Let's Talk about Gardens

@sueinmn @funcountess

I've also thought about a privacy fence, sue. I know that there are sometimes height restrictions. Your neighbor might find a way to be a peeping Tom, as you've indicated, Countess, climbing a ladder. What you describe, it sounds like he has a mental illness that is causing his urge to peep. Does he look at your place only when you're outside? Could you take video with your phone to document his behavior?

As @mayofeb2020 said, you can get wire online. It's a large gauge wire, which will probably be easier on the plants. It is not just hobby wire.

Rather than wiring several limbs together, it would be gentler to do single, individual limbs at a time. It sounds like getting a Christmas tree out of its box and straighten all of the branches. That's not my favorite part of Christmas decorations.

Have you considered arborvitae as a screen? They can be purchased fairly large and are pretty fast growing (just avoid the biggest ones). Or maybe a vine that grows quickly. On my back fence I have Virginia Creeper that will form a dense screen, though I don't need a privacy fence or hedge. It's a nice looking plant. Did you ask the nursery clerk about fast growing things?

Whatever you find, you probably need to dig a hole even larger than is recommended, and amend and fertilize the soil generously. When I plant things I fill the hole with water and wait until the water has soaked in to the ground, and I make sure that the soil in the bottom of the hole is loose, making it easier for the plant to grow.

And I usually gently loosen the roots before putting the plant into its new home.

Sorry for all of the information, which is probably what you've read in your Sunset Garden book. Just have fun designing your yard. Mine was a blank canvas, so anything I did was an improvement. It sounds like that's what you're doing.

Jim

@funcountess I sympathize with your neighbor challenge - we have lived in such places!

Depending on your policy and the rules of your state insurance commission, the information about tree replacement differs. However, the nursery man should also have explained to you that replacing mature trees/shrubs in a row with similar ones carries a risk. The larger the plant, the higher the likelihood the new plant will not survive, but it will definitely suffer a lot of distress. Research at the U of MN Arboretum shows that smaller trees suffer less transplant shock and begin growing much sooner than larger ones, after a few years they catch up quite well. AND the larger the disturbed area planters create to put in each tree, the greater the chance they will disturb roots of surrounding plants and cause them stress, or even eventual death. Finally, in many places, new planting of large trees is not guaranteed like smaller ones, due to the higher rate of failure. So, it is a balancing act.

Since your privacy screen has been disturbed and will be for some time, have you considered a privacy fence, to be removed after the trees fill in?

Sue

Hi Jim,
Thanks for the info. The trees/ bushes were planted before these people moved in.
They have been a awful neighbor for close to 25 years. I noticed emotional problems from them instantly. When they first moved in for one year the man would go to the side of his house behind his gate and make all sorts of weird noise for about 2 hours. Very strange.
That stopped when we had a bad year with heavy rain.
We do have a height limit on fencing. There is a fence that runs from front to all the way up the hill. He is taller then the height limit. All the trees/bushes run along the same line.
When bushes/trees block his view out comes the shears cutters. I’ve told him a million times to only trim what grows on his side. He has chronic obsessions.
I did take plenty of pictures , have good ones of the ladder and him sitting on it.
Cops know about it and said ignore him, since no crime has been committed nothing they can do.
When I toss trash in my trash cans he magically appears, and starts to bang his trash cans.
Same with my Gardner, he makes noise when my Gardner is;here, and sometimes turning his water on to get my Gardner wet, or his truck. Even tho my Gardner parks in front of my house.
Authorities have been to his place on occasion for odds and ends things.
He does retreat for awhile.
I believe he has cameras at all his windows, something that is going to be looked into.
When the trees/bushes burned, the insurance company pulled the destroyed trees out, and planted new ones. Now they are coming next weeks with a new landscaper to see what else can be done for privacy.
If I went any higher on fencing,I’m sure it would be reported.
As for Christmas tree, it’s at the moving and van storage company. Safely in storage since the fire.
I did get the wire at a nursery only $4.00 I do take one long branch from one tree and another branch from another and join them.
Still too many open spaces.
The vines I had all burned when we had a cold snap.
The people on the other side of him are at a much higher elevation, and do have the limit on fencing so they Do not have same problem, although they stay away, because of bizarre behavior.
His wife also has serious mental issues, I think depression. Very strange behavior, she disappears for years, then Returns. I think they have been married and divorced multiple times to each other.they each have one child from other spouses, and the adult kids never come around.
Their ages she’s late 70s and he is early 70s.
Neither one has ever worked at least not since they moved into their home, which has 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
I had to call the police once because the wife was up to no good.
The neighbors stay away from them.
It’s unfortunate they live next door.
I could go on and on, but you get the picture on what is going on.

