Fencing?

Poor dogs.

A berm of earth would be the most effective noise blocker. Soil is an excellent absorber of sound.

I don't know what zone you are in, but here (zone 8 in WA state) Thuja Arbovitae (Emerald Green) is a popular screening plant. I've had it in partial shade with very good results.

I'd do a berm like hoovb suggested and then plant. (In addition to absorbing sound, the berm would also raise the plants)
If Arborvitae won't work for you, something similar.

Big trees, lots of root competition? I'd second the fencing. There was a thread here a long time ago about whether a berm would reduce noise... highway noise I think.

My wife said no to the fence and isn't too keen on the berm idea. :-(

I was thinking of getting rid of the . . whatever those big evergreens are in the pic. .. so I can make space for something new and reduce competition. The only problem is a huge (5 feet thick) oak right in the middle. I may have to get some water system or something to compete with that.

I thought about Emeralds but I'd have to buy like 100 of them to fill all that space.

I guess there's no "perfect" screen.

Do you want a sweet, soft answer or the straight ahead approach? There is nothing in the way of vegetative matter/berms that will block, muffle or reduce the barking noise of six dogs in such close proximity! Now you are talking about removing whatever mature visual protection you have from the unsightly situation. And further...your wife does not want a fence which is the only answer to blocking the view. Sorry. Can't be of any help. Ripping down healthy trees and going to the expense of replanting more mature trees does not make any sense. "Fences make good neighbors." Think about it.

Maybe some wider evergreen shrubs such as Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis' would be a better bet. Japanese Hollies can be had pretty cheap and they grow pretty fast. Throw in some yews, some viburnums, some azaleas and maybe a dogwood or two and you are one your way to creating an attractive mixed screen. You would have to spend a LOT of money to get an immediate screen from plants.

- Brent

Looks to me like you could fill in the gaps between the trees that you have ... with the Arborvitae ... perhaps just to screen the kennel area at first.

I put a row of Technies in there a few years ago and I swear they haven't grown an inch!! Nothing seems to grow there at all.

I'm not as concerned about the barking as I am the screen. The dogs mostly bark when they see us so if they can't see us, no barking!

Those Prunus laurocerasus look pretty cool. The yews do too. Heck, they all do. However, I would have no idea how to set them all up, what sizes to get, how far apart, and all the other stuff. I was hoping to just stick a whole bunch of something in the ground and have it grow like wildfire until I can't see my neighbors anymore. :-)

Tree ID question:

I see around the neighbor these really beautiful arborvitaes (I think). They look like emeral greens but they are about 20 feet tall and like 6 feet wide. Anyone know what that might be?

Thanks.

I agree with nandina that there are no easy answers to your issue. While there are things you can put in the ground and "have it grow like wildfire," you may find that you are now confronted with something noxious and invasive.

Given your enthusiasm, time line, lack of support from your spouse, and lack of experience, the fastest, most efficient way to get what you want may be to contact a landscape designer based in your area. We did this initially for our yard and paid $60 for an hour of their time before committing to a more extensive relationship. Using a consultant might save you both money and grief over the long run, and they can answer your questions about mature sizes, spacing, and stuff like that.

This is not a landscaping problem -- it is a people problem. Even if you implemented your ideas, the project would qualify for this Landscape Design Forum's venerable, Chrome Plated Turd Award.

Most places require a kennel to be licensed. (Is it any wonder, why?) I believe you are being unrealistically optimistic and avoiding choices you already know to be true. You are going to have to legally curtail your neighbor, accept the conditions or move. Unfortunately, this is one of those situations that only tends to get worse.

IronBelly

True, you can go big to solve this, or you can go small. There is only a small stretch that is really crucial to cover that will keep you blocked from the dogs' view most of the time. Why not buy one or two of each of the shrubs that you like (visit the local nursery and look around for the ones you've seen planted that you like), and plant them at the hottest spot. See how it goes. See how you like each shrub. See how the neighbours react. See what the dogs do. See if the plants survive. Then take on the next section.

