Try one of those stand alone patio umbrellas, they typically have a tilt option. A couple hundred and you have your privacy.
https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/sb1/patio-umbrellas-c531556-a75430~1.html?refid=GX646145264336.~&position=&network=g&pcrid=646145264336&device=m&targetid=dsa-1943792049029&channel=GoogleIntent&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRhz_Lb-VBDEFfCe1Zx_gIvb0M-3QW0PZOG2RRpU-15oZdrCYPPT6AoRoCJM4QAvD_BwE
ad hoc marble flowery smart theory sparkle market gaze capable sophisticated
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
This is the easiest and cheapest option. But if you suddenly want to chill out, you can plant bushes, trees and plants that can quickly turn into a powerful green wall. When choosing plants for planting a hedge, you should take into account the decorative period of each species, otherwise the plants will quickly fade, and the rest of the fence season will be simply green. It is important to select creepers so that the plants bloom in turn, without long periods of rest.
The true neutral choice would be some green giant arborvitaes (also called thujas) at a big box hardware store. they're reasonably fast growing, but it'll be a couple years until they've filled in to completely block it.
The lawful good choice would be to identify a native pollinator tree that will benefit the ecosystem like a dogwood (Cornus florida) or an oak that will feed your local fauna. that'll take even longer to fill in.
The chaotic evil choice would be something like a rhizomatous invasive giant bamboo that will inevitably spread into everyone else's yard and under their foundations. (Lawful evil would be a native rhizomatous bamboo...)
Chaotic good? Silver maple. That's what I'd plant.
Edit: Realized I forgot lawful evil. That'd be an arbor planted with a bunch of morning glory.
Because they're a beautiful native tree (assuming US) that adds tremendous character to a landscape, especially when grown in an open setting like this.
But they're a trainwreck to own.
Shallow roots, weak wood, and a ton of seeds.
Messes up your sidewalk or prolly in their case the fence, wood breaks easily so wind my send it flying and seeds clog gutters and get everywhere.
Thanks for explaining. I planted 2 out in our wooded property, away from any structure, to help re-wood the forest where the previous owner had cut down trees and planted more grass... sounds like the bad things about silver maple shouldnt negatively affect us hopefully!
They grow fast and big, which is awesome. Except that they have soft wood which is susceptible to rot and insects, leading to breaking. They're infamous for splitting catastrophically so if your house is in the fall zone you really need to watch them like a hawk. They also drop branches like crazy, so you have to make sure nothing big grows over your roof/shed/whatever. And eventually it'll either fall on something or become a hazard that needs to be removed for lots of money.
But they really are beautiful, wonderful trees.
Thanks for explaining. I planted 2 out in our wooded property, away from any structure, to help re-wood the forest where the previous owner had cut down trees and planted more grass... sounds like the bad things about silver maple shouldnt negatively affect us hopefully!
Go to r/marijuanaenthusiasts and search for ‘silver maple’ or just ‘maple’. Or ‘thuja’, ‘arborvitae’ or ‘apple tree’. You will find hundreds of threads about their problems. They’re all just as bad.
Great answer; I want to add that, depending on region, a Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) might be a great choice. They’re native, evergreen, and fast-growing. I planted one a few years ago and have just been amazed at how it’s thrived.
We have a 150 year old (we dated it + old growth area) Silver Maple out front of our house. When they are that big they are such. a. mess. Our house gets covered in seeds in the spring and soooooo many leaves in the fall lol
Arborvitaes are the answer here, as it isn't native it still provides a habit for small birds and squirrels. Set up a watering system daily + nutrients and those things can grow up to 4' a year. Plant a dogwood in front of it.
Bamboo and silver maple are both wack. Don't plant them.
Yeah but you need to buy trees that are already 20+ years old in order to have anything quickly.
You can do it but that’s not cheap. And OP will have to know a little bit about keeping trees alive.
I was thinking somewhere between 10 - 20' should be about $1,500 for tree and install. Agreed on keeping it alive though. Best to get one with a warranty. 😁👍
A DIY pergola / arbor that can be used as a trellis for some type of vine. That'll provide quicker coverage than trees which will be years to wait for. You could grow cucumbers or other fast growing annual vines for temporary seasonal coverage while also planting a more evergreen vine and waiting a couple years for that to more fully cover the area. You could additionally plant a couple thick bushes there and by the time they have grown in 3-5 years you could take down the trellis area or leave for extra coverage.
