Vistas vs. Green Walls

I generally prefer the green wall. I've seen people buy fairly large lots and cut down every single tree on the property and that always struck me as odd - especially when they turn aroudn and plant trees afterwards.

Some clearing is necessary to build obvioulsy but if I was buying a multi-acre lot I'd clear enough to make sure that nothing could fall and land on the house and enough for a driveway. Everything else would remain wooded/with trees.

It depends on where the house is, of course. In the city, I'd prefer a green wall. Well, actually I'd prefer a higher up apartment where I can still get plenty of light and not have my privacy trampled upon. Light is muy muy importante to me though.
If I lived in the country, I would love to see out as far as I could. But if there were ancient oaks in the garden up front, I would never cut them down just to have a view...
So I can just say a very unhelpful "it depends", though I do prefer the vistas.

I went with the vista approach, mainly because I wanted to show of my topiary reenactment of Civil-War-meets-Jurassic-period. I have also affixed approximately 1,000 permanent lights at various locations to illuminate my house even when I'm not home; not to scare off thieves, but mainly so that everyone can see what a nice house I have even at 2 in the morning if they happen to drive by. Well that's the plan at least.

as long as i have enough privacy for the monthly beastiality and sacrifice rituals i'm cool with whatever the neighbors choose to do.....

I can't stand cutting down trees. Trimming them is enough of a trauma for me.

I seem to like a combination -- a vista for a while, that hits a green wall. Green walls too close make me feel claustrophobic.

I like a vista, but prefer a framed one, by trees or other elements. Not that I'd reject, say, a full ocean view. Best, walking through a sequence of spaces, from relatively narrow to... full vista.

I could build a raised deck, say four feet up, and be able to peer over my back high wall to see the petroglyphs. But then again, I only have to walk a hundred feet down the street to have a full view of them. Sooo, I won't do a deck, but will plant out that space instead. Not sure which trees yet...

The surprise view is something of a design consideration. Surprise, or gradually opening view.
Before Mussolini took down part of the borgo that surrounds the vatican, you could only get into the piazza by non-straight lined routes through small streets. Now there is the wide via della Conciliazione and you see the whole thing from blocks away. Still the best way to enter the square, to get the beauty of it pah-boom, is to walk in from a side street through Bernini's giant columns arranged in an ellipse. That ellipse is a conceptual curve of trees... Actually, the designed ellipse wasn't fully completed, it was meant to have another segment. If it had been, you still wouldn't have a full view, even with Mussolini's wide avenue leading to it.

Same thing when I first saw piazza Navona. Came through a tiny street, very tiny, into a near empty but gorgeous large "square" with incredible fountains, amazing sky, beautiful buildings. I nearly tripped and fell it was such a surprise.

To noddy's question about full vista or protective grove - I'd like a "window" to see through that grove.

I'd like a vista within my enclosed green walls. In my dreams anyho...

My parents have something close and I'm always saying that they need more evergreen plantings on the outside boundaries. Can see all the encroaching developments right now in the winter.
(they have a lovely lake outside their bay window that's all theirs)

One of my favourite things about the condo I moved into about 18 months ago is the view. From my wall of windows, I see nothing but treetops (I'm on the 6th floor, overlooking a ravine) and sky. Which is pretty amazing for being smack dab in the middle of a city of 3 million. I love to watch the skyscape -- the countless shades of blue or clouds, sunsets, storms. I vote for spectacular vistas.

All day yesterday a large backhoe was chewing away on the lot next door. I'm fairly certain that my New Neighbor's vista may impinge on a section of my green wall.

Life is always under development.

Grrr, how infuriating.

I don't like my vistas or walls being messed with.

Soz--

I imagine the Formerly In Residence Groundhog felt the same way when I moved in.