What can I plant on the back wall to gain privacy

iba · 28-02-2021 8:05pm #1

Hi People,

Would be grateful for some suggestions as to what I could plant along the back wall to gain some privacy from the back windows of the neighbours. Currently have some blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes there, but these will go

Was thinking of putting a hedge there but would like some colour if at all possible. Can also put down some railway sleepers and raise the height of the bed if needed.

Am planning on getting rid of the hedge on the left too - was put there previously because what is now a dividing wall was just a fence. Thinking of putting sleepers there and raising the bed too because the foundations of the wall were not very well built and the overflow onto the lawn.

On the right, I have some strawberry and raspberry plants. Don't think I can put sleepers there because that would lead to damp in the shed.

Would be grateful for some tips and advice, especially for the back wall.

Thanks

Tefral · 28-02-2021 8:06pm

Pleached trees are the first thing that come to mind. Could get some beech there maybe?

vicwatson · 28-02-2021 8:07pm

Portuguese or cherry Laurel

Or

Photonia red robin

All evergreen

iba · 28-02-2021 9:05pm

Tefral wrote: »

Pleached trees are the first thing that come to mind. Could get some beech there maybe?

Had a google. I think Pleached Trees are a little too expensive for me, but thanks for the suggestion.

iba · 01-03-2021 3:29pm

vicwatson wrote: »

Portuguese or cherry Laurel

Or

Photonia red robin

All evergreen

Thanks for your suggestion.

I like the colours of the Photonia red robin. I note you state that it is evergreen.

I found these online and like the look of them too:

https://www.gardens4you.ie/hedges/fast-growing-hedges/flowering-shrubs-hedge-ie-en.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAvvKBBhCXARIsACTePW8WqnWg_f-0bF1E_ebQJZK2ZypI1xwmwEEQg4Vzo52LSE1LO6XngcYaAhuNEALw_wcB

Apart from the Photonia red robin being evergreen are there any other advantage over what Ive posted in the link please.

Thanks

michaeljh1965 · 06-03-2021 4:48pm

Photonia red robin is a great option, I think it will do!

strandroad · 06-03-2021 4:57pm

Would solanum crispum glasnevin (lilac flowers) or solanum album (white flowers) work for you? Cheap, decorative, natural looking tumbling shape, fast grwoing and vigorous. Those are semi-evergreen but in a sheltered location like yours in practice they'll be evergreen. My solanums never lose their leaf.

Ash.J.Williams · 06-03-2021 5:09pm

Snipers

Harry Palmr · 06-03-2021 5:31pm

I think less about a line of trees/shrubs etc and more about a pagoda style construction coming off that back wall at an angle of about 15-20 degrees. Though the massive sat dishes would be in the way.

JustAThought · 06-03-2021 5:34pm

Nice garden!

I’d olant whatever you are planting a few feet back from the wall - this should stop any neighbour reaching in and chopping away at it from their side. Or cutting it down to the level of the wall

Tullys garden centre (used) sell a great range of plants and trees that you could buy ( at a range of costs) at different stages of growth. So you could buy eg one twenty foot multistemmed beach tree and pay a few pound extra to have it delivered. Save you years of growing and instant coverage! They used have acres of different grown trees at different heights and price points .

They also used sell plants without the pots (I forget the term) (bare bark or something) where you would get it wrapped in hession or similar and save the cost of the pot - which for bigger plants could save e20 or so per plant - and if you were buying lots of smaller plants (eg to create a big hedge) could save e3 or e4 a pot which all add up.

Red robin are nice, grisilinia is fast growing too and grows high and is evergreen, nicer IMO than laurel, bamboo grows very quickly but can be a bit scruffy but it comes in lots of different colours and styles, the dreaded laylandi is/was always fast growing a popular.

