How about getting old doors/shutters and hinging together and fasten ends to posts. You could paint them, decorate them, put vines up them, hang pots from. Maybe put an evergreen tree at each end to keep in the theme of your yard. Initial cost would be low if you get doors/shutters from Restore (Habitat for Humanity stores). Or check out the Freecycle in your area. You could even put doors in a few other places to tie it together. At least the kids playing would not break more garage windows and hide its uglyness. Shoot, put in two poles and hang up a paint dropcloth/tarp and throw paint at it to decorate, lol. Be sure to put it past each end of the garage so that they have to look at the back of it...I know I am evil.

I agree with Twomonths, Curbshop, freecycle, friends neighbors, anyone who could help you find doors or anything that would be somewhat tall enough to obscure the eyesore. Doors could be painted, braced and used for hanging baskets,art deco etc. I think this would be the cheapest way to go, with a lot of possibilities. Good luck and good hunting. Don't forget to come back and let us know what you come up with.

I have found a year around beauty in lattice painted any color you choose. It looks great with vines or without vines. I bought the white lattice panels made out of PVC so I wont have to repaint them (a lucky Craigslist find).

Lindat,
AT first I was going to suggest Espaliers (http://www.oldhousejournal.com/The_Practical_Beauty_of_Espaliers/magazine/1428) btu then again that is for directly on a fence...
What about a tall hedge? I'm thinking pyrocantha...that's if you want berries and thorns....I googled up some articles....here's one on hedges http://gardening.about.com/od/treesshrubs/tp/Privacy_Hedge.htm
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/SP517.pdf
http://springhillnursery.com/category.asp?c=3&bhcd2=1243380396
http://www.abouthedges.com/evergreen_hedges.shtml
http://www.associatedcontent.com/video/89664/choosing_trees_for_a_hedge.html?cat=6

Either you could plant a row of them or zigzag them about 10 feet from your property line. Then that could support a backdrop to creating through the years a garden to see from your deck. I hope this has helped and given you some good ideas.

Love, Jules

A New York approach :-)

dcarch
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Try what I did for some color and fun for a brick wall I have.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14399469@N00/3346134675/

Scroll down the page on the link to see a few nice privacy screens. Google 'privacy screen' to see lots of them. Can you post a photo? Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: A couple of screens

This is what we built to keep neighbors from seeing right thru our back door...morning glory vine and plants are covering most of it now...Mary

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You could plant tall blooming plants in a couple of rows in front of the garage wall. LOL, things like hollyhock and cosmos look good in front of concrete. Though I also like DArch's solution.

I think I like DArch's solution. lol

If you have the patience, a closely planted row of flowering trees or a hedge that you allow to grow to tree height (like privet, which will grow fast and wants to be 12 feet tall)would block the view. A lattice screen like Momof6's could also be at the center surrounded by trees and maybe azaleas or other bushes planted under the trees.

The cheapest idea I could imagine would be to offer your family's labor to paint the garage's exterior walls, if they will buy the paint. Then while you are out going to tag sales keep an eye open for a window.

Exp: Mr. Jones (you old goat) have a plate of cookies. We are doing a lot of yard entertaining this summer and we would like to set a bench or some chairs on our side of your garage. My husband (son, brother, BF, sister) said while we are fixing up the yard that we all could paint that garage of yours if you guys can buy some paint. I have been keeping my eye open for a replacement window for you. Did ja notice that it is broken?!!!!! I'll let you know when I find one. ect. ect. ect.

If your neighbor is financially, physically, or mentally incapable, You may know a boyscout troup leader that needs a community project for his scouts.

If you see a large canvas pic at a yard sale, paint over it in a bright color. Have children's feet and hand prints or leaf prints put on it. Hang it up over the broken window. If the neighbor complains tell them you covered up the window to protect their things from rain.

Invite the neighbor to your side for a cookout. Have a friend come over and say "OMG someone broke your garage window!!!!! Was it a break-in attempt???? Anytime I see a broken window I think robbers".

It sounds like you are going to have to be very creative with this one to keep from having to spend a bunch of money. Challenge yourself to WIN by gently opening your neighbor up for home improvements. Give them your home and garden magazines after you are through with them. Some folks just have not been exposed enough to care about esthetics.

Let us know how it goes!!!!

I'd go with planting shrubs and small trees. Freetreesandplants.com is a site where you can get bare root trees and shrubs for $7.95 for two. They have shrubs like forsynthia, lilac, mock orange and red twig dogwood. They also have various flowering trees like crabapple, cherry, red bud and dogwood. And sweetkountry's idea of tall flowers is a good one too.

Until any plants can fill in, I like momof6's creation using lattice. Or use headboards from metal beds as trellises. Who was it here that has an old bedspring for a trellis? Or sections of fencing or old doors would work too, then you could hang things on them like suns, birdhouses, old tools, etc.

Make sure you show us what you come up with!

