Problem: Stopping neighbouring hedges growing through fencing?

We are building a garden just now where a vigorous neighbouring privet will likely grow through the new fence we are installing. My clients have expressed that this will certainly become a hassle and nuisance for them.They initially asked if I could put some boarding up, like OSB I suppose and have it painted black. The garden is a modern design so we could do some neat lighting effects in the resulting voids. But we get a lot of wind here and I fear that a solid sheet of OSB would almost certainly strain under it and put too much pressure onto the new timber fence.The budget will not allow any serious structural installations to support this idea.It is the first time I have ever been asked to solve this particular problem so I wondered if there might be a far simpler solution that the LJN might have come across before?Any help much appreciated - we'll be erecting the fence this week!CheersNicky

Perspex/OSB sheets would create too much of a 'wind sail' (even though it may be part protected by the hedge) and may make the whole fence vunerable in high winds. Also, just think about the amount of work in cutting a standard sheet of perspex (8x4?) into 1-2" strips and the difficulty in fixing them (especially between existing fence and hedge).

If not a wire mesh, how about a tightly woven green/black nylon 'wind break' material as used in nurseries.
It could be rolled out between fence and hedge (still not easy though), fixed easily with clout nails to the back of the posts, would be lightweight, make nice backdrop to gaps between the slats, stop privot growing through and of course allow filtered wind to pass through. It would not solve the 'light' issue, but seeing as there is already a fence/hedge insitu, sideways light is always going to be an issue anyway.

John Ace Garden Services said:

Could you use perspex sheets and knock in some pressure treated stakes just behind the fence to attach them to.
This would set it back by about four inches and would be out of sight.

Replies

Graeme @ BGS November 2, 2009 at 9:27pm

If I wasn't a true professional - I would say spill anti-freeze! :-)

Is there a problem with the neighbour keeping the hedge cut back?
Nicky @ GardenImprovements.com November 2, 2009 at 9:34pm

Haha!

Well there seems to be...he only cuts half of the top of the hedge so that says it all. It is indeed on the boundary and it is firmly on his side of the boundary line...

Graeme @ The BGS Group said:
If I wasn't a true professional - I would say spill anti-freeze! :-)

Is there a problem with the neighbour keeping the hedge cut back?
Graeme @ BGS November 2, 2009 at 9:40pm

I have found in the past that those neighbours who only cut half the hedge do it only because they are worried about what next door would say as they tend to be unsure as if they can or can not cut their half.

I know this doesn't help but can't you clients request that he cuts the hedge as to stop the overhang into their garden. If he refuses then get a couple of quotes from gardeners and give them to the neighbour and request that he does it himself of arranges for a contractor within nn days.

Don't you just love waring neighbours.
Nicky @ GardenImprovements.com November 2, 2009 at 10:00pm

@Graeme - I will try that approach as a first course of action...or at least I will advise my clients to try it!

@John - The fence will be 6ft but will be horizontal slats @ 75mm with just over an inch gap between each slat, so it will not be closed at all and should still allow light through and filter the wind. Not certain whether it is lonicera nitiada or privet - although privet is everywhere up here. The new fence will be positioned approximately 1 ft or so away from the hedge.

The clients had also suggested using a fabric or a mesh of a sort but I cant see how this is feasible unless there is a product specially designed for this.
Nicky @ GardenImprovements.com November 2, 2009 at 10:10pm

The only other issues with the OSB would be the amount of light it will shut out from the garden, and the added expense. I'm not sure...

Pro Gard said:
Can you not just put in extra posts?

The OSB sounds like a good solution overall.
Nicky @ GardenImprovements.com November 2, 2009 at 10:14pm

That is a good idea - I might look into that! Cheers!

Pro Gard said:
Nicky, How about uing perspex strips over the slat openings? would add very little weigh and would allow light.

Not sure on suplier but if you can find an industrial focussed one the cost would be low.
David Beasley Garden Design November 3, 2009 at 7:38am

How about a really fine wire mesh (2.5mm square grid). This gauze like material would be lightweight, allow most light through and stop nuisance privot growing through.

Don't know where to get it from though, might need a bit of phoning around.....
David Beasley Garden Design November 4, 2009 at 6:36am

Perspex/OSB sheets would create too much of a 'wind sail' (even though it may be part protected by the hedge) and may make the whole fence vunerable in high winds. Also, just think about the amount of work in cutting a standard sheet of perspex (8x4?) into 1-2" strips and the difficulty in fixing them (especially between existing fence and hedge).

If not a wire mesh, how about a tightly woven green/black nylon 'wind break' material as used in nurseries.
It could be rolled out between fence and hedge (still not easy though), fixed easily with clout nails to the back of the posts, would be lightweight, make nice backdrop to gaps between the slats, stop privot growing through and of course allow filtered wind to pass through. It would not solve the 'light' issue, but seeing as there is already a fence/hedge insitu, sideways light is always going to be an issue anyway.

John Ace Garden Services said:
Could you use perspex sheets and knock in some pressure treated stakes just behind the fence to attach them to.
This would set it back by about four inches and would be out of sight.
Nicky @ GardenImprovements.com November 4, 2009 at 8:35am

Thanks for all the fantastic input guys - it's much appreciated!

I think that David's (and my client's) ideas for using a gauze or windbreak material will be what we'll use. I think the perspex/osb idea has it's drawbacks; in particular staining over time, maintenance, and wind stress. The gauze/fabric/mesh idea would perform far better in wind, will (hopefully) be more transparent and therefore suffer less staining effect, and it should be easier replaced. It should be cheaper than perspex as well and this is crucial since the budget is already forecast to be at limit.

I shall of course post some photographs of the finished article and on top of that (since it's an experiment) I'll try and keep a wee update and monitor of performance going over a few months. Hardly exciting stuff but might set a successful precedent for similar future scenarios!

Cheers folks, Nicky
David Channon November 4, 2009 at 5:03pm

Put chainlink up and use it as a trimming guide for the cutter?