Good choice for privacy border in this garden, advice appreciated!

Maximus_1

Hi folks,

Recently purchased a nice detached house which I am delighted with aside from the one thing I want to improve, the privacy at the back. The garden is nice but we want to make it more enclosed (the house behind us is currently empty but at some point will be occupied so now is the time to get our work done).

I have attached 2 pics to make things easier. The fence is 5"10. Aiming to get a fence/tree border combo of about 8" without encroaching much on the garden space. As you can see in the pictures the previous owners have planted some trees already. I don't have any gardening background so looking for suggestions on how and what to add. I've read bamboos are a good idea?

Any advice much appreciated.

OilBeefHooked2

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Hi folks,

Recently purchased a nice detached house which I am delighted with aside from the one thing I want to improve, the privacy at the back. The garden is nice but we want to make it more enclosed (the house behind us is currently empty but at some point will be occupied so now is the time to get our work done).

I have attached 2 pics to make things easier. The fence is 5"10. Aiming to get a fence/tree border combo of about 8" without encroaching much on the garden space. As you can see in the pictures the previous owners have planted some trees already. I don't have any gardening background so looking for suggestions on how and what to add. I've read bamboos are a good idea?

Any advice much appreciated.

Bamboos are hit and miss and blow and move about alot in the wind you'd also need to keep the area wet to get the most out of the bamboo.
If you want 100% privacy then go with something like laurel "rotundifolia"or privet, they both are evergreen and only need to be pruned twice a year, plus they have compact growth.
You should plant some that are already 6 feet tall and in 1 to 2 years you'll have an 8 foot hedge.

Maximus_1

Thanks David for the input. I'm not sure I want to go the route of a full thick hedge though I am now looking at your suggestions and trying to picture them! We had trees in mind hence I mentioned the bamboo as had come across them in my research. How much space would the laurel require out from the fence? 3 feet be enough?

OilBeefHooked2

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Thanks David for the input. I'm not sure I want to go the route of a full thick hedge though I am now looking at your suggestions and trying to picture them! We had trees in mind hence I mentioned the bamboo as had come across them in my research. How much space would the laurel require out from the fence? 3 feet be enough?

Yes 3 feet would be plenty, but if going down the route of deciduous trees you would require more space may 5 to 7 feet because you would have to plant them 2 to 3 deep to get the same kind of privacy a conventional evergreen hedge provides.

homer911

You can often get semi-mature trees that have been grown flat against a frame - i dont know the varieties I'm afraid. The frames generally only start at 6 feet off the ground, so act as a screen from 6-9 feet

Sonnenblumen

david-k wrote: »

Bamboos are hit and miss and blow and move about alot in the wind you'd also need to keep the area wet to get the most out of the bamboo.
If you want 100% privacy then go with something like laurel "rotundifolia"or privet, they both are evergreen and only need to be pruned twice a year, plus they have compact growth.
You should plant some that are already 6 feet tall and in 1 to 2 years you'll have an 8 foot hedge.

Have to disagree with the comment about the bamboo. Yes they are vulnerable during the initial 3 month settling in phase requiring lots of water etc, but once established they are relatively very easy to manage. Need to be careful about choosing the right variety and type. Bamboo are relatively compact and especially when grown in raised beds or similar controlled conditions (roots can travel even the clumping varieties) space efficient and grow upwards to provide very good screening. Unlike evergreen trees bamboos do not provide dense screening but plenty for most people and purposes plus they create very soothing sound effects.

Sonnenblumen

OP - the existing trees are planted far too close to fence, I always think it cheeky if not irresponsible to plant trees directly on boundary without the consent of the other property owners. Not everyone wants to share a tree.

As these trees mature, they will (a) damage/break fence and (b) the ongoing maintenance requirements will probably cause plenty of friction/conflict with the neighbouring property owners.

It seems you have a Laburnum , Mountain Ash and a Birch all relatively medium and wide growing trees. Beware all aspects (leaf, flower and seen) of the Laburnum is toxic!