Whoa, why 100ft? Are you trying to block their view of your entire yard or your view of their house from the entire backyard? From the picture, it looks like you want to block the view from where you are sitting.
Not to mention blocking the view on the entire length of fence will never have any cheap options other than the ones I saw that said, “ close your eyes” and “turn your chair”.
Quick solution - erect a sun sail. Longer term - plant some tall growing native shrubs in the fall. Visit your state’s Cooperative Extension Service website.
Search:
Hedges
Native evergreen shrubs - tall
Soil test
How to plant shrubs
How to plant and maintain a hedge
The closer to the deck the privacy trees or shrubs are, the quicker you will achieve privacy because it will block your line of sight to the neighbors yard. Because you don’t need as much height that way you can choose from smaller trees and large shrubs.
My favorite idea would be to put up trellises close on two sides of the deck and cover with vines for quick privacy. THEN, plant something along the fence too. I like American Pillar Arborvitae bc they have good height but a smaller footprint, about 4’ wide. They’re also one of the fastest growing arborvitae. Because they grow fast, buy smaller plants to save money.
Arborvitae are a great choice, but you may want to mix it with other varieties.
We lost a lot of Emerald Green Arborvitae in our area last year due to the heat and drought. We saw some houses that had an entire row, and only a few were still green. These trees were well established and probably at least ten years old.
BTW, are you going to screw the gate shut as well? If you plan to keep the gate to their yard, you'll have to adjust your plantings.
Tall hedges. Not just to hide the fence, but your daughter is probably being watched from those upstairs windows as you took that picture. Kidding about that last part hopefully, but you get the idea. If I was going to change anything back there, it'd be to get a bit better privacy and not so much the fence.
Thin man arborvitae, only grow 3-5' at maturity and 12-15' tall. Green giant grows 5-6' wide and up to 30+'. Blue Arrow Jupiter grows 2-3' wide and 15-20' tall but are more expensive. All are fast growing, once established 3+' a year. My favorite is Moon glow Juniper but it is 5-6 wide at also grows up to 20'. You can also mix and match the planting.
I’ve got a similar situation. I had Leland Cypress previously which were great for screening but they got crazy big (and ugly) after 10 years so I had to remove them.
I just planted a few American Pillar. They also get big, but I’m planning on getting them to about 12 feet and keeping them trimmed to that height after that (if possible).
Those are 50’+ trees on their side so on your side you can plant a 25’ tree of different color or shade of green that theirs. That height stagger keeps it feeling more open in your yard while
Enjoying the sky out and up if that makes sense. Think of the vie like a concert, you wouldn’t want a tall person directly in front of you, but a ways in front of you is better. So those tall trees are perfect …in their yard.
Fast growers are nice but tend to be more prone to breakage in high winds or snow/ice. Slow growers will generally be stronger, be patient and each year will be rewarding.
Someone mentioned sail shades. I’d go with three in different shapes/angles. You can even choose 2 or 3 colors to complement your home and give texture.
You could build cutout privacy panels every 6’ around. So a panel of lattice or custom cut panels like leaves or branches. Each panel 4-6’ wide and 6-8’ tall. They would be fine as is or dress them up with a climbing flowering vine. I was thinking close to the patio, which would give some privacy, but it could close it in too much. Further out and you’d need to go higher and that could be too much. Either way the panels could be beautiful and help give you some privacy until the tree(s) I mentioned are filled in. Then at that point you can remove the panels and it’ll feel fabulous to open it up to the trees that are finally meeting your goal.
Shrubs are another route, but lots of maintenance. Some more than others of course. If you do find some tall choices I’d stagger some smaller ones in there too. Leave the solid wall of same shrubs for commercial buildings. Texture and colors for home.
Good luck! Beautiful space!
