People with personal/community gardens; do you ever feel self-conscious when working/sat in them?

Posted by Carinwe_Lysa@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 13 comments

Whether it's down to a lack of privacy, nosy and/or bad neighbours, bad garden placement etc. Have you ever experienced something like this? I used to feel very self-conscious when sat in the rear garden as there was zero privacy with neighbours overlooking the property, so no matter where you sat, there would be viewpoints looking directly into the entire garden with neighbours who'd always be hanging out of the upstairs window having a smoke etc. It's an odd one as even just sat there enjoying sunny weather, I'd feel a bit 'exposed' and want a tiny fence or cover around me at least.

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13 Comments

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SweetPeachCobbles@reddit

It does make me feel a little bit self conscious (all the houses round us are looking into each other's gardens, it's a bit like you're in a bowl). But there seems to be a mutual 'just ignore each other' agreement. I try to ignore the self-consciousness and spend lots of time in the garden anyway because it's our garden!

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whoops53@reddit

I used to live in a place that was a quadrangle of apartments 8 high, and everyone's backyards butted onto each other (like originally a wide open space that was now divided up). So despite having these "backyards" with a bit of grass and stuff, *nobody* ever used them because of the looming buildings on all sides with hundreds of windows that looked down onto the space. Definitely not relaxing. I moved and have a garden now, but still feel a bit weird sitting in it.

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Fluffy_Night_7199@reddit

Inwardly screaming nooooo!

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pajamakitten@reddit

No one uses the garden on our block of flats. For me, it is because most of my neighbours are curtain twitchers and have nothing better to do than judge others for what they choose to do. All my neighbours are retired, so me sitting in the garden in a deckchair would be prime gossip for them.

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yourmomsajoke@reddit

I don't think I've ever really used my back gardens because of this! my neighbours are lovely which is almost the problem - it usually leads to chatting, the kids coming over, an afternoon of socialising that as a neurodivergent person is a huge battery drainer for me when I just want to sit quietly with myself for a wee half hour in the sun 😩

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pugaholic@reddit

This is why I close my eyes and put my headphones on if I’m in the garden. Plausible deniability 😂

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GlitchingGecko@reddit

My husband used to make himself late to work if any of our neighbours left around the same time, and he didn't want to be outside with them in case they said more than 'Hi'. He'd check out of the window before he left, and if he heard any coming down the stairs (flats) he'd run back inside and wait til they'd gone.

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yourmomsajoke@reddit

Been there, done that lol - now my adult son does the same thing 😂 he hides behind the peep hole til the landing is clear!

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Rbx100@reddit

Nope iv got a big garden so the neighbours aren’t close

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BoopityFloop17@reddit

We're a single story house next to a 3 story building. Our neighbours can look out their window anytime and into our entire garden. We've just gone about our day doing whatever we want. They can see us, and we can see them. I think it's more embarrassing for them to be seen at their window looking into my garden while I'm chilling with my morning coffee.

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MetalRickyy@reddit

Yes, although I will occasionally stand in the garden with a cuppa. Neighbours on the other hand have put up a trampoline so I think they’re fine with it.

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km6669@reddit

No, I sunbathe naked in my garden. My garden, i'll do what I want.

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