Suitable hedging plants

Leif

I planted a privet hedge at the front, and I have two other boundaries to consider.

The one at the end of the garden faces south west, has a wooden fence, 6 foot roughly, but with a trellis top part. There is a 2m wide path of soil, and then a main sewer encased in concrete, rising 6" about the surrounding land. Mmm, nice. I want a 2m hedge to give better privacy, and look nicer than a fence. It is sunny until mid afternoon. It cannot have wide spreading roots due to the main sewer.

The boundary on the south east side has a fence, but the neighbours have decking, and when seated, they can look over my garden. Hence I want a 2m+ hedge. It is partial shade, with sun from early afternoon to sunset.

The default option is privet: cheap, easy to maintain, fast growing, looks okay. I don't want Laurel, or a Leylandii (a thug). I want something that grows fast-ish so 1 foot per year is okay. A non formal hedge for the SE boundary might be okay.

Suggestions please. And yes I know it is too late to plant bare root plants, I'll dig and plant this winter, and next spring. Or prepare the soil ready to plant.

lostinrates

Well, i am planting yew. It grows about a foot of top growth a year until the top is cuit, so not as slow to reach height as one would think, but slow to get density. I am actually replacing a hedge that is primarily privet with yew, because the privit needs cutting all the time, turn my back after cutting it and its a mess again. All the trimmilng to keep neat means i never get the lovely flowers so it has little bonus for me.

madmum33

Hornbeam is nice, pretty fast growing and holds onto it's leaves through winter. More informal than formal though. It's also good for wildlife which is a bonus.

Leif

Thanks. Sadly I suspect Hornbeam and Yew, being trees, have extensive roots. One hedge will be about 5 foot from a main sewer pipe on the surface, the other has a storm drain pipe about 3 foot away, and at least 2 foot down.

Some shrubs will be okay, although I know Buddleja has roots that travel a long long way.

valk_scot

One very quick and temporary suggestion for privacy this year is to grow a row of tall variety sunflowers along the section of fence between you and your neighbours. It won't be that dense, rather a net curtain effect, but it will help and will look nice.

Leif

valk_scot wrote: »

One very quick and temporary suggestion for privacy this year is to grow a row of tall variety sunflowers along the section of fence between you and your neighbours. It won't be that dense, rather a net curtain effect, but it will help and will look nice.

That is a nice idea! Thanks.