years, H has had to make quite a few repairs to rotting wood.</p>
<p>A neighbor behind us didn’t like our dog so they planted a hedge of Ligustrum (sp?) bushes. This was about 8 years ago. The bushes were about 3 feet tall when they planted them and are now well over 10-12 feet and very thick. They are dark green all year round and have small white flowers in the spring. We can only see the roof of their house now.<br>
Flowering vines would be pretty but remember they will die in the winter</p>
<p>I agree with packmom. Ivy is a big take-over vine. When we moved into our last house there was ivy all over the front garden. As we took it out we uncovered three bushes that had become ivy blobs. </p>
<p>Is this the bush you are talking about, packmom? <a href=“Floridata”>Floridata; Sort of looks like a boxwood.</p>
<p>How about a fence made of a composite material? Looks just like wood but doesn’t need any maintenance. <a href=“http://www.gardenstructure.com/page/vinyl_pergolas_fence_boston_fences_fencing.html[/url]”>http://www.gardenstructure.com/page/vinyl_pergolas_fence_boston_fences_fencing.html</a></p>
<p>dmd, You’re right that the half-lots are worth far less than half the value of a buildable lot. I can’t imagine that she would be willing to sell her half for a smaller amount, thereby handing me a (potential) bonanza. I would love to extend our property, of course.</p>
<p>It hadn’t occurred to me that I would need to get permission to grow something on my side of the eyesore fence she is about to install!</p>
<p>We do have deer wandering the neighborhood, sometimes going through our yard. So I guess I will have to keep this in mind when choosing plants, although I have not noticed them eating anything that we have now.</p>
<p>kathiep, the composite fence guy does beautiful work! I think this material is much more expensive than wood, though.</p>
<p>NYMom - I would check your local ordinances. If Connie locates her chainlink just inside the property line on her property, technically you couldn’t put anything on it without trespassing. If she builds right ON the property line, there is could be an argument that you eventually will both own the fence. If she accidentally builds just over the property line in your direction, that fence becomes yours after a period of time. </p>
<p>We’ve actually had homeowners call my husband and complain about neighbors tacking up lattice for ivy, or satellite dishes on the backsides of a fence where costs were not shared. And he has to call the HOA lawyers to get a legal process started (which usually involves liens) to get these things off the fence. (Did I mention what a pain in the rear it is being president of the HOA? lol!)</p>
<p>But, a shrub is something you could plant and keep trimmed if your neighbor is going to be particular about plantings next to her fence. Ligustrums are very commonly used here for hedges. Very hardy, very disease and pest resistant. Those spring white blooms are very fragrant and pretty. (Woe to those who are allergic, like me, though.) They can be shaped into trees , like KathieP’s pic, or hedged up, or trimmed into individual balls…they are like play-do…lol!</p>
<p>There are some hollies that could work as well…but they can get aphids in our zone. Would be kinda funny to put in a hedge of pointy leaf variety hollies… THAT would keep those ornery kids in line. ;)</p>