Here is a link that might be useful: Free Trees & Plants

Lattice painted white will stop the eye cold. You just don't see through it or past it.

I guarantee it.

Janie

When we moved here 10 years ago, Leyland Cypress had been planted around our property line. The following 2 pics show how much privacy they give, but it takes a little time, they grow quite fast though. I don't know if you have room for them in your yard, but the beauty of them is that they are evergreen year round and almost completely block the neighbors and a sidewalk from our property. But heavy snow can ruin them, so I'm not sure if they'd be right for your area. I bet you could find some nice evergreens that would work well if you go that route.

Other things would be to rig up an arbor, even if with twigs, there are a few threads about it on here recently. And cover that baby with vines. An evergreen vine such as Confederate Jasmine (mine is blooming now) then you have green leaves on it year round at least.

Good luck, there always seems to be just ONE neighbor like that LOL ... but that's all it takes to drive you nuts :-)

~tenderlee

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In the first pic, the sidewalk and school across the street is almost completely blocked by the Leyland Cypress.

In the second pic, the neighbor's house behind me can barely be detected.

I love evergreens!

Wow, TennesseeT, those trees look great. We don't have a wall but some junky (and I don't mean garden junk-we're talking move in a trailer that split in two and left it for two years) neighbors we have to look at from our front porch. Do the cypress trees require a lot of watering?

Sandplum, the trees will require regular watering the first season they are set out. After that, they seem to do just fine, even during drought. But .... I notice you're in Oklahoma, and Paul James has shown damage to his Leylands on his Gardening By The Yard show on HGTV, filmed at his home in OK. The problem is that the center isn't very strong and when they have a lot of snow on them, they just lean over, and usually they have to be cut down. Sometimes they can be made to grow upright again, but not always.

LindaT is in Kansas, so KS definitely gets big snows, probably wouldn't be the right species, but there must be a good evergreen similar. Just tell your garden center and they should be able to suggest something appropriate for your climate. As excited as I get when we see the slightest snow flurries, I get scared at the same time, because the neighbors are much closer than it looks with the evergreens.

DC, as always, I really dig your sense of humor! :-) That would definitely get the point across .... lmao

Mary, I love your solution to the neighbor's view! And it's pretty to look at too! I wish I had something like that in my garden.

Linda, you could also put a few 4x4s in the ground with a little cement to stabalize, and put lattice panels between them, creating a "wall". It would cost a bit, but might could find something recycled possibly. Cover with something like ivy, you won't see anything soon.

Anyhoo..... I feel your pain! Now that the Leylands are grown, I can't see my neighbors any more, which thankfully are good neighbors currently. But when my trees were too small to give complete privacy, both of the bordering houses were rentals for a while, and weren't cared for very well. With time, it all improved, and they are owner occupied now. (not that renters don't have nice places too, just that the landlord didn't keep the houses up like homeowners who occupy the place do now).

Maybe your neighbors will move eventually .... you can always dream lol .... ~tenderlee

Dear all who have posted,
Thank you for your ideas,
I have enjoyed reading these!!!
I did not give a great deal of background info,
So here is some more info.
FIrst off, we live in a small town in central ks., there are no large cities near by-Wichita is about 2 hrs away. We do not have freecycle, craigslist is in Wichita. Crime is not an issue!! Broken windows are just from
lack of upkeep-garage is used as a wood shop-owners have put various items up against some of the windows so they are not aware or dont care about the "look"
Now with that in mind, neighbors are not painting this old shop-tried that one. Husband is nice enough, wife IKES!!!She doesn't visit or do neighbor-just works out of town and goes in the house, he does the " yard" . They don't care what we do in our yard but keep things off the walls of the garage, apparently years ago there waw a vining plant that covered the wall up(what a great sight that must have been!), blocked the window-da-and that wasn't good for the exterior of the garage-as you can tell there are some contradictions with these people. We say our how de dos and that's it. We have tried the "normal" approach.
We've considered the lattice. That will be expensive. I like the shutter idea. Please keep in mind this is KS, we have winds and anything you put up will come down if not anchored WELL. I will keep reading the posts, and let you know what I do, Ill try to post pics, too.
Thanks again.

Lots of great ideas here, lindat. I know it is not a quick fix but I sure would suggest "planting" and keep "planting" ...if you can get any specials at the end of the season on any "white pine" trees...they grow so fast and I see you have some pine trees in your post. ... Also a wonderful bush called "ninebark"....has grown to about 8' for me in just 3 yrs...but it loses it's leaves in winter Just keep looking for bargains and keep planting!

Any posts, 4x4's or anything you can get used...keep an eye out ... auctions, garage sales, etc. and then build from there...the lattice, of course ...but shutters or old doors look wonderful also!

Have you looked thru the GJ Inspiration Album lately? purplemoon created it & keeps it updated with great ideas from all us GJers! Something might "inspire!"

Good luck & let us know how you do! Jeanne S.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Junk Inspiration Album