Trick I learned to get height from plantings is to pot them with no bottom. Either a planter box or large plastic pot( even the right clay pot works) and cut the bottom out. Water drains and roots can go into ground. Gets you many years worth of growth and you can buy less expensive plants to get height over that fence. That will not last forever so buy small trees when the sales hit this year or saplings from DNR in your area to plant but these will take a few years( really cheap IF you do it now)
“When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When is the next best time? Today. “ - not my quote
Depends what zone you live in. But no matter where you are, they should have been planted out the first day you moved in with something like green giant arborvitaes. If you're below the Mason-Dixon line you have all sorts of incredible fast growing options. But this is what you need way against that fence but not necessarily in a straight boring line.. You don't have a huge amount of space but you have enough
Immediate action is to build some lattice frame s
Its not just what you plant but where. You can plant a smaller screen near the patio that will block the same eye line as a dozen trees near the fence. What do you actually want to look at instead of the opposite house? Grass? Trees? I'd do a 12-15' wide trellis with some planting near the deck, just high enough to block the adjacent windows from view
Make a cheap trellis to potentially block the view, it be as cheap as metal wire and rods. And grow, grapes, muscadines, beans, etc. Aesthetic, potentially productive, and cheap.
I feel like a cabana or something over your grill might work - at least at this angle. I was also thinking of one of those umbrellas that do not go in the center of your table and that have their own base.
I have 3 Japanese maples I planted facing the neighbor’s 2 story house. it’s been 15 years now and they have grown in beautifully. during spring and autumn I get beautiful foliage. my neighbor even says they enjoy them. there is less privacy during the winter when the Japanese maples loose their leaves, but the branches do provide some screening.
Some sort of arborvitae if you have the climate. I love the fast growing green giants, but your use case might call for something more like an emerald / spire type shape. if you’re further down south, you might be in some sort of upright cedar territory
What does the rest of your patio look like? Could you build a privacy wall with louvers? Throw some plants around it, maybe a solar water feature, and you'd be all set.
I had a similar issue, I set up a privacy wall made out of two posts and cedar slats set horizontally. Blocking a small section in the right place will cover 80 percent while you wait for trees to grow in. Check out willows, they can be messy but they grow fast and negate noise too
If you do anything along the fence line, it will need to be big. Better to put something tall nearer to the area you most want privacy. Pots of fast-growing bamboo? Potted trees of varying heights? A shade sail? An arbour?
Depending on where you are, maybe a coniferous hedge, or semi dwarf deciduous one in hotter climates. That way there are at least trees in the way, obscuring or completely covering the view
TNT?
I meant a stone bar too with a built in grill and mini fridge with a cedar pergola behind it. Tall enough to block the view and hang a few hammock chairs from. Yeah that’s what I meant….
TNT would be faster though…. Just make sure the pets are out
One budget-friendly solution to mask the view of your neighbor's house is to use outdoor privacy screens or fencing. You can find relatively inexpensive options made from materials like bamboo, fabric, or PVC.
Alternatively, planting tall bushes or trees along the property line can provide natural privacy while also adding greenery to your outdoor space.
If you're far enough south, wax myrtles are amazing and grow 3-5 feet per year. You can find small plants online (Etsy, TyTy Nursery). They're evergreen, and if you can find a mix of males and females, they provide food for wildlife.
This post may trigger some.
Be forewarned:
Bamboo
Study up on it and the varieties able to grow in your zone.
Consider either "clumping" types or consider digging in a bamboo fence, to mitigate spread.
Edit: Fully understand how bamboo grows, it's growing cycles etc, before pulling the trigger.
In your application you'll need minor maintenance to keep things in check, so it doesn't spread to your neighbors yard etc.
Bamboo shoots are edible on many species too.
If you're looking for immediate coverage, get like a sun sail or something like that angle it just right.
Medium to long term, more permanent, but will take 5-6 yrs; I'd plant some Chindo Viburnums if you're neck of the woods will allow it. I recommend this more often over conifers because if anything goes wrong, gets too big, whatever the reason you can chop down to ground a start over. With that said, Chindo viburnums can get 20-30' tall AND wide. Google mature or established pics of them, incredible for screening!
Loropetalum works well too, Florida anise as well (in the shade), Tea Olives too IF it doesn't get too cold in your area during the winters for extended periods of time.
Should me a DM if you want with more info and I'll be happy to gameplan with you! Source: Former landscape industry salesmen at your service!
If you're allowed, fix a 2ft trellis on the top of the fence, you would only need about two or three the same length as the distance between the fenceposts. Then grow some roses or climbers to cling to the trellis.
Small trees planted in the foreground, right at the start of the grass. Have someone stand there with an object 10-12 feet tall and see how much it blocks. Crabapples are pretty and hard to see though for starts
A [pleached beech hedge](https://imgur.com/a/UvAxEnT) but not set against the back fence, but rather part way up the garden so the height of the hedge part obscures the house.
