Solutions for a gap in a hedge

JackMN

About 4 metres of our boundary hedge with the neighbours has become really patchy and it's possible now to see right through it, meaning that there is no privacy at all. Rather than replace the hedge completely, we were thinking of putting something up against that dying patch on our side.
So we're looking for something that would be 4 metres long and about 2.3 metres tall (to fit with the surviving sides of the hedge) and would fit neatly against the existing hedge. One option is a fencing panel, but we were wondering about other ideas: would any potted plant be tall enough, and broad enough, and survive in the pot (the ground is a bit gravelly). Also need to think about it being secure and not falling over...
Any thoughts welcome!

looksee

Fence height limited to 2m in a back garden.

Putting in a fence for 4 m set back from the existing hedge is going to create issues when/if the neighbours decide to replace the rest of the hedge. Do they then line the new hedge up with your fence - ie moving the boundary onto your property?

What happens where the fence meets the hedge, you will have a step in that will effectively be a gap.

The whole proposal is very messy, and the potted plant will not work either.

Have you talked to the neighbours? What kind of hedge is it? If you cannot/do not wish to remove the scrappy hedge then your best bet would be to plant bare root whips (depending on what the hedge is) as near to between the existing bushes as possible. Or remove the scrappy hedge completely and replace with a sturdy fence, but this would really mean co-operating with the neighbours.

JackMN

The actual boundary ought to be easy to identify even after the addition of a fence, as there is an old waist-high fence post in the centre of the hedge, plus there is a step down from their property to ours.
I'm just keen to put some screen between us as our kitchen looks out directly onto the side of their house where their front door is.
Other than rooting out the whole hedge (which is not an option), anyone see any other option?

tedimc

When you say rooting out the hedge is not an option, does that apply to the patchy bit?

Could you remove the just patchy plants and replace with ready, mature hedging? They come in 1m long troughs and can be planted anytime of year. But they are pricey: 150-200 euros per meter.

Another option is wait till late Oct/Nov and replace with mature bare root plants. You can get 4-5 ft plants for anywhere north of 2.50 a plant. You could double row them and something like beech or laurel would fill out very quickly.

But all depends on the type of hedging all ready in situ.

Lumen

Seems more like a gardening problem

I would just replace the bit of manky hedging with reasonably well-developed potted hedging, and then for the short term put up some green wind break netting, which will both shield the new hedging from wind damage and provide a privacy screen.

Obvs try and figure out why the hedging is dying though. Old age? Lack of water? Disease?

Calahonda52

I'm with L here re whats the root cause: could their version of 19 and in time the rest may die off
I would think about a proper timber fence, end of