I don't know much about bamboo, but there has to be a type that'll grow in your area that'll screen the junker. I'm sure someone on here would have more info if that's possible for you. Sorry to hear about the neighbor, its too bad we can't pick our neighbors.
Mainline, you near Chester County? I grew up in that area.

Hi, no not Chester. I'm in Montgomery COunty although I work in Chester County. If you haven't been back to visit -- it is booming!

This guy is very weird, but also very quiet and I am grateful for that -- if only he'd find another hobby!

I just want to not see him or his junk.

Anyway, I had a nice day working in the yard. I love spring.

Sorry to hear about the neighbor. That would really upset me too.

Why not as a more immediate coverup mount some sort of lattice work to the top of the existing fence.

Then you could mount some pots or planters near the base of the lattice work and plant something viney like an ornamental honeysuckle. I picked one up from home depot in fall 2004 and the thing is already a mass of vines 8' up a tree. You'd need to make the pots large enough and insulated enough to withstand winter

You could always plant something a bit quicker growing like morning glories or sweet peas but then you'd have to remove all the dead vines each spring.

If you don't want to worry about making the pots insulated you could start the honeysuckle in the ground, train it up, and in the meantime use the morning glories or sweet peas till the honeysuckle reaches the lattice.

Even if you don't want the lattice work in the long run you could use it for a few years while the arborvitae gets tall enough.

Thinking about it there is some sort of Australian Willow that is very quick growing, something like 10' a year. It is being sold in the US and I've even seen commercials for the tree but my understanding is that it is considered a pest/weed in Australia so beware.

As for bamboo, it will grow in Chester County. I grew up in NE Chester County and my parents had bamboo that was very, very healthy. So healthy we had to take to poisoning shoots that got too far out of hand. I actually saw bamboo grow, hit the underside of a wood picnic table, turn 90 degrees till it reached the edge of the tabel top, then make another 90 degree turn towards to the sky. So while it will make a quick growing fence it will take over your yard and the neighbors too.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

Jim

Bamboo. Check out the bamboo forum here at Gardenweb.

I think phylistacis bissetti (sp?) would be a good choice. It runs, though, so you should plant it in big pots. Unless you REALLY want to get back at your neighbor.

If only I could coax the bamboo to spread to his side! I'll have to look into it. I stopped at Waterloo Gardens to look over some plants and I am leaning toward getting the Emerald Green Arborvitae.

I'm heading over to the Bamboo forum! Thanks.

I'm the guy who's looking to move to PA. but I couldn't not answer this post.
The thing about Bamboo, is you won't have to coax it to spread. It spreads like a weed!!! Plus, it's unbelievably fast-growing and keeps its leaves and color all year.
Good luck (controlling it!)

And..if anyone has any opinions on my thread about moving to your fine state...please opine!

-PF

Viburnum trilobum (Highbush Cranberry) is a native bush that grows very quickly and if planted densely, could be pruned into a hedge to block the nasty view. It grows to 15 feet in height and 12 feet wide. Viburnum trilobum has beautiful flowers in the spring that will remind you a bit of native hydrangeas and it has berries that birds absolutely love (and that are completely non-toxic to humans beings).

Viburnum trilobum will give you a more natural look than arborvitae and its a better looking plant. I was able to buy them, bare root, from Cold Stream Farm for $4 a plant. Though if you want an "instant" solution you are probably better off buying 5 gallon plants from a nursery. The guys at Blue Tree (in Montgomery County) often carry natives (I bought an absolutely beautiful Serviceberry there, earlier this year that is so large and instantly beautiful in my yard that it is making me rethink my prior preference for buying small and waiting). And if they don't have what you want in stock they can get it in for you very quickly.

Thanks, West and PF. If I plant bamboo, I'll do it in pots as a temporary solution until whatever I plant in the ground catches up.

I have a viburnum at the side of my house -- a different species than what you mention. It smells heavenly for about a week in spring. I'll look into the one you mention.

I went to the library to get a book on fences last night and the offending neighbor was there using the computers! He really seems like a nice enough guy. I don't object to him, just the junker cars.

I have never been a fan of arborvitae, but they seemed to be the best solution to the problem. I'm happy to have some other ideas now.

Pam

pam, i can realyl sympathize with you, but have you ever considered asking him to park the junker in another spot? if he seems like a nice enough guy, as you suggest, he might be open to it to avoid the bad neighbor rap.

good luck to you.

Het, Earthly. I don't know where else he would put it except under the other neighbor's window. The house actually was purchased by his sisters for him. I asked them nicely about the car and their answer was that they are within their rights and I should just plant some trees. Nice.