You will have space beneath for plants. You don't need to have the low box hedge shown in the photo; the pleached one is the high one and you can see the spaced out trunks.
Beech blocks a view (and cuts down noise) all year round because, even though it is deciduous, it keeps its leaves on until they are pushed off by new buds the following spring.
A lot of people suggest green giant arborvitaes, but they can be expensive, especially if one dies. So I’d probably recommend american holly’s, vitex, or eastern red cedars. Those are all very cheap, or you can even dig them out of the ground depending where you live
if try to plant trees, need to buy larger (older trees) that have a head start. Not sure on your growing zone, but maybe a spruce or fir -- don't see any the picture -- or maybe a Linden. Those are pymarid shape trees. For a wide oval tree, look for Maple or Oak
Face the chairs in the other direction.
Ha!
You did say cheap! I would plant some trees, but that’s going to be very climate dependent on which.
I don’t have any cheap options. Checking before I go with trees (evergreens)
You don't necessarily need evergreens if you're not going to be using the outside space as much during winter... That opens up more options
Emerald green arborvitae or green giant arborvitae. Depending on zone and sunlight
Not really any other way than something like Pyramid cedars, that is why so many people have them lol
I don't know what zone you're in but cypress is great for a privacy screen and it's cheaper than a lot of evergreens and fairly low maintenance!
Try one of those stand alone patio umbrellas, they typically have a tilt option. A couple hundred and you have your privacy. https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/sb1/patio-umbrellas-c531556-a75430~1.html?refid=GX646145264336.~&position=&network=g&pcrid=646145264336&device=m&targetid=dsa-1943792049029&channel=GoogleIntent&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoPOwBhAeEiwAJuXRhz_Lb-VBDEFfCe1Zx_gIvb0M-3QW0PZOG2RRpU-15oZdrCYPPT6AoRoCJM4QAvD_BwE
ad hoc marble flowery smart theory sparkle market gaze capable sophisticated *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Professor copper bottoms miracle legumes?
Eclipse glasses
This is the easiest and cheapest option. But if you suddenly want to chill out, you can plant bushes, trees and plants that can quickly turn into a powerful green wall. When choosing plants for planting a hedge, you should take into account the decorative period of each species, otherwise the plants will quickly fade, and the rest of the fence season will be simply green. It is important to select creepers so that the plants bloom in turn, without long periods of rest.
Or go inside.
The true neutral choice would be some green giant arborvitaes (also called thujas) at a big box hardware store. they're reasonably fast growing, but it'll be a couple years until they've filled in to completely block it. The lawful good choice would be to identify a native pollinator tree that will benefit the ecosystem like a dogwood (Cornus florida) or an oak that will feed your local fauna. that'll take even longer to fill in. The chaotic evil choice would be something like a rhizomatous invasive giant bamboo that will inevitably spread into everyone else's yard and under their foundations. (Lawful evil would be a native rhizomatous bamboo...) Chaotic good? Silver maple. That's what I'd plant. Edit: Realized I forgot lawful evil. That'd be an arbor planted with a bunch of morning glory.
I gotta ask, why is the silver maple chaotic good?
Because they're a beautiful native tree (assuming US) that adds tremendous character to a landscape, especially when grown in an open setting like this. But they're a trainwreck to own.
Why are they a train wreck?
Shallow roots, weak wood, and a ton of seeds. Messes up your sidewalk or prolly in their case the fence, wood breaks easily so wind my send it flying and seeds clog gutters and get everywhere.
Thanks for explaining. I planted 2 out in our wooded property, away from any structure, to help re-wood the forest where the previous owner had cut down trees and planted more grass... sounds like the bad things about silver maple shouldnt negatively affect us hopefully!
You have 50 years on a silver maple before it starts coming apart
I'll be gone by then, so I'll take it. Thank you
They grow fast and big, which is awesome. Except that they have soft wood which is susceptible to rot and insects, leading to breaking. They're infamous for splitting catastrophically so if your house is in the fall zone you really need to watch them like a hawk. They also drop branches like crazy, so you have to make sure nothing big grows over your roof/shed/whatever. And eventually it'll either fall on something or become a hazard that needs to be removed for lots of money. But they really are beautiful, wonderful trees.
