Tall fast growing trees for privacy but safe near houses - suggestions please?

m33r4

I am planning on planting 2 tall trees so I can reclaim privacy in my back garden from the neighbouring house's dormer window which directly overlooks my back garden.

The nearest house is approximately 20-30 feet away from the area I wish to grow the trees in. I have been contemplating a poplar as they are fast growing, upright trees that don't spread out much. The idea is to get height with enough leafiness to get privacy spring to autumn when we use the garden.

I am also thinking of possible root spread. My neighbour who works for the council assures me that I can plant anything I like in my garden. I live on a new housing estate and the drainage/sewer system is plastic so she said that the chance of root damage to sewers is negligible. She also said the council don't get involved in tree complaint and if the neighbour's property was affected they would have to take out a civil case but it was hard to prove any problems was tree-root related.

Any tips/advice please?

demystified

keep them well away from drains and the footings of buildings especially on clay soil as they'll suck the moisture out and can cause cracking. Poplars grow quick but they can be cut back unlike conifers like Leylandii, once those are out of control they're impossible to get under control without destroying them. They're not too dense either, also unlike conifers.

Davesnave

demystified wrote: »

Poplars grow quick but they can be cut back unlike conifers like Leylandii, once those are out of control they're impossible to get under control without destroying them. They're not too dense either, also unlike conifers.

On the other hand, the root structures of conifers are generally much less extensive and invasive than poplar.

I had a row of leylandii across my last garden 30' from the neighbours they were shielding me from. I kept them to about 12' - 14' and around 3' wide and that was easier than sawing whole limbs off a cotoneaster, which did a similar job and took up much more space. Indeed my daughter used to do the leylandii for me sometimes, but she couldn't manage the cotoneaster tree alone.

Now I no longer live there, the leylandii have gone out of control, as you suggest they can do.

It's just like dogs; don't blame the plant, blame it's owner.

Italian alder make a reasonably fast growing, dense tree, with clean foliage.

UmbraFeles

You've probably already bought the trees now, but I thought I'd make a suggestion. We've got hold of some bamboo to do the same thing, and if you keep it in pots it doesn't get intrusive and you can move it around.

lostinrates

I doubt poplar would be a safe choice. We are making similar decisions and the tree my strcural engineer recommends most is horn beam. Fruit trees also make good choices

Leif

I imagine a tree root could crack a sewer pipe, if it grew alongside, but it would take many years, by which time you would have moved ... But I would keep it many meters from sewer pipes.

A colleague told me her clumping bamboo grows fast and does not spread. Just make sure it is a clumping variety, not a spreading one, which is pernicious.

When I asked a related question, one suggestion was to put up a trellis, and train a climber such as Winter Jasmine or a Clematis though I think the latter is deciduous.

m33r4

In the end I bought a Caucasian Lime tree.

Thanks for the advice above.

A trellis would not serve my purpose