I told them they may be within their rights but people are considerate of their neighbors in our community. That didn't make an impression on them. I wish I could park a junker next to their houses and see how they like it.

I hate feuding with the neighbors and most of mine are very very nice and thoughtful. A good fence and some tall trees is the answer, I think.

My stomach gets knots every time I see the damn thing -- which is often!

hi pam,

it's ashame this is the way it is. i guess the lattice suggestion is a quick fix until whatever you grow flourishes. or construct some type of shelving just below your fence top and then put potted plants there to block the view.

my neighbor, on my driveway side, actually called the police on me because the leaves from my tree fell on her property. it's not something i have control over -- it's nature -- so i can certainly sympathize with you.

i'm always looking to move away, to at least be surrounded by some real land as opposed to neighbors. makes you agree with that addage "a good fence makes a good neighbor".

where in montco are you? if your close by, i have loads of rose of sharon -- they are there for the digging, assorted colors, and you can plant them. they grow real quick for me. we are doing that on my other neighbor's property line to shield them from the horrids that live on their right.

my only other suggestion is we winch the junker and tow it out of there in the dark of night :)

maryanne/earthly

Hey Maryanne. I'm in Lower Merion. Where are you? Thanks for the offer of the Rose of Sharon.Unfortunately, in the front where I hope to put a fence, there are lots of roots from a maple tree so planting is difficult. I was considering putting forsythia there, which I can dig out from my mom's property. If the fence is too expensive, I may still try that.

I have plotted all kinds of revenge in my mind. I did that with another neighbor, across the street. They let their big lab pee all over my front lawn. They would open the door, the dog would amble over to my lawn, pee and then walk back to their's. Once when they were gone i sprayed spots of Round Up on their lawn to see how they like big yellow spots on their lawn. I'm not sure they ever noticed, because they don't care about stuff like that.

I don't want to start a fight with the new neighbor. I just don't want to look at his junk cars. I'm afraid of I complain to the police, he may just move into his backyard where I'd see it even more.

Other new neighbors bought a house directly across from him. For $500,000, they get to look out at his three rusting hulks -- one in the steet and two in the driveway.

Pam

I can second Nick on the bamboo. There are definitely varieties that will grow in your area. I can't tell you what they are, but could send you some "cuttings" if you want. The people who build my house planted it pretty freely back in the 50s it and I'm trying to control it. I cut it down to the ground, and I swear it's seven feet tall the next day I look. I've never seen anything so tough or grow so fast.

I would get the spreading variety and encourage it to move under and across the fence--more mass, more sound insulation. Hey, since he's creating the noise, he should also lend some space to solve the problem. I saw an show on HGTV that showed how to build a barrier to control it. It seems that the roots don't go very deep, which makes sense since my neighbor was able to dig up a huge cluster of mine with his lawn tractor. You could plant it along the fence, then bury heavy plastic barrier a few feet away to prevent the rizomes of whatever they are from invading the foundation of your house. If I remember correctly, they said it only had to go down a foot or so, but I would check this. Then let nature take its course. That old rusted car should provide a sufficient barrier on his side of the fence.

pam, i'm in jenkintown. not that far :)

i am thinking the bamboo is a solution. i'm considering it for a problem area i have in the very back of my yard. i just have to read up on it and find out how to buy it, where and all the other ins and outs. i'm amazed too, i really thought bamboo was tropical. i guess it's not the same as those little bamboo things they sell in the dollar stores.

i wish you the best pam. hope it all works out. maybe you can paint the old junker in a real fun way, then it won't be so much an eye sore!

happy mother's day to all the mothers :)

maryanne

This story is getting funnier, depending on how you look at it. The kid across the street wrecked his car last night. The whole front end is smashed in. Guess where it's parked? Directly across from my house. Now I am surrounded. Knowing that family, it will sit there for months. It looks beyond repair to me. Hope the son wasn't hurt. He's a big doofus and doesn't need any more problems.

So maybe bamboo in the front and on the side? If I knew how to post pictures, Iwould show you this mess.

I'm in Gladwyne. If anyone knows this area, you know it's pretty upscale. Junker cars are a rarity. WHy did I end up with two??

I'm off to Produce Junction to see what flowers are there.

That was a heck of a storm last night. I hope I can work in the yard this afternoon.

Pam

New fence will cost $1500, al;though that includes more than the privacy fence. Still. it might be half as much without that. His d@mn car isn't even worth that much.

wow pam, gladwynne is a very nice area. i'm surprised other neighbors are not up in arms over these outrageous additions.

maybe they'll get the hint if you use their vessels as planters :)

best of luck

maryanne

Thanks, earthly. It's times like this that you learn how little you are protected by local codes. You can park anything on the street that has a current registration, no matter how crumby it looks. Boats on trailers can be parked in the street as long as the trailer is hooked up to a car or truck.