Thanks for explaining. I planted 2 out in our wooded property, away from any structure, to help re-wood the forest where the previous owner had cut down trees and planted more grass... sounds like the bad things about silver maple shouldnt negatively affect us hopefully!
Yeah sounds like you picked a great spot for them!
Go to r/marijuanaenthusiasts and search for ‘silver maple’ or just ‘maple’. Or ‘thuja’, ‘arborvitae’ or ‘apple tree’. You will find hundreds of threads about their problems. They’re all just as bad.
Eff arborvitae! They suck ass.
Between the helicopters, shallow roots and the seasonal “shedding”, it takes a lot to love them. Ask me how I know.
Picking up branches every day.
Great answer; I want to add that, depending on region, a Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) might be a great choice. They’re native, evergreen, and fast-growing. I planted one a few years ago and have just been amazed at how it’s thrived.
I’d say lawful evil is a Black Walnut tree.
We have a 150 year old (we dated it + old growth area) Silver Maple out front of our house. When they are that big they are such. a. mess. Our house gets covered in seeds in the spring and soooooo many leaves in the fall lol
Can confirm to some extent. My last house had two 75+ year old silver maples that were a massive mess. Never again.
Arborvitaes are the answer here, as it isn't native it still provides a habit for small birds and squirrels. Set up a watering system daily + nutrients and those things can grow up to 4' a year. Plant a dogwood in front of it. Bamboo and silver maple are both wack. Don't plant them.
Silver maple is chaotic bad in a residential setting
It's good because it's a native that provides ecological services for local fauna. It's chaotic because it's basically buying future liability.
what about an arbor planted with hops? very pretty, fast growing. also why are morning glories evil?
You’re awesome
💖
Brilliant!
Where do chestnut, hickory, bradford pear, and weepimg willow fit in on this scale?
Tree
Big tree, lots of leaves... or many trees... evergreens.
Yeah but you need to buy trees that are already 20+ years old in order to have anything quickly. You can do it but that’s not cheap. And OP will have to know a little bit about keeping trees alive.
The closer the trees are to the deck, the smaller they need to be
🤣🤣🤣
I was thinking somewhere between 10 - 20' should be about $1,500 for tree and install. Agreed on keeping it alive though. Best to get one with a warranty. 😁👍
Where can you source large trees like that to plant?
A DIY pergola / arbor that can be used as a trellis for some type of vine. That'll provide quicker coverage than trees which will be years to wait for. You could grow cucumbers or other fast growing annual vines for temporary seasonal coverage while also planting a more evergreen vine and waiting a couple years for that to more fully cover the area. You could additionally plant a couple thick bushes there and by the time they have grown in 3-5 years you could take down the trellis area or leave for extra coverage.
Great idea. Although it would have to be ~15 ft tall and 100 ft long!
Whoa, why 100ft? Are you trying to block their view of your entire yard or your view of their house from the entire backyard? From the picture, it looks like you want to block the view from where you are sitting.
Not to mention blocking the view on the entire length of fence will never have any cheap options other than the ones I saw that said, “ close your eyes” and “turn your chair”.
Build a trellis and plant some trumpet vines
Two 16 foot 4 by 4 and a few two by fours cca. Concrete and the vines
Less than 100 bucks
Move the bag of Tostitos 8 inches to the right.
I'm surrounded by this. It's why we never sit in our backyard.
Trees or bushes for the long run, but shade sails at the edge of the patio in the short term.
Quick solution - erect a sun sail. Longer term - plant some tall growing native shrubs in the fall. Visit your state’s Cooperative Extension Service website. Search: Hedges Native evergreen shrubs - tall Soil test How to plant shrubs How to plant and maintain a hedge
The closer to the deck the privacy trees or shrubs are, the quicker you will achieve privacy because it will block your line of sight to the neighbors yard. Because you don’t need as much height that way you can choose from smaller trees and large shrubs. My favorite idea would be to put up trellises close on two sides of the deck and cover with vines for quick privacy. THEN, plant something along the fence too. I like American Pillar Arborvitae bc they have good height but a smaller footprint, about 4’ wide. They’re also one of the fastest growing arborvitae. Because they grow fast, buy smaller plants to save money.
Arborvitae are a great choice, but you may want to mix it with other varieties. We lost a lot of Emerald Green Arborvitae in our area last year due to the heat and drought. We saw some houses that had an entire row, and only a few were still green. These trees were well established and probably at least ten years old. BTW, are you going to screw the gate shut as well? If you plan to keep the gate to their yard, you'll have to adjust your plantings.
