THERE are times when you thank your lucky stars for your neighbours. And there are times when you wish that your hedge was a bit thicker, or your privacy fence was just that little bit higher. With the cost of new fencing hitting an all time high - up to thousands of pounds for just a few panels - most of us just have to make do with what we have.
Which often means putting up with noisy neighbours. Or taking in views you definitely hadn't signed up for when you moved in. Or it means spending money on last ditch attempts like shower curtains (please don't), trellis at the top of your fence, or investing in artificial plant walls.
READ MORE GARDENING TIPS And who's got the time or money for that? Happily, there is a plant that can help you in your quest for a natural barrier between you and your neighbours. It doesn’t cost much at all AND you can plant it now. Passiflora - originally from South and Central America - is an evergreen climbing plant commonly known as a passion flower.
Most read in Fabulous Not only do they have super exotic looking blooms - which go all summer right up to October - more importantly some cultivars can grow up to 82ft - (25m) high. Which means you can train them to cover any sort of privacy fence, wall, shed, arch or frame. And if your garden is sunny and sheltered - they’re hardy enough to last all year round.
I planted one at the beginning of last summer, and it’s totally transformed my fence, snaking round the trellis to form a really thick.