IB...being a bit fiesty today? I don't think that the original poster is being too unrealistic...though I agree that a fence would be the best solution. Unrealistic is my wife's "friend" that called to whine that she is getting kicked out of her condo..because she has 6 dogs (the limit is 2). My wife's suggestion to get rid of 4 of the dogs did not go over very well. ;-)

You are right that there might be a zoning or licensing issue involved. Is this kennel just for dogs that the neighbor owns? There may be a limit on the number of dogs allowed or the neighbor may be required to provide screening. Some people complain about Home Owners Associations, but at least I know that my neighbor cannot park a '75 Nova in their front lawn and put a dog kennel along my property line.

- Brent

The neighbors have had this kennel there for a long long time. I assume it's legal but even if it isn't I don't want to get into it with them. Plus, I just want privacy regardless of the kennel.

I know they're ok with me putting up trees there because I talked to them about it previously so that's good.

The idea of talking to a designer is a good one. I'll give a call to a local nursery this weekend.

Once I pick what I'd like to plant my next biggest concern is how will I keep it alive? The Oak tree there is absolutely huge! It's taking water from everything around there. Plus, there are a number of pines along that stretch. I'm wondering if I need an irrigation system of some kind. . . . . .

An evil genie in my head says to suggest asking your wife how you're supposed to keep shrubs alive under there, since she's the one who vetoed the fence idea.

Yes, you will need to water your new shrubs, and ultimately the oak's and pines' roots will find that water and come and get it. But it'll work for a while, if you're diligent.

Would it be terrible to cut down some of the pines?

The evil genie in my head says "Plant bamboo." Lots of it.

The evil genie in my head says, "Plant japanese knotweed around the periphery of the kennel." Lots of it. Ooops... kennel all gone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Knotty thoughts

Thanks for all the suggestions. Time to do some research.

i think it would be evil to cut down beautifully healthy conifers! I would kill for mine to be that big and beautiful. Too bad the wife isn't very supportive; does she like looking at the dogs and the smell they must make? How about some kindof garden green house shed combo in that area, and keeping those beautiful tree's. It would be so sad to kill them off. If my partner said no fencing I'd pretend I didn't hear her and put one up anyway, fortunately for me I am free to do anything I want outside as long as we can afford it

Interesting dilema! Landscaping- diplomacy- and animal relations.

1) Make friends with the dogs or at least get them familiar with your prescence. Then they will ignore you.

2) Plant Mt Laurels between your trees- Evergreen and take tree root competition and shade.

3)Plant shrubs on your neighbors side of the fence.

4)If that is you welded wire fence then put bamboo slat or vinyl slates in the fence.

Now for some more Evil Genie (stupid) ideas ;)

5) Buy a rabbit on a track and run it along the fence... drive the dogs and neighbors crazy

6) Buy an RV camper and park it along your property line (just kidding)But fight ugly with ugly....