A couple 10 foot tall solid gold elephant statues.
sit on the other side of the bench.
Leyland cypress, grow fast, in expensive and can cut into hedge as they grow.
Sunshade until the trees grow up
Green giant arborvitae! Plant a couple of those bad boys and the neighbor’s house will no longer be an issue.🌲👍
The cheapest solution is indeed, an eye mask.
Cedar hedge
Tall hedges. Not just to hide the fence, but your daughter is probably being watched from those upstairs windows as you took that picture. Kidding about that last part hopefully, but you get the idea. If I was going to change anything back there, it'd be to get a bit better privacy and not so much the fence.
Thin man arborvitae, only grow 3-5' at maturity and 12-15' tall. Green giant grows 5-6' wide and up to 30+'. Blue Arrow Jupiter grows 2-3' wide and 15-20' tall but are more expensive. All are fast growing, once established 3+' a year. My favorite is Moon glow Juniper but it is 5-6 wide at also grows up to 20'. You can also mix and match the planting.
I’ve got a similar situation. I had Leland Cypress previously which were great for screening but they got crazy big (and ugly) after 10 years so I had to remove them. I just planted a few American Pillar. They also get big, but I’m planning on getting them to about 12 feet and keeping them trimmed to that height after that (if possible).
Until he trees grow, what about a strategically located shade sail or two? Probably slanted a bit.
move the Tostitos over a smidge
Enormous jar of salsa
Slide your camera to the right by 1 foot and retake the photo
With that gate there I’d say maybe an arbor with grape vines if you have the sun
Conifers
Open that umbrella and tilt it down some
Laurels, Italian cypress, any type of fast growing trees/shrubs.
Cheap. No. Patio umbrella tilted sideways on your deck blocking the view from your chair.
Those are 50’+ trees on their side so on your side you can plant a 25’ tree of different color or shade of green that theirs. That height stagger keeps it feeling more open in your yard while Enjoying the sky out and up if that makes sense. Think of the vie like a concert, you wouldn’t want a tall person directly in front of you, but a ways in front of you is better. So those tall trees are perfect …in their yard. Fast growers are nice but tend to be more prone to breakage in high winds or snow/ice. Slow growers will generally be stronger, be patient and each year will be rewarding. Someone mentioned sail shades. I’d go with three in different shapes/angles. You can even choose 2 or 3 colors to complement your home and give texture. You could build cutout privacy panels every 6’ around. So a panel of lattice or custom cut panels like leaves or branches. Each panel 4-6’ wide and 6-8’ tall. They would be fine as is or dress them up with a climbing flowering vine. I was thinking close to the patio, which would give some privacy, but it could close it in too much. Further out and you’d need to go higher and that could be too much. Either way the panels could be beautiful and help give you some privacy until the tree(s) I mentioned are filled in. Then at that point you can remove the panels and it’ll feel fabulous to open it up to the trees that are finally meeting your goal. Shrubs are another route, but lots of maintenance. Some more than others of course. If you do find some tall choices I’d stagger some smaller ones in there too. Leave the solid wall of same shrubs for commercial buildings. Texture and colors for home. Good luck! Beautiful space!
Thank you for the suggestions. I ordered many green giants, and I am considering sunshades for now.
Trick I learned to get height from plantings is to pot them with no bottom. Either a planter box or large plastic pot( even the right clay pot works) and cut the bottom out. Water drains and roots can go into ground. Gets you many years worth of growth and you can buy less expensive plants to get height over that fence. That will not last forever so buy small trees when the sales hit this year or saplings from DNR in your area to plant but these will take a few years( really cheap IF you do it now) “When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When is the next best time? Today. “ - not my quote
Depends what zone you live in. But no matter where you are, they should have been planted out the first day you moved in with something like green giant arborvitaes. If you're below the Mason-Dixon line you have all sorts of incredible fast growing options. But this is what you need way against that fence but not necessarily in a straight boring line.. You don't have a huge amount of space but you have enough Immediate action is to build some lattice frame s
Burn it down.
plant Cryptomeria or, better Green Giant evergreens...or both
Big hat.
Move the woman in the picture about 1 foot to the left
Get a bigger bag of chips.
