Davit,
My brother came over, and is going to expand the width of the pathway. I'm not sure that will help the height issue on the other side.
Our neighbour's flowers are coming on our side, and it's irritating, since there is a fence. It's just a matter of clipping them, or thinning them, but some people just believe "big or more is beautiful". Mom says she's let flowers grow on the fence too, but that doesn't make it right.
Sometimes attention to detail helps, and sometimes I wonder if it's pettiness.
Long term, I wish I could replace the fence too, so if the flowers are part of the fence, then replacing the fence is tedious, costly and not feasible if the flowers are part of the fence.
Maybe they just won't grow as much as I feared, as is often the case with irrational fears. I don't like my boundries "pushed".
I discussed diverting rain from the roof and sewer system, and I'd rather not use a rainbarrel since it can be high maintenance with the attraction to mosquitos, and cleaning with algae. Rerouting the eaves trough around to the back "looks interesting", but I've noticed our neighbour's eaves overflow, because the capacity isn't adequate for a larger than average rainfall.
I've asked a couple of conservation groups to see working rainbarrels, to actually speak to someone, but I haven't had responses, since I believe the reality is that it's more work than gain. By the end of the summer, I'll have someone, I'm sure, who uses it and can show it. Seeing one in a showroom doesn't convince me of anything in a big box store.