Hi Jim,
Thanks for the info. The trees/ bushes were planted before these people moved in.
They have been a awful neighbor for close to 25 years. I noticed emotional problems from them instantly. When they first moved in for one year the man would go to the side of his house behind his gate and make all sorts of weird noise for about 2 hours. Very strange.
That stopped when we had a bad year with heavy rain.
We do have a height limit on fencing. There is a fence that runs from front to all the way up the hill. He is taller then the height limit. All the trees/bushes run along the same line.
When bushes/trees block his view out comes the shears cutters. I’ve told him a million times to only trim what grows on his side. He has chronic obsessions.
I did take plenty of pictures , have good ones of the ladder and him sitting on it.
Cops know about it and said ignore him, since no crime has been committed nothing they can do.
When I toss trash in my trash cans he magically appears, and starts to bang his trash cans.
Same with my Gardner, he makes noise when my Gardner is;here, and sometimes turning his water on to get my Gardner wet, or his truck. Even tho my Gardner parks in front of my house.
Authorities have been to his place on occasion for odds and ends things.
He does retreat for awhile.
I believe he has cameras at all his windows, something that is going to be looked into.
When the trees/bushes burned, the insurance company pulled the destroyed trees out, and planted new ones. Now they are coming next weeks with a new landscaper to see what else can be done for privacy.
If I went any higher on fencing,I’m sure it would be reported.
As for Christmas tree, it’s at the moving and van storage company. Safely in storage since the fire.
I did get the wire at a nursery only $4.00 I do take one long branch from one tree and another branch from another and join them.
Still too many open spaces.
The vines I had all burned when we had a cold snap.
The people on the other side of him are at a much higher elevation, and do have the limit on fencing so they Do not have same problem, although they stay away, because of bizarre behavior.
His wife also has serious mental issues, I think depression. Very strange behavior, she disappears for years, then Returns. I think they have been married and divorced multiple times to each other.they each have one child from other spouses, and the adult kids never come around.
Their ages she’s late 70s and he is early 70s.
Neither one has ever worked at least not since they moved into their home, which has 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
I had to call the police once because the wife was up to no good.
The neighbors stay away from them.
It’s unfortunate they live next door.
I could go on and on, but you get the picture on what is going on.

@funcountess I sympathize with your neighbor challenge - we have lived in such places!

Depending on your policy and the rules of your state insurance commission, the information about tree replacement differs. However, the nursery man should also have explained to you that replacing mature trees/shrubs in a row with similar ones carries a risk. The larger the plant, the higher the likelihood the new plant will not survive, but it will definitely suffer a lot of distress. Research at the U of MN Arboretum shows that smaller trees suffer less transplant shock and begin growing much sooner than larger ones, after a few years they catch up quite well. AND the larger the disturbed area planters create to put in each tree, the greater the chance they will disturb roots of surrounding plants and cause them stress, or even eventual death. Finally, in many places, new planting of large trees is not guaranteed like smaller ones, due to the higher rate of failure. So, it is a balancing act.

Since your privacy screen has been disturbed and will be for some time, have you considered a privacy fence, to be removed after the trees fill in?

Sue

Hi Sue,
Landscaper who deals with insurance claims, paid a surprise visit this a.m. he said you know your plant/tree business. And wanted to know if you wanted to work for his company. I told him you live out of state, and maybe you would consider it, if somebody picked you up in a private jet every day.
The result is he going to draw up plans and submit to insurance co. and me
He said. Boxwood, ficus, and oleander, the saint augustine variety.
He found spits in current fencing, and wants to put 12 inch boards of treated redwood in a concrete base to cover open areas. Tons of dirt will be hauled in, and mulch.
Gus did look over fencing and did see 3 camera on wood stakes, and one attached to the screwballs house directly across from one of my doors.
He said I need to contact a private investigator, and attorney, because these people definitely have mental issues.
Also, Gus said the cops do nothing until a crime has been. Commited.
Gus took my garden hose and sprayed over the fence, to maybe disengage those few
Camera that are directed into my property.
Gus asked if I had young girls living here, and I said only one,ME, and I don’t walk around nude, or in a bikini.
He did say a few times, I had pretty landscaping.
If I had the money I would put in a tennis court, certainly enough room for one, and put the tennis courts night lights on the property line.
Anyway will see if insurance company likes Gus plans.
Garage will be completed next Friday, and new windows will be installed in a few days.
Inside will take 6 more months.
just curious, how did you gain your knowledge? Are you a landscape architect?
You give good advice. Appreciate it.
Funcountess

Hi Sue,
Landscaper who deals with insurance claims, paid a surprise visit this a.m. he said you know your plant/tree business. And wanted to know if you wanted to work for his company. I told him you live out of state, and maybe you would consider it, if somebody picked you up in a private jet every day.
The result is he going to draw up plans and submit to insurance co. and me
He said. Boxwood, ficus, and oleander, the saint augustine variety.
He found spits in current fencing, and wants to put 12 inch boards of treated redwood in a concrete base to cover open areas. Tons of dirt will be hauled in, and mulch.
Gus did look over fencing and did see 3 camera on wood stakes, and one attached to the screwballs house directly across from one of my doors.
He said I need to contact a private investigator, and attorney, because these people definitely have mental issues.
Also, Gus said the cops do nothing until a crime has been. Commited.
Gus took my garden hose and sprayed over the fence, to maybe disengage those few
Camera that are directed into my property.
Gus asked if I had young girls living here, and I said only one,ME, and I don’t walk around nude, or in a bikini.
He did say a few times, I had pretty landscaping.
If I had the money I would put in a tennis court, certainly enough room for one, and put the tennis courts night lights on the property line.
Anyway will see if insurance company likes Gus plans.
Garage will be completed next Friday, and new windows will be installed in a few days.
Inside will take 6 more months.
just curious, how did you gain your knowledge? Are you a landscape architect?
You give good advice. Appreciate it.
Funcountess