Are you tired of your nosy neighbor, who seems to be interested in everything you do in your garden? If so, there are several easy techniques that you can apply to block their view in your garden. This article offers you’re the most effective and cheap ways to block your neighbor’s view in your garden.
Is Blocking Your Neighbor’s View Illegal?
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As a homebuyer, one of the important things you consider when deciding where to buy a home is the available scenic view. So, it can be quite frustrating to have this view blocked by your neighbor after you’ve already bought the home. But what might force you to block your neighbor’s view, and is it legal?
View Ordinance
It’s important to note that many cities around the world that overlook the ocean and other desirable panoramas have adopted view ordinances to allow everyone to enjoy the scenic views. This law protects property owners in these areas from having their views blocked by their neighbors. However, it doesn’t cover structures that already block views.
So, if you are planning to erect a fence, grow plants or put up any structure that will block your neighbor’s view, you need to ensure that you are not violating your neighborhood community’s ordinances. The view ordinance law allows your neighbor to sue you for blocking their view. It also allows your neighbor to obtain a court order barring you from blocking their view or requiring you to take down any structure blocking their view.
However, your neighbor must approach you first to request you to restore their view before they sue you.
The person complaining about a blocked view should bear the cost of restoring the view, unless you refuse to cooperate when they request you to bring down the structure or cut back the trees, or if you put up the structure after the view ordinance had already become effective. Nevertheless, some view ordinances have wide-ranging limitations that make them less effective.
For instance, there are some species of plants that are exempt, especially the ones that grow naturally. Plus, your neighbor’s complaints will only be valid if the plants blocking their view are within a specific distance from their home. Some view ordnance laws exempt trees growing on city property.
Other Regulations
Even if your city or town doesn’t have view ordinances, you’ll find that it has other local laws regulating scenic views. For instance, many communities have laws stipulating how tall fences should be. Fence height ordinances regulate all man-made fences and certain natural fences.
In the U.S.A, most local laws prohibit property owners from erecting man-made fences that are more than six feet tall. They also regulate the height of some natural fences, especially hedges. You also have to make sure you comply with your local zoning laws. Also referred to as planning regulations, local zoning ordinances regulate the size, position, and use of structures.
For instance, many zoning laws in the United States prohibit property owners from putting up structures that are over 35 feet high in single-family neighborhoods. These laws also require property developers to ensure they leave enough “setback” distance and boundary lines between buildings.
They also regulate the amount of space that each building occupies. In many suburban cities in America, each building is required to occupy between 40 and 60 percent of the entire property. Another important law you need to consider is the subdivision rule. This rule applies to people living in planned unit developments and subdivisions.
It’s a set of regulations referred to as covenants, restrictions, or conditions, and is designed to resolve issues related to neighbors, such as blocked views and tall trees. For instance, these rules can stipulate how tall trees in your lot should be. Many neighbors are required to abide by these rules to avoid expensive lawsuits.
14 Cheap Ways to Block Neighbor’s View
If your local laws allow you to block your neighbor’s view, you should try the following ideas.
1. Hedges
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If you don’t have enough money or space in your garden, you should grow a hedge. Just choose the right evergreens, including Arborvitae, Italian Cypress, among others. Also, consider adding a few beautiful flowers or other plants that will add an element of appeal to your garden.
2. Curtains
If you have a small garden, you can cover it with outdoor curtains to block your neighbor’s view. Apart from adding privacy to your garden, these curtains are easy to fold when they are no longer in use.
3. Layered Plants
If you want to block your neighbor’s view with something that gives your garden a naturalistic appearance, plant a mixture of layered evergreens, deciduous shrubs, small trees, and perennial plants. You can be more creative by layering and grouping your plants in odd numbers to ensure they give you enough privacy from your neighbors. Just make sure you choose plants that don’t take up a lot of space in your garden.
4. Wooden Boards
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Wooden boards are a cheap way to fence your property and cover your neighbor’s views. These boards come ins different sizes and shapes to meet your fencing needs. For instance, you can find vertical, horizontal, and louver boards. These boards are also readily available at timber yards and salvage yards.
5. Worn-out Windows and Doors
If you have old doors and windows lying idle on your property, you can use them to create a privacy screen in your garden. Just line them up around your garden for more privacy.
6. Rolling Curtains
If you have a patio or a small garden, consider using rolling curtains to keep the prying eyes away from your property. These curtains are easy to open and close and they give you full control over the amount of sunlight in your garden.
7. Bamboo Fence
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You should go for a bamboo privacy screen if you want to add the Asian charm to your garden while blocking your neighbor’s views. You can either buy a ready-made bamboo screen or build your own.
8. Container Garden
With potted plants like stamping bamboo or arborvitae, you can create a beautiful fence for your garden. If your containers are heavy, just line up on casters. But it’s advisable to choose lightweight pots that can be moved easily.
9. Art Wall
You can block your neighbor’s view in your garden by creating a canvas wall. You just need a few wooden pallets and cheap paint. You can be as creative as you wish with this wall.
10. Tree Branch Fence
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This is another cheap and exciting way to block your neighbor’s view in your garden. Just pick branches that fall from your trees and arrange them around your garden. You can also grow some trailing plants along the fence to give it some permanency.
11. Plant Walls
Grow large foliage around your garden to give it privacy. For this one, choose large flowering plants that will cover your garden and beautify it at the same time.
12. Chicken Wire Screen
A chicken wire is an easy way to create a barrier around your garden for more privacy. Then, add some climbing plants or arrange some tree branches around the fence to completely block your neighbor’s view.
13. Corrugated Metal Fences
With a corrugated metal fence, you’ll block your neighbor’s view and give your garden a sleek appearance at an affordable cost. These corrugated metal fences are readily available in hardware stores. You’ll need to erect a few wooden beams to hold the metal sheets together.
14. A Straight Up Garden
Hang a few potted plants on a mesh wire around your garden to block your neighbor’s view. Garden pots should be in different sizes and shapes for a more vibrant pattern.