I planted a pittasporum ( a few) (the pale silver queen variety) which grow and grow and are evergreen with a tiny flower and the birds and bees like them unlike some of the others listed here. One of mine grew about 3 storeys high and about 8-10 foot wide from tiny pot in about 10 years!!! You could plant 2 or 3 and grown them into a huge screen. Lovely shape and as they are a tree they will grow tall and you can plant shrubs or flowers under them after too.
Tulleys might sell them as partially grown of you ask! Save a few years of prying!!!

PS I was in Woodies ( sorry - may have been B&Q either) and they had these pannels you could mount on top of a wall either horizontally or diagonally to add height to a wall. They had a cut out design in them of birds in flight so light would be able to get through - they were nice. About e200 each plus the costs of the mounting posts. I’d say if you put them vertically instead of horizantally you could maybe do that garden for about 1k or so and add about 8 foot to
your wall height and privacy instantly. I’d prefer a few trees but they were nice. I guess you could use lattice either & halve your outgoings - perhaps!

JustAThought · 06-03-2021 5:46pm

https://www.tullynurseries.ie/for-landscapers/screening/

JustAThought · 06-03-2021 5:47pm

https://www.tullynurseries.ie/for-landscapers/hedging/

iba · 06-03-2021 6:00pm

strandroad wrote: »

Would solanum crispum glasnevin (lilac flowers) or solanum album (white flowers) work for you? Cheap, decorative, natural looking tumbling shape, fast grwoing and vigorous. Those are semi-evergreen but in a sheltered location like yours in practice they'll be evergreen. My solanums never lose their leaf.

Thanks very much for your suggestion. Had a google and they look nice.

iba · 06-03-2021 6:02pm

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Snipers

Thanks for the suggestion. Couldn't find this on google; just army snipers

iba · 06-03-2021 6:03pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I think less about a line of trees/shrubs etc and more about a pagoda style construction coming off that back wall at an angle of about 15-20 degrees. Though the massive sat dishes would be in the way.

Thats an idea. And how far would you come out from the wall?

iba · 06-03-2021 6:28pm

JustAThought wrote: »

Nice garden!

I’d olant whatever you are planting a few feet back from the wall - this should stop any neighbour reaching in and chopping away at it from their side. Or cutting it down to the level of the wall

Tullys garden centre (used) sell a great range of plants and trees that you could buy ( at a range of costs) at different stages of growth. So you could buy eg one twenty foot multistemmed beach tree and pay a few pound extra to have it delivered. Save you years of growing and instant coverage! They used have acres of different grown trees at different heights and price points .

They also used sell plants without the pots (I forget the term) (bare bark or something) where you would get it wrapped in hession or similar and save the cost of the pot - which for bigger plants could save e20 or so per plant - and if you were buying lots of smaller plants (eg to create a big hedge) could save e3 or e4 a pot which all add up.

Red robin are nice, grisilinia is fast growing too and grows high and is evergreen, nicer IMO than laurel, bamboo grows very quickly but can be a bit scruffy but it comes in lots of different colours and styles, the dreaded laylandi is/was always fast growing a popular.

I planted a pittasporum ( a few) (the pale silver queen variety) which grow and grow and are evergreen with a tiny flower and the birds and bees like them unlike some of the others listed here. One of mine grew about 3 storeys high and about 8-10 foot wide from tiny pot in about 10 years!!! You could plant 2 or 3 and grown them into a huge screen. Lovely shape and as they are a tree they will grow tall and you can plant shrubs or flowers under them after too.
Tulleys might sell them as partially grown of you ask! Save a few years of prying!!!

PS I was in Woodies ( sorry - may have been B&Q either) and they had these pannels you could mount on top of a wall either horizontally or diagonally to add height to a wall. They had a cut out design in them of birds in flight so light would be able to get through - they were nice. About e200 each plus the costs of the mounting posts. I’d say if you put them vertically instead of horizantally you could maybe do that garden for about 1k or so and add about 8 foot to
your wall height and privacy instantly. I’d prefer a few trees but they were nice. I guess you could use lattice either & halve your outgoings - perhaps!

Thank you very much for your very detailed reply.