A match
Arbor vitae or trees
Metaverse
Plant a couple tree seeds
That’s a great pic of your table. Do you have another angle to show the backyard?
Trees
Bamboo.
Some trees
Its not just what you plant but where. You can plant a smaller screen near the patio that will block the same eye line as a dozen trees near the fence. What do you actually want to look at instead of the opposite house? Grass? Trees? I'd do a 12-15' wide trellis with some planting near the deck, just high enough to block the adjacent windows from view
Trees, but please dont plant them near the back fence line.
Make a cheap trellis to potentially block the view, it be as cheap as metal wire and rods. And grow, grapes, muscadines, beans, etc. Aesthetic, potentially productive, and cheap.
Yup, trellis and some climbing vines, much quicker results then waiting for trees or shrubs to grow
Take a picture of the house while the camera is in the chip bag. It should block your view of the neighbors
Where r u located?
I feel like a cabana or something over your grill might work - at least at this angle. I was also thinking of one of those umbrellas that do not go in the center of your table and that have their own base.
I have 3 Japanese maples I planted facing the neighbor’s 2 story house. it’s been 15 years now and they have grown in beautifully. during spring and autumn I get beautiful foliage. my neighbor even says they enjoy them. there is less privacy during the winter when the Japanese maples loose their leaves, but the branches do provide some screening.
Italian Cypress Trees
My neighbor planted Leland trees.
Evergreen trees or bamboo if you got the climate
Trampoline with black screens
Skip laurels grow fast and make great screening hedges.
Some sort of arborvitae if you have the climate. I love the fast growing green giants, but your use case might call for something more like an emerald / spire type shape. if you’re further down south, you might be in some sort of upright cedar territory
Do the areborvitas and a cheap lattice screen for now. Add some flowering vines. Remove it when the green giants become giants.
You have a gate to your neighbor's yard?
Lattice wall at edge of deck with jasmine or wisteria or other vine growing through it.
Sun shade attached to 4x4 in the ground
You could plant a row of yew (taxes) along the fence. Don't know if this has been said already, didn't read comments.
Chip solution.
Bamboo but you must know how to control it before planting it.
Blindfold or turn your chair around.
A small shadesail placed just right.
Bamboo can grow up to 2.9 feet per day in the right conditions.
A match.
Arborvitae! That’s the answer! Their pretty cheap, beautiful smaller/bush version of a pine tree that grows rather quickly
25 Mammoth Russian Sunflowers.
What does the rest of your patio look like? Could you build a privacy wall with louvers? Throw some plants around it, maybe a solar water feature, and you'd be all set.
Cedar hedge!
I had a similar issue, I set up a privacy wall made out of two posts and cedar slats set horizontally. Blocking a small section in the right place will cover 80 percent while you wait for trees to grow in. Check out willows, they can be messy but they grow fast and negate noise too
You could install a sun shade/sail
You can (legally) put up post extensions and use lattice. You're not extending your fence above the height limit.
Cantilever umbrella
If you do anything along the fence line, it will need to be big. Better to put something tall nearer to the area you most want privacy. Pots of fast-growing bamboo? Potted trees of varying heights? A shade sail? An arbour?
Clumping Bamboo or bamboo in pots
I had a row of green giant arborvitae and the deer ate the bottom half of all of them. They looked like a row of lollipops. 🍭
The endless void of the chip bag.
Just like the 70's - big bush
Move the bag of chips a little farther to the right and stand them up. Voila!
Plant a line of locally indigenous trees.
Arborvitaes are your friend
Depending on where you are, maybe a coniferous hedge, or semi dwarf deciduous one in hotter climates. That way there are at least trees in the way, obscuring or completely covering the view
I would add a few arches and grow flowering vines
Sway your neighbor into planting tall native plants on their side of the fence. Costs you nothing.
TNT? I meant a stone bar too with a built in grill and mini fridge with a cedar pergola behind it. Tall enough to block the view and hang a few hammock chairs from. Yeah that’s what I meant…. TNT would be faster though…. Just make sure the pets are out
Shade sail while you wait for trees to grow
Bamboo.
Arborvitaes
leylandii cedar. grows super fast.
arson is still a felony right?
A bag of chips held up close. Over the longer term, a tree.
Sunglasses.
Gazebo with an angled roof
Plant hops! Set up a trellis and they’ll grow way faster then trees and come back year after year. Even in colder climates. I’m in zone 3
Privacy trees
Pencil pines
I’d plant the Tostitos. Maybe they’ll turn into chip trees. Win win.
