Plants that actually block a two-story neighbor's view
Standard fast-growing hedges often fail or get too thirsty, leaving second-story windows completely exposed. Using a mixed planting of resilient species like podocarpus, hopseed, or clumping bamboo prevents a single pest from wiping out your entire privacy screen.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Staring back at neighbors through their windowsDid this help you?
- 2Building a taller fenceDid this help you?
- 3Planting trees anyway and hoping they grow despite insufficient sunlightDid this help you?
- 4Asking online communities for specific plant recommendations tailored to local climate zonesDid this help you?
- 5Considering narrow columnar plants like sky pencilsDid this help you?
- 6Removing artificial turf strips to gain a little extra planting spaceDid this help you?
- 7Considering various fast-growing screening plants, trees, and hedges such as ribbonwood, pittosporum, bananas, bamboo, cabbage trees, and lancewood to create a privacy screen.Did this help you?
- 8Thinking of adding Arborvitae (green giants) to the front perimeterDid this help you?
- 9Planting Green Giant arborvitae treesDid this help you?
- 10Planting SpruceDid this help you?
- 11Considering bambooDid this help you?
- 12Using small curtains that filter lightDid this help you?
- 13Installing stained glass privacy filmDid this help you?
- 14Putting up blinds or custom shadesDid this help you?
- 15Adding lattice panels with vining plantsDid this help you?
- 16Planting upright boxwoods, hollies, or a wall of arborvitaesDid this help you?
- 17Thinking about building a permanent pergola or gazebo with a roofDid this help you?
- 18Considering a decorative screen, wide and tall trellis, or half-pergolaDid this help you?
- 19Looking into town regulations for non-fence structures to see if taller privacy structures are allowedDid this help you?
- 20Offering to pay to have shrubs planted on the neighbor's sideDid this help you?
- 21Planting Italian cypress treesDid this help you?
- 22Building a privacy wallDid this help you?
- 23Planting arborvitae, upright junipers, or mixed screens of viburnum and dogwoodDid this help you?
- 24Asking the neighbor to plant something along their back wallDid this help you?
- 25Planting fast-growing bamboo along the fence lineDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I could really use some help with brainstorming how to make a privacy wall that looks nice. I have a small apt building sitting on the property line next to my house. I’d like to be able to plant some trees that could help block their view directly into my yard.”source ↗
“Star jasmine and/or podocarpus - go for the gracilior variety. That's what we did for adu that was built 4ft away from us 🫠”source ↗
“Ideally, we want full privacy, but what would be a good way to add privacy to this area?”source ↗
“Our (Mid-Atlantic) backyard is in plain view of like 5 other backyards. What trees would grow fast? We need some privacy on a budget and we want it now!”source ↗
“Hi, we need something to put in front of our window in order to block the neighbors house.”source ↗
“I now need privacy! On the north side is a totally obnoxious neighbor who built his vinyl chain length fence right on the property line (against the city regulations, but …). I would love to never see him again!”source ↗
“The neighbors to the south are lovely, and they built a nice vinyl fence the required 1’ from the property line. But they are now building a huge deck that will sit well above my yard and direct visibility to anything I do.”source ↗
“Cypress get big and thirsty fast in SoCal, maybe look into a layered approach with something like hopseed or clumping bamboo so you don't lose the whole screen if borers hit one species”source ↗
“Has anyone planted these trees in an area with 2-3 hours of sun and they still grew to max height and stayed thick?”source ↗
“If not, what is best alternative for a privacy hedge at least 12 ft high with this much sun?”source ↗
“Any advice on what to put along the fence to create some privacy from the neighbor? Need it to be around 10-15 ft high and cover around 30ft.”source ↗
“There aren't many things that will get to the height you want, stay narrow, provide consistent screening, and then stay at the size you want.”source ↗
“I have a two story house behind us and I want to plant to block it out. There is only a 1.5 metre fence betwen us so we literally can make eye contact.”source ↗
“Im leaning towards planting Ribbonwood trees but Im wary of how much it may cost to trim after 5 years.”source ↗
“I have a neighbor that added on to his house several years ago and his addition is an eyesore. He didn’t plant anything to help break up my view so I’m stuck staring at this ugly wall in my backyard.”source ↗
“Now he’s adding an ADU unit to the backyard and it will be 2 stories high (18’) and 4’ from the fence line.”source ↗
“In the meantime, do you have suggestions regarding what I can plant to provide a fast growing plant/tree/shrub along the fence that will also look okay with my existing plants?”source ↗
“It was his tree and he was free to remove it but when the tree was there, we couldn't see his house at all and more importantly, he couldn't see our yard. Now, we are completely exposed. It looks gross and feels awful.”source ↗
“I can't plant another tree there, on my property for reasons, and even if I did it would be tiny.”source ↗
“I literally have no idea what to do to create some privacy again.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2How to block views and noise from a new building next door
- 4How close can you plant privacy trees to a fence?
- 2How to stop neighbors from interrupting yardwork
- 2Overgrown bushes blocking the walkway
- 3How to stop neighbors from seeing into your backyard legally
- 10How to kill volunteer trees near a house without herbicides