I am sorry but I don't see what the big problem you all are talking about here. First the house hardly looks run down and the dog kennel looks clean and so do the dogs.I hope they are not in there 24/7 as they are high energy dogs and they need a job, not jail. Looks to me that you have plenty of space from your house to the fence line. It isn't as if your house is 6 feet from the fence.
Truthfully you sound picky and the type of neighbor who needs to be more tolerant of others living around you or buy a bigger piece of property.Everybody doesn't live or want to live like their neighbors and when you buy a piece of property that is close enough to the neighbors keep this in mind.WIth all the space you have to work with you could make it so you wouldn't know if there were dogs or neighbors there or not.Why is it up to them to change to make you happy? DIdn't you move next to them?WHy are they bad neighbors?
I may upset some of you but did anyone ever consider that they don't think the dog kennel is a eyesore? I myself didn't think anything about the neighbors looked so bad that I felt the need to wage war on them. If you really hate what you see then why don't you put a berm in and fill it full of the "proper plants" Add a huge water feature to help drown out any sounds that they may make living near you. Just remember to leave a place where you can still see how they are or are not maintaining their place.
Sounds to me that your wife likes to have a full veiw of the neighbors place. No berm no fence hummmm.
Everyone here seemed to jump at the chance to rip these neighbors apart. One talks about the smell coming from the kennels? What? I never read anything about a stench or constant barking from these animals. I may need glasses more than I thought because the neighbors house didn't come close to being run down looking to me. All I can say is feel blessed none of you are my neighbors. If my neighbor has the nerve to complain about what I do or don't do in my yard, I can promise the "problem only gets worse"
Last I remembered this was a free country and it isn't a crime to live differently than others. For those who are senitive to others ways of living really should avoid moving anywhere too close to others.
I bet I could find something obnoxious about your yard,gardens,car,fertilizing/spraying,wife or your attitude but I would never think about talking dirt to others about it. I would be too busy tending to my yard, house and life to find the time.
Maybe you didn't mean to sound the way you did in your post and all you really wanted was some advice to make your yard more private instead of blocking out the low life neighbors place that you find so hard to look at. All I know is I found not only your post but almost everyone elses post out of line and obnoxious.
Ironbelly- you suggest to fight them legally? For what? A judge would look at that picture and write you off as the noisy controlling neighbor who needs to get a life. Man you said move NOW!!! Such drama

Sorry but this the way I felt the first time I read this post and when I reread it I just had to respond.

Okay everyone chose your weapons, I am ducking as I type.Atleast I am honest

I had a similiar problem with a neighbor who built an enormous and tall shop with lots of lighting - his hobby is race cars....they are very tidy people so it wasnt a mess, its just that we could see everything going on when we were on our deck, and love our privacy. My blood pressure when sky high whenever I sat outside. I thought of everything, and finally said.....nuts to it, and built a fence. It is a very tall wooden fence and I am telling you.......thats the best money I ever spent! I can barely see his light thru the cracks in the fence, but it is not a problem. The fence, which is on my property line and there is a horse paddock in between the fence and my house, is pretty, with trees in front of it. The fence is just long enough to cover his shop, and tapers down on either end. For shrubs, you could plant red tip photinia or eleagnus......but a fence gives immediate gratification and I can guarantee you.......you will love it! Plant something pretty in front of it. And call the city if the barking gets too annoying, and perhaps your local humane society if you feel the dogs are being mistreated. In my opinion, a fence is the only answer.

I would suggest a fencing company come sit down with you and your wife show her options I am sure when given different options to chose from she will be happy .. pricing for fencing and for mature trees will run you about the same amount however fencing you dont need to water or buy an irrigation system for , it is instant gratification, nor do you have to dig the holes to plant a FENCE. and you can always over time plant some vegetation in front of it to block the fence "look" dollar for dollar the fence is your best return on your investment ..

Also try Leyland Cypress evergreens they grow almost two feet ++ annually can be purchased on the 3-4 foot side then within a few years will be tall beautiful evergreens. If you live near a Costco they have them in the spring for for about 30 for 4-6 foot trees and the are excellent specimens plus costco gives you a one year unconditional warranty . if your like me and lose receipts no problem, because all your Costco purchases are recorded for eternity.

Leylands are fairly shallow rooted and do blow over in heavy winds if not tied down. Heavy winds meaning nor easters or hurricanes..

They grow like weeds and if trimmed annually they get extremely DENSE .Excellent for screening out the neighbors quickly faster than the green giant Thujas .. Dogs kids, junk, DISAPPEAR quickly etc. and while no plant is going to eliminate noise it will help filter it ..

Hope this helps - just wish they grew down here in our new locale , SW Florida's Gulf Coast.. too warm and too salty down here. They thrive most anywhere else.

Down here we use Areca Palms the plant of choice for Screening ..

Did you notice, ljdcom, that this thread is 11 years old?

By the way, I see ironbelly had posted here. Whatever happened to him? I don't see him post anymore.

Ironbelly is alive and well.

Omg! So you are. I always enjoyed your posts and appreciated your viewpoint as a fellow midwesterner. (Iowa, I believe.) So are you just a lurker now?