Maximus_1

M

homer911 wrote: »

You can often get semi-mature trees that have been grown flat against a frame - i dont know the varieties I'm afraid. The frames generally only start at 6 feet off the ground, so act as a screen from 6-9 feet

This sounds good, I am hoping to get to a garden centre next weekend a day will inquire about this, thank you

Maximus_1

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Have to disagree with the comment about the bamboo. Yes they are vulnerable during the initial 3 month settling in phase requiring lots of water etc, but once established they are relatively very easy to manage. Need to be careful about choosing the right variety and type. Bamboo are relatively compact and especially when grown in raised beds or similar controlled conditions (roots can travel even the clumping varieties) space efficient and grow upwards to provide very good screening. Unlike evergreen trees bamboos do not provide dense screening but plenty for most people and purposes plus they create very soothing sound effects.

That is along the lines of things I have read re bamboo on other sites. Would you recommend integrating them with the trees already planted or removing those and going all bamboo, if of course we went with bamboo.

Maximus_1

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

OP - the existing trees are planted far too close to fence, I always think it cheeky if not irresponsible to plant trees directly on boundary without the consent of the other property owners. Not everyone wants to share a tree.

As these trees mature, they will (a) damage/break fence and (b) the ongoing maintenance requirements will probably cause plenty of friction/conflict with the neighbouring property owners.

It seems you have a Laburnum , Mountain Ash and a Birch all relatively medium and wide growing trees. Beware all aspects (leaf, flower and seen) of the Laburnum is toxic!

Woah all of the above is surprising as as far as I know the previous

Maximus_1

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Woah all of the above is surprising as as far as I know the previous

Posting on phone apologies. Far as I know the previous owners had the garden landscaped. Also had 2 young children so surprising re the toxic tree!

Sonnenblumen

Maximus_1 wrote: »

That is along the lines of things I have read re bamboo on other sites. Would you recommend integrating them with the trees already planted or removing those and going all bamboo, if of course we went with bamboo.

If you wish to retain the trees, I would suggest you come with a new planting arrangement which positions the bamboo (remember root control) along boundary and the trees can be re-positioned and planted in front of bamboo or elsewhere. The bamboo will provide the screening and no need to worry about overhanging issues.

Changing tree positions can be done during dormancy (Nov-Mar).

Bamboo are a very popular, effective and more economic option (in comparison to other alternatives eg pleached trees etc) for providing screening in compact spaces.

Larger sites have more options and trees are probably make better options.

OilBeefHooked2

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Have to disagree with the comment about the bamboo. Yes they are vulnerable during the initial 3 month settling in phase requiring lots of water etc, but once established they are relatively very easy to manage. Need to be careful about choosing the right variety and type. Bamboo are relatively compact and especially when grown in raised beds or similar controlled conditions (roots can travel even the clumping varieties) space efficient and grow upwards to provide very good screening. Unlike evergreen trees bamboos do not provide dense screening but plenty for most people and purposes plus they create very soothing sound effects.

Yes I agree that was a general statemant and probably a little unfair to bamboos, properly selected and cared for they can make a great addition to a garden.
+1 to the poster who recommended pleached trees as an option, although expect to pay for them now and the care they need down the line.

Maximus_1

Had never heard of a pleached tree before but thanks they look pretty cool! Might be above budget but I will be visiting a good garden centre this weekend so will ask about them and the pricing.

Bamboo are looking like favourites at the moment, when is the best time of year to plant them?

paddy147

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Had never heard of a pleached tree before but thanks they look pretty cool! Might be above budget but I will be visiting a good garden centre this weekend so will ask about them and the pricing.

Bamboo are looking like favourites at the moment, when is the best time of year to plant them?

If you look in Blanchardstown Shopping centre carpark..(westend carpark) you will see lots of pleached beech and lime trees.

Also in the public park in Santry...(Santry Woods) you willl see pleached lime trees there too.


Heres some pleached Rowan trees in Glenveagh National Park,Donegal that were also trained accross to make a 150 yard long tunnel for people to walk through.:)

paddy147

Oh and a nice full bamboo hedge out at the RDS.

paddy147

Pic of pleached trees in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

Maximus_1

paddy147 wrote: »

Pic of pleached trees in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.

Thanks paddy, some good info and shots there, the ones at blanch look great