If you started a design dilemma, it seems ridiculous that you can't delete the whole thread as the original poster...

What I don't like is when pro's get offended if you don't immediately agree or listen to their advice just by waiting for all opinions to come in. "Let us know when you get the answer you WANT. : )" is what one often writes. I believe there are often multiple ways to do something and I'm here to listen to everyone before I can process it all. Sometimes a non-pro rides in at the last second with the perfect solution/advice. There are some very talented people that hang out here that are not professionals.

I decided to look back at a dilemma I posted years ago to see which "PRO" was so snarky even to the point that not only do I remember it clearly but that others objected to her condescending comments. The pro did not like my artwork and started putting quotes around the word "Art" when she would refer to it. Lo and behold, it was Jan! Hazing is one thing but being insulting about someone's taste in art is just rude for no reason.

Paul, along the lines of offending pros, are the frequent threads where prolific pros jump on it, post their ideas, then like a dog with a bone, posts and posts and posts. If the OP doesn't jump on their bandwagon, or if another person offers more appealing advice somewhere in the thread, there develops a competition to try to win the OP back. It results, oftentimes in those mega threads and just makes the pro look desperate to be "the one" to be listened to. Because her ideas, she believes, are superior.

I’m only looking for options. While I can appreciate advice on how to be neighborly, I don’t need it. They have been responsive and so have we. When we learned the treehouse was a few inches on the property line, my husband had it down 2 days later even though they gave us 4 months notice. No problem. That’s not the point. Looking for options to make yard more attractive. Nobody wants revenge. Thanks for those who gave them.

Not sure why folks are being unpleasant. She just wants suggestions on improving the appearance of the fence.

Check with your neighbor about whether they are OK if you stain your side and then choose a color that is mid toned so it will blend in. Plant a hedge, creating a bed that is deep enough for whatever you choose so that when the plantings are full grown, they won’t be rubbing against the fence.

Do you want the solution to be DIY? If so, water the area a bit to soften the soil, remove the grass in the bed area, buy a truckload of compost, and rent a rototiller to mix the compost into the whole bed. Add an edging at the back to keep the neighbor’s grass from encroaching, and then plant with shrubs that will camouflage the fence. If you stagger a couple of layers and use a combo of flowering shrubs and evergreens, it will always be interesting. I typically plant some perennial groundcovers, and often also add annuals the first year or two while the shrubs start to size up. Below is a link to a shrub forum discussion that half way down I have photos of a line of shrubs I put in to separate a work area from the main drive. I explained my goals and listed plants used.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/3113384/shrubs-for-privacy-along-a-fence

If you want specific plant suggestions, we need to know where you are, both USDA growing zone and nearest large city.

If you don’t want it to be diy, hire a landscaper to design and plant for you.