I doubt very much that the neighbours at the back will cut anything down. There is actually a disused lane-way at the back. The neighbour on the right knocked down his back wall and extended his garden to the exterior wall of the laneway i.e. my back wall. He was entitled to do this. The neighbour on the left however didnt knock down his wall and now where the laneway used to be, a lot of brambles grow/blackberry bushes. They are very aggressive and grow in under my wall, through the wall and over the top. I'm always cutting them down. This waste land/old laneway is the property of the neighbour (I checked with the council) he should maintain it but he refuses and there is nothing I can do about it accept engage solicitors and I don't want to do that with all the cost involved. The neighbour did say that I could knock down my wall and take over the left hand side of the laneway. But I dont want to do that either. Hope this makes sense as its a bit hard to describe in writing. I have pics of the lanway somewhere but cant find them right now. But I attach a pic of what the wall looks like in the summer.

Thanks for all your suggestions though. Ive some very hard decisions to make. Didnt know it would be this hard.

Harry Palmr · 06-03-2021 6:52pm

iba wrote: »

Thats an idea. And how far would you come out from the wall?

I'd start at the same height at the shed so three main uprights at the back and then extend the "roof" to about the end of the shed.

Very crude but you get the idea, growing creepers along the frame and letting drop down at the back as a fringe!

Jackben75 · 06-03-2021 9:16pm

Portuguese laurel

JustAThought · 07-03-2021 1:58am

Jackben75 wrote: »

Portuguese laurel

I’d knock down the wall ir build an extra one and take the land. God’s not making any more of it. and all the more space to plant little flowering apple trees and daffidols in!!

Enjoy your projwct!!

iba · 07-03-2021 3:49pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I'd start at the same height at the shed so three main uprights at the back and then extend the "roof" to about the end of the shed.

Very crude but you get the idea, growing creepers along the frame and letting drop down at the back as a fringe!

Thanks very much for the huge effort you have done here. However Id be worried that all the sun would be blocked. But I deeply appreciate the effort and the idea

iba · 07-03-2021 3:53pm

JustAThought wrote: »

I’d knock down the wall ir build an extra one and take the land. God’s not making any more of it. and all the more space to plant little flowering apple trees and daffidols in!!

Enjoy your projwct!!

Its a lot of effort and Id only gain about two square meters and I would have the problem of the neighbours climbers that he has on the back wall coming in to my garden. Even though I despise having to cut the brambles down all the time (considering they are growing from my neighbours property and are his responsibility) at least there is no agro with me cutting them down. I'd imagine there would be lots of issues if I start cutting his intruding plants.

Ill post a pic of the area in question sometime soon - have to get a ladder out.

iba · 07-03-2021 3:55pm

Was in Woodies earlier and they had some of the Robin but according to the text on the description, the only grow to 1 metre high. Do you think the text is accurate?

Citizenpain · 07-03-2021 4:05pm

It’ll grow higher but it only grows a foot or so a year

ellee · 08-03-2021 11:24am

2m of extra garden is a LOT. You'd be surprised. I would totally grab that!

As for screening I'd probably go with a strategically placed tree, something not too dense or wide like a birch. It wouldn't be perfect but it would block your direct view of the windows enough I think to stop being so conscious of them. Yet it would still let in light and movement and be pleasing to look at.

You can get narrow fruit trees as well which would flower as an added bonus.

Robin is nice but I've never seen it grow v tall. I think you need a tree.

08-03-2021 3:17pm

iba wrote: »

Was in Woodies earlier and they had some of the Robin but according to the text on the description, the only grow to 1 metre high. Do you think the text is accurate?

