My very good neighbour ,who is also in her nineties so not really bothered with things like her fences etc.the one between her garden and mine is a waneylap.which I dislike.
The posts are also leaning badly to her side.
When I had my rear garden done ,my neighbour said ,“do what you need to do and I will pay my share.”
However she did not understand the arrangement of whose fence is whose etc ,and it is her fence but I must maintain my side of it but am not obliged to renew or meet costs of renewal.
She did not understand ,abd her daughter was not very co operative .
So my gardener came up with a plan.
Willow screening .
He asked permission to drill into the posts and affix wood to level things .
The screening is fixed to those and is vertical, tidy and easily removed,should that be necessary.
It is the same height as the waneylap,I did not want to obscure the view she has from her kitchen window.
I also have the benefit of a hedge of the prettiest roses for months and months.
O.K, the petals get everywhere ,but what a small price to pay!
We can chat over the fence ,I can pass cake etc over , get her washing in
(gates in the back fence to a small private lane).
Spray her weeds and deadhead said roses .
I am so lucky and dread the day when someone else is there.
But the Willow screening is lightweight .Four metres long and mine is one meter high,£ 14.I needed four packs.
It comes in much higher heights.
Is virtually dense so you can’t see through it but the wind can blow through.
That way if any of your plants grow through and she cuts them, she can only
do it close to her side of the fence,she won’t be able to get secateurs between the withies.Look it up.
You may need help for the supports, but as the screening is relatively light .
You may be able to extend upwards from your original fence supports.
So totally independent of her.
Just make sure who owns the fence between you ,if you then you can drill into the posts with out asking her.
My Solicitor said “As you stand in your garden ,with your back to your house ,
the fence to your right is yours,but any neighbour to the right of it has to maintain their side by regular paint/ preservative etc.but not replace it.
To your left is your neighbour’s fence ,to replace and repair but you must maintain it on your side by paint preservative etc.
So you will know how far you can go with this.
Hopefully the screening will be totally independent of anything your neighbour owns .Google it Willow Screening ,it lasts well, willow twigs were put under Winchester Cathedral when it was sinking ,by a Deep Sea diver, who sloshed underwater in the crypt among mediaeval skeletons ,coffins etc
to place the bundles of withies
It worked! That was in the 1800’s
As your plants climb up it will be disguised ,but it is not ugly.
You will not see your neighbour ,she will only be able to cut what grows through, but will not be able to reach through nor to the top without ladders .it will create privacy .
You will be able to go about your chores etc privately ,won’t see her and thus
a burden will be lifted.
Mine cost me £ 56.Not sure of the price of taller packs.
I was lucky ,the co operation of my neighbour meant I could use her posts .but hopefully you won’t need to do that.
Hope there is some helpful info there Roobarb.
Cheerio.Viktoria.
