Softening the look of my neighbors brick wall

[Big Lou]

We love on a zero lot line property. Essentially that means our property runs up to our neighbors windowless brick wall. As you will see from the photos this innocent yet imposing wall does not lend itself to a tranquil garden view. In transforming this bland view we face several obstacles. We cannot attach any thing to her wall. There is not much yard space to work with. If we were to use some sort of plant it needs to be tall and narrow and a perennial or evergreen. Feel free to illustrate your ideas using photoshop and some such software.

Be creative! No suggestion is a bad suggestion. Thanks.........Louis

 

[michey1st]

What kind of light do you get in that spot? I'm thinking some kind of pretty pergola, arbor, or trellis in the ground, with flowering vines climbing over it. If that is a northern exposure, there are some vining roses that would look gorg (a few are great for an indirect light spot like the northern side of a house, although I can't recall their names -- read about them in a book about cottage gardening). You may also be able to put a bench under it and make it into a focal point.

If you do get direct sun, your options are much more open as far as vines go. There's even a few evergreen natives (crossvine, gelsimium -- but that one is poisonous so keep it away from the pond).

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with specifics about what might work in your climate.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

My only thought is that around here I see a lot of brick houses that have some kind of vine growing all over their sides. I've always liked that look.

 

[Mmathis]

What about a self-supporting trellis -- not attached to the wall, but a wall in itself, but a few inches or a foot back from the wall ( which would also allow air circulation for the plants ). Would have to research appropriate plants, but there are some in the "jasmine" family that vine and look very nice on a trellis and grow well in our climate. They are evergreens and produce abundant fragrant flowers. I had a "Confederate Jasmine," but there is another one that's not quite as invasive, maybe a "Carolina Jasmine?" Something that started with a "c". It wouldn't take up anything but vertical space.

For some color interest in the summer, you could add a Clematis and let it vine & weave through the Jasmine -- I love Clemmies -- so pretty and so many varieties & colors to choose from!

I like maintenance-free, so if it was me, I'd go with the vinyl lattice stuff -- comes in different colors. Some you'd have to special order, but I got some a while back from LOWE'S and it shipped quickly at no extra cost.

Here's a page from Pinterest with some pictures.

http://www.pinterest.com/armadillodeck/lattice-projects/

 

[timvz]

Free standing trellis with ivy. You'll probably need to use a few 4x4 posts cemented into holes in the ground for support, since you cannot attach to the wall.

 

[Big Lou]

The free standing lattice idea sounds good. Would you recommend sections about 4 feet wide or what?

 

[Big Lou]

My only thought is that around here I see a lot of brick houses that have some kind of vine growing all over their sides. I've always liked that look.

great idea but we cannot attach anything to her wall.

 

[JohnHuff]

 

[Mmathis]

Crude, but....

And it need never touch neighbor's wall!

 

[Mmathis]

Free standing trellis with ivy. You'll probably need to use a few 4x4 posts cemented into holes in the ground for support, since you cannot attach to the wall.

Yea, that's what I was talking about!

 

[Big Lou]

What kind of light do you get in that spot? I'm thinking some kind of pretty pergola, arbor, or trellis in the ground, with flowering vines climbing over it. If that is a northern exposure, there are some vining roses that would look gorg (a few are great for an indirect light spot like the northern side of a house, although I can't recall their names -- read about them in a book about cottage gardening). You may also be able to put a bench under it and make it into a focal point.

If you do get direct sun, your options are much more open as far as vines go. There's even a few evergreen natives (crossvine, gelsimium -- but that one is poisonous so keep it away from the pond).

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with specifics about what might work in your climate.

This time of year eastern sun in the morning then blistering heat from the west till about 7:30 pm. The irrigation system waters ever third day for 18 min per zone.

 

[Big Lou]

Crude, but....View attachment 72968
And it need never touch neighbor's wall!

Lovely. What is the shorter section on the left? Is it behind the front panel or merely a shorter section? Great idea. We have Carolina Jasimine growing on a very big iron trellis in the front. It secures the front open area between our house and the neighbor.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

great idea but we cannot attach anything to her wall.

I didn't realize it was building.
What about sunflowers? Yes, they are annuals, but very easy to collect the seeds and replant, and grow tall enough.

Tough one. I'm surprised its even legal to have a building that close to your yard. We have laws here to prevent that sort of thing.

 

[Big Lou]

Zero lot line communities are an legal an beneficial way to make use of every square inch of your yard. We have an added bonus of living on a corner lot. This means we has yard in front, back and both sides whereas non-corner lots have yards only in the front, right side and back. Sunday well passed a new development of $600k to million plus homes on very small lots. Small front yard, about 6' side yards (both sides) and very, very small back yards.

Over 12 years ago we though about building in a very posh neighborhood. The 1/3 acre lot alone was priced at $269,000. The home size was restricted to 3,750 sq ft and greater. The avg size home in that development is 5 to 6k sq ft. After building a house on that lot the total cost would have been near $1 million. Remember that was 12 or more tears ago. If available today that same bare 1/3 acre lot would sell for $475k to $575k.

Our meager current lot is 60 x 110. Our custom yet meager 21 year old 2 story home that we had build has about 2k sq ft living space with attached gargage. The price was a steal. Our small 76 home development has a concrete walking path through a communal lovely grassed and forested area. Tennis courts alond with a community center with fenced in very nice yard to use for private gathering at no cost. Zero to minimal crime. HOA. Ultra quiet 24/7. Ultra clean and well kept up.

 

[j.w]

I like that free standing trellis idea but w/ some kind of pretty flowers that bloom in your hot weather. OH and nice smelling ones would be wonderful!