I've got some mature red robin and they are at least 3m high,
They are massively wide so you will lose a chunk of garden

GreeBo · 08-03-2021 3:22pm

A beech will give nice colour all year round, froom deep green to a deep rust colour, makes a dense hedge with year round cover.

iba · 10-03-2021 8:13pm

I think Ive decided to go for the birch tress. Ive found this one online called Himalayan Birch Betula Jacquemontii

This site says they grow to 12ft which seems not to high and not too small - roughly twice the height of the wall. And they have a span of 6ft. Haven't measured but guess Id need three, (four max): https://hedging.ie/himalayan-birch-tree/

But on this site they look much taller than 12ft: https://www.treecentre.ie/component/content/article/2-tree-catalogue/38-betula-utilis-jacquemontii-multi-stem-himalayan-birch?Itemid=101

Found them here too https://doonwood.com/product/himalayan-birch/ but it says these ones grow to 7 metres high

And this site shows a picture growing to 18 metres high https://www.thegardenshop.ie/birch-trees/

And this site has them growing to 12m plus: https://clarenbridgegardencentre.ie/online-garden-shop/bare-root-trees-a-k-page-2/betula-jacquemontii-170-180cm/

So all very confusing for someone who knows nothing about trees.

So two questions please:

1) would this be a good tree to use?
2) what height should I be looking for?

Thanks.

10-03-2021 8:20pm

It can be expensive but I’ve seen bamboo work great for privacy, it grows thick and fast

Wyldwood · 10-03-2021 9:04pm

DON'T plant bamboo, you'll regret it when it starts to spread, and yes, even the clumpers eventually start to spread. I speak from experience.

macraignil · 11-03-2021 12:27am

iba wrote: »

I think Ive decided to go for the birch tress. Ive found this one online called Himalayan Birch Betula Jacquemontii

So two questions please:

1) would this be a good tree to use?
2) what height should I be looking for?

Thanks.

The site there that says 12 foot tall says it reaches that after 10 years but that is often not the age that a tree would stop growing. Putting that name into the search engine with RHS gives a few information pages from the Royal Horticultural Society and this reveals to me that there are a number of different subspecies of this tree and some may be smaller but just looking at one that has some details it says the full grown size is over 12metres so for me that would make this type of tree too big for the space in the photos.

Trees are sold at different sizes with the larger trees usually sold at higher prices so what height you should be looking for depends on your budget and if you are willing to wait for the tree to reach the height needed to offer the screening you are looking for. I think immediate screening with a small number of well grown trees could be expensive but you could get good screening in a couple of years if you got the right trees direct from a nursery. There's a chance you might still get them bare root but it is getting late in the season for that now. If you are on a tight budget you might still be able to get the fruit trees from LIDL that came in a few weeks back if they are still in stock and I think they were priced at 8euro each but then you would be waiting a number of years for them to provide the screening. I got some of them a couple of years back and they are now about 3metres tall and according to the labels they are meant to be varieties that reach 4metres as full grown height and I got some plums and edible cherry.

Here is a price list from a nursery close to where I live but somewhere local to your own garden might work out better. There are a number of varieties on the list in the link that are described as small growing and these could be good options for the long term and crab apple, rowan/mountain ash or Persian ironwood would be my own choices for the couple of trees I'd put in to block the view of the couple of windows I see in the photos. There are different cultivars or varieties of these trees that are smaller growing and some that are known to stay in a more narrow growth form which would be the types to go for if you have a choice.

Happy gardening!

ellee · 11-03-2021 12:09pm

I have a birch tree and it is currently about the height of the house. I have it about 10 years. I bought a large tree as a bare root ball and it was planted in the Autumn. I'd say the tree might be about 15 - 20y old.

It is not very voluminous though as you can see. I think a multi stem birch would not grow as high and they are v attractive. They take up more of a foot print though.

I don't think you should get too focused on a total screen, I think 1 tree would actually give you a good sense of privacy.

That said I do see them planted in a line in people's front gardens sometimes. Maybe there is a type that is suitable for hedging? I don't know. I also see them used by the council around me as street trees.

Before you make a big investment I think it is probably best to ring a tree specialist nursery and take their guidance. I see Caragh Nurseries has one they say is suitable for small gardens - https://caraghnurseries.ie/product/betula-fastigiata-joes/ Maybe that would work for you?

What can I plant on the back wall to gain privacy

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