By Mandm
United Kingdom 
We have a very large terraced/sloping garden appx 1 acre in Cheshire that has a brook running through the bottom. Our neighbour on the other side of the brook decided to open up his garden to the brook by removing the holly trees surrounding his property - we now feel very exposed and as our house looks down on his and we can see into his garden and he can see us when we are up on our patio some 30yds away - problem is that the rest of our perimeter is tree lined. We dont want to screen off the brook as this is part of the propertys charm but we would like to screen of our neighbour and stop him using our beautiful garden as part of his vista as he looks up towards our house and he admits that he wanted to look over our lovely garden! Can anyone think of a lovely not to solid way of screening his property off - any photos, examples much appreciated. One very distressed, exposed householder!
6 May, 2011
Answers
Why not use a series of plantings set at different distances between the patio and the brook?
ie; one (suitably secure) bamboo patch, an evergreen Clematis arch further along and offset a little the other way, maybe near the brook a gunnera, and so on. At least this way you'll still be able to enjoy the brook from various parts of the garden.
6 May, 2011
Just an idea here, i know you say you have trees round the rest of the perimeter, but how about planting a weeping willow by the brook, yes you will have to be patient as it grows but would look natural next to the stream, and with it being deciduous it will still give a natural screen in the winter, which wont be so bad as less time is spent in the garden,julien.
6 May, 2011