[sisteeesmama]

Hi gardending Mamas,
I'm new to the MDCgardening forum.

:

I have a really wierd question, but I'm hoping some sage gardnening mama will know the answer

My neighbor on one side that runs the length of my yard has 4 dogs who live in a dog run that is butted up to my fence. Needless to say they crap all up in that dog run EXCLUSIVELY and it stinks to high heaven.
I don't want to offend my neighbors(even though this is offensive to me!) because I did know when I bought the house and it is free country and their property and I guess they are allowed to live like that if they want. (If you know something about that that I don't please let me know)
Anywho~ I am wanting to plant a buffer along the fence, something that might make the smell go away. Please don't laugh if that's totally crazy! I'm dyin over here!

I am willing to plant a very wide buffer if need be.

Any takers?

 

[widdlelou]

Confederate Jasmine?? I know they use it here arond garbage areas around here.. I didn't see where you are from but it will crawl up a fense and the smell is out of this world!

 

[sisteeesmama]

I am a southern transplant to Colorado so while I know confederate jasmine well, I don't know if grows here or not.

 

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I think it would be worth a shot. I would probably do something evergreen. Something flowering with a nice strong scent might help mask the smell too. Maybe an evergreen hedge to block the airflow with roses or something like that planted in front. You'll probably want something that will be blooming all summer. Or several different blooming plants that bloom at different times so you've always got something smelling nice.

I've heard that moving water can also help with smells. Something like a pond with a waterfall. I'm not sure how true that is though.

 

[JamieCatheryn]

Confederate Jasmine will die if your winter drops below 7F. It's nice though my mom's house in FL and my dad's in CA both have that, it's lovely right outside a window or by a patio. Any plant will help freshen the air some, but fragrant ones will also cover up too. Lavender might be nice, or tall growing herbs. I'm pretty sure strong dog doo smell reaching your property counts under nuisance codes but it'd be unpleasant to bring it up with your neighbors for sure.

 

[lmonter]

I live in zone 5, so probably semi-close in climate, unless you know your growing zone. I just can't think of anything that's pretty and perfum-y for more than 1-3 weeks.

Lilacs get *huge* and are so hard to kill, but you only get the lovely scent for a week or two, three if you're lucky. But it's a delicate scent, it wouldn't mask poo. At least, not easily.

I've heard some folks grow honeysuckle, but I have absolutely no direct experience with that.

Only thing I could think of is maybe planting something bushy and fast growing - if nothing else, so the smell has to work harder through the shrubbery to permeate your lawn. Like arbor vitae or something. I don't like the look of that stuff myself, but to each their own. Just have to keep it pruned so it stays sturdy with crazy weather rather than falling apart.

Or evergreen trees. We have some along our back fence that makes our yard feel very cozy and private. But we can still yell through it to our neighbors to see if we can come over or something, and also keep an eye on things through the branches when they're out of town.

But those take a while to fill in.

 

[sisteeesmama]

I think y'all are right about the evergreen row. That will be my first plan of attack.
Thanks to all for ideas

 

[Emilie]

honeysuckel depending on variety is very invasive.
there are new cultivators that are not.... you could try those.
to cover the fence ( maybe not reduce smell) you could plant morning glories- they will grow the entirety quite quickly but die back in fall... while you got a perrenial vine growing... vinca should work? But again not a fragrant vine is it a shaded or sunny spot?

 

[SandyMom]

What about a big hedge of bamboo and then plant something fragrant in front of it?

 

[Emilie]

bamboo will take over your yard.. beware.