HU, I've replied to old posts, sometimes the related questions that appear can be confusing and the date can be overlooked, it happens, I think many of us have done it, so don't worry about it. Thing is, if the original poster is no longer following and if other people looking for inspo are more likely to get advice by starting a question of their own than getting lost in an old discussion and if people willing to reply waste time reading through before noticing the question is 7 years old, and it brings it back to the first page making it more likely more people will mistake it for a recent discussion, I'm not sure how productive any of that is, so I appreciate the 'old post' advisory, and in that spirit since I've now added to the conversation I'll draw to others' attention that this is an OLD POST

The neighbours have already stained their side. We did have jasmine and ivy growing on the previous fence and although it did bring lots of lovely foliage to the eye it was not a friend of the fence (maybe jasmine "controlled" on wires???). We are planning on building a deck out towards the fence that will bring it to 1.4m from the boundary so want to make decision soon before construction starts. Thanks for all of your suggestions, thoughts and ideas they've been really helpful and thought provoking.

I have one of those Monika and I would venture to say that you wouldn't be able to cut it flat because with everything around everywhere having the waved top it would look really odd I think, and I doubt whether you would be able to paint it at least until the development is well over or you could find the developers all over you, along with residents who like yourselves have signed to agree to the covenants. A lot of people enter into these developments because there is a better chance of people looking after their properties however I will say that I am the only owner occupied in my part of the street, and I am forever weeding everyone else's garden, picking up the rubbish blown from the sea breeze on new builders not looking after their rubbish and the renters chucking empty beer bottles where they have sat on the steps drinking and throw the bottles into the garden and I actually water the rental alongside me as our gardens join, as yours probably does, and they refuse to water it. I want my place to look nice and if left to these renters it would look like homeless shelters. I think the tall pots and something like the black bamboo could look really good :)

Hi Dinusha, the answer very much depends on what purpose and look you have in mind. I’d agree with dreamer, incorporating your roof colour would be a good choice. There are so many options, from a garden bed if you simply want to delineate your boundary to person height metal options for privacy and to keep an escape artist dog safely enclosed, should that be a consideration. Colour sometimes shows differently on individual screens, but a merbau timber fence could look good too. Or if you’re looking to introduce a new colour, navy perhaps, many retailers have samples or return policies that would allow you to see irl what works for you and your budget. I’m not a fan of brick and I like the hip height paling below, although not that colour for your home, but it’s your space. Go with what speaks to you.