I have the bad luck to live across from a slob (who is also mean and stupid) and now I have this mess next door.

The neighbors are very much on top of things but the township can only do so much. We have a lot on our street where the guy knocked the house down three years ago and has left a mess ever since. We've been all over him about cleaning up but as long as he has a current building permit there is nothing we can do, excpet make the lot safe. As soon as one permit expires, he gets another.

There are 40 house on my street and at least 36 of them are beautifully kept. Just my luck to be near two eyesores.

Anyway, I am looking into bamboo in containers that will grow fast. I am concerned about planting in the ground since I don't want them to spread like mad.

Looks like we're finally getting the rain we need. I just didn't want it all at once.

Thanks for your supportive and helpful comments!

Pam

Did you ever try to go over and just talk to him about his junk car? Tell him how you and the neighborhood feels about it and how it's an eye-sore. I'm sure he'll understand that you and everyone else in your area have an investment in your houses. Give it a shot.

Yes, I already did that. The house was purchased by his sisters for him. I talked to them and they said they checked before they bought the house and they are within their rights to park the car there, which is probably true. I pointed out that it was an issue of consideration for the neighbors. That didn't faze them. One said I should just plant some trees and spend my time on other things. Nice.

There must be some kind of ordinance against eyesores, too many cars, vehicles parked in the yard, something? Have you checked this out with the township? Wow, Gladwynne, who'd thunk it? Now I'm pissed off!

I have called the police about the wreck parked across the street. It's still there. I am appalled at what people are legally allowed to do, right here in fancy-dancy Gladwyne.

As a lifelong resident I am so sorry to see all the changes, although the seem to happening everywhere. Perfectly nice houses knocked down to be replaced by monstrosities that don't fit the neighborhood. I realize nothing stays the same forever, but gee whiz.

I can't wait for my fence to go up. Thanks for your sympathy, lcdesign. Wanna call the LM Police and complain on my behalf??

Hi Pam,
I'm a very close Delco neighbor of yours. I comiserate with your situation.
You didn't say (I don't think) how tall it needed to be ?
I have some gorgeous weigelia that will grow to 8-9 feet if I let it.
There is a house 2 doors from me that was neglected for many many years with a bamboo jungle at least 30 x 30 feet and still growing. Please be careful what variety of bamboo you plant if it will not be contained in concret etc. I understand there are clumping varieties that are not considered as invasive as the others. I agree it would make a good screen but may just turn into your worst nightmare. I am NOT exagerating.

Good Luck
Kathy

Thanks, Kathy. I actually have some weigelia, too. I never thought of using it there, although I did think of forsythia. My weigelia is blooming right now. It's so pretty. You are nice to offer it.

As I said, I have decided to install a fence between the front yards. I think the emerald arborvitae will block the mess in the side yard, and I need something tall and thin. Bamboo in containers would work until the trees grow.

I took some pictures of the car so I could remember how it looked before the fence goes up. The tree to the left is on my property. If you can see where the cut grass ends, that's where his property begins. His car is parked half on the driveway and half off. When he cuts the grass, he cuts around the car so the grass under it is getting very tall (and soon, very dead).

You all have been so nice listening to me vent. On his behalf I will say that he is extremely quiet. The last neighbors had two barking dogs, so it's not all bad.

Pam

Here is a link that might be useful: Awful car next door

I'll trade with you any day! I live in the city & don't have a driveway. When we come home we never have a place to park. Drive around the block several times & waste more gas....
As long as he is quiet, count your blessings.
Be happy you don't live next to a bunch of loonies.
At least the car looks normal, not a rusted out shell.
I wish I had sisters who would buy me a house, lucky guy.
Good luck!

Hey Skippy. I lived in West Philadelphia for years and was accustomed to the routine of cruising the neighborhood looking for a place to park. People also put chairs in spots they had shoveled out after a snow. You could be shot if you parked in a spot that someone else had shoveled.

I've put a lot of blood sweat and tears, not to mention money, into making my house look nice. I don't live in West Philly anymore. Having someone put a dented up old junker practically on my front lawn is making me nuts. It won't be long before it is a rusted out shell, but at least there isn't a homeless person living in it.

I do count my blessings that he is quiet. The loony family actually lives across the street. Their kid plays his car stereo so loud my entire house thumps.

A fence and some tall trees will help my blood pressure, I think.

Pam