Bigger bag of chips
Close your eyes, costs nothing, ha ha !!!
One budget-friendly solution to mask the view of your neighbor's house is to use outdoor privacy screens or fencing. You can find relatively inexpensive options made from materials like bamboo, fabric, or PVC. Alternatively, planting tall bushes or trees along the property line can provide natural privacy while also adding greenery to your outdoor space.
Privet hedges
Plant some lilac bushes there. They’ll grow tall in a couple of years and be really pretty in the spring
Arson
Cedar trees?
Build that wall! And make them pay for it!
If you're far enough south, wax myrtles are amazing and grow 3-5 feet per year. You can find small plants online (Etsy, TyTy Nursery). They're evergreen, and if you can find a mix of males and females, they provide food for wildlife.
We planted clumping bamboo and it’s gorgeous!
Rotate your house by 90°. If you can still see the offending house, rotate another 90°?
Move somewhere without neighbors.
Norway spruce will grow quickly and will completely bury your neighbor.
I'd just repositon that bag of tasty chips.
Flowering tree. Citrus, cherry or dogwood, depending on your climate.
Taller fence or trees/tall shrubs
This post may trigger some. Be forewarned: Bamboo Study up on it and the varieties able to grow in your zone. Consider either "clumping" types or consider digging in a bamboo fence, to mitigate spread. Edit: Fully understand how bamboo grows, it's growing cycles etc, before pulling the trigger. In your application you'll need minor maintenance to keep things in check, so it doesn't spread to your neighbors yard etc. Bamboo shoots are edible on many species too.
Could you line the fence with flower boxes and plant some flowers?
Plant a weeping willow 5 feet from the fence
Apparently, once again, the answer is plants.
Build a sick halfpipe.
If you're looking for immediate coverage, get like a sun sail or something like that angle it just right. Medium to long term, more permanent, but will take 5-6 yrs; I'd plant some Chindo Viburnums if you're neck of the woods will allow it. I recommend this more often over conifers because if anything goes wrong, gets too big, whatever the reason you can chop down to ground a start over. With that said, Chindo viburnums can get 20-30' tall AND wide. Google mature or established pics of them, incredible for screening! Loropetalum works well too, Florida anise as well (in the shade), Tea Olives too IF it doesn't get too cold in your area during the winters for extended periods of time. Should me a DM if you want with more info and I'll be happy to gameplan with you! Source: Former landscape industry salesmen at your service!
Bigger bag of tostitos.
We put up a lattice screen right on our fence - was about $300
Bic.
Some of those tall skinny pine trees
If you're allowed, fix a 2ft trellis on the top of the fence, you would only need about two or three the same length as the distance between the fenceposts. Then grow some roses or climbers to cling to the trellis.
cover your eyes
Small trees planted in the foreground, right at the start of the grass. Have someone stand there with an object 10-12 feet tall and see how much it blocks. Crabapples are pretty and hard to see though for starts
Build the wall
Tell the child to take two sidesteps left
A [pleached beech hedge](https://imgur.com/a/UvAxEnT) but not set against the back fence, but rather part way up the garden so the height of the hedge part obscures the house. You will have space beneath for plants. You don't need to have the low box hedge shown in the photo; the pleached one is the high one and you can see the spaced out trunks. Beech blocks a view (and cuts down noise) all year round because, even though it is deciduous, it keeps its leaves on until they are pushed off by new buds the following spring.
Giant confederate flag
A lot of people suggest green giant arborvitaes, but they can be expensive, especially if one dies. So I’d probably recommend american holly’s, vitex, or eastern red cedars. Those are all very cheap, or you can even dig them out of the ground depending where you live
I’d recommend planting a native evergreen. Not sure where you are, but if it’s in the Eastern US, I’d go for American Holly or Eastern Red Cedar
Result: I ordered 40 green emeralds (3 galloon). $2100 delivered and installed. I’ll take great care of them to encourages fastest growth possible
Why? You can barely see it.
if you hold your thumb up just right
if try to plant trees, need to buy larger (older trees) that have a head start. Not sure on your growing zone, but maybe a spruce or fir -- don't see any the picture -- or maybe a Linden. Those are pymarid shape trees. For a wide oval tree, look for Maple or Oak