Shrubbery my side of a boundary wall, how high?

acequion

While I realise that walls and fences at the front of a property cannot go higher than 1,2 metres without planning permission, is it the same with shrubbery? I would imagine not, as in every residential area you see some very tall bushes and trees at front and sides of adjoining properties and along the boundary, affording great privacy and very attractive to the eye.

I'm posting as I want to plant a laurel hedge my side of the boundary wall [a fairly low wall] with my next door neighbour. Do I have to keep the hedge trimmed down to 1.2 metres? Also, as it is completely on my side of the wall, planted in my ground, do the neighbors have a right to object? They're not very nice people, so I'm just checking out options and legal obligations if anyone might know? I'm basically after a bit more privacy and some nice greenery.

wildwillow

Please don't plant laurel. Yes, it will grow quickly and give cover but is not really suitable in a housing estate. Unless you are willing to keep it very firmly under control it becomes very woody. You are allowed grow it as high as you want but really should keep it trimmed within your boundary.

There are so many more evergreen shrubs which would make a nice hedge and not grow so fast. It is becoming the new leylandii. Osmanthus Burkwoodii is an example of an evergreen which gives the most glorious scent in spring. A mixed informal hedge may look better and will be a better environment for birds and insects.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

l agree laurel is a nightmare to control and not really suitable for an adult state setting. Privet would be a much better option or Portuguese laurel

cap.in.hand.

Privet goes of control as well if allowed but is lovely when cut and shaped.

JVince

I'd go for beech hedging. It will grow quickly, it holds onto many of its leaves through the winter (copper in colour) and the new foliage usually comes in March

You can buy them 5-6ft high - €160 for 10 and a near instant hedge

https://hedging.ie/product/beech-hedges/

SuperBowserWorld

Native beech. Cause that's what Irish wildlife is used to. And it looks great, not tacky and cheap like some Lego hedging. Or some other native hedging.

Laurel is horrible. It even rhymes with horrible.

Don't plant bamboo. You might plant the invasive species that's like Japanese knotweed.

Or that red robin crap. Or various crap from New Zealand like Griselinia.

😁

acequion

Thanks guys for your replies. But without being smart I'm not asking for advice on what kind of hedge to plant, I'll decide on that later. What I want to know is if there is any legal problem with growing shrubbery on my side of a boundary wall? And any problem with height?

cap.in.hand.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360777#Comment_122360777

It will grow into their side when it's above the wall or keep in a good bit so you can cut at both sides from your side

Dial Hard

I'm physically incapable of reading the word shrubbery without hearing it in the voice of the Knight Who Says "Ni!".

That's not very helpful to the OP, mind.

banie01

I've had st Johns wort to the front of my house trimmed to 1.8-2mtrs for almost 20yrs. Never an issue with council.re: height. It's been removed today as we are landscaping the front garden and moving gates and driveway

wildwillow

As I said height isn’t a problem but you need to keep it from growing into your neighbours garden by keeping the sides trimmed. Whether you can do that from your side is up to you. Regular trimming will mean there is never a big job to be done. You say they are not nice people so you might not want to ask for access to trim your hedge.

SuperBowserWorld

Hedges will grow out of control unless you keep on top of them. Too high can be way too much work, depending on the length. I leave a bit high that blocks out a neighbour's window directly looking into my bedroom, not sure how that got planning, and keep the rest more manageable.

acequion

Thanks again for the replies, much appreciated. I will be planting the hedge into a raised bed as the front driveway is tarmac. Any suggestions about what works best in a raised bed? @JVince I really like the beech if it will work, thanks for the link. I don't mind putting work into maintaining the hedge, I have a lot of shrubbery at the back of my house already.

Soc_Alt

Beech looks terrible when it sheds its leaves.

I have it myself as a dividing hedge are would love yo dignity up.

I would have gone for an evergreen.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362291#Comment_122362291

If the tarmac extends to the wall you won't be growing anything to an appreciable height, you'd need to cut that out first.

acequion

You can build a raised bed on both tarmac and cement. Ive done it before, albeit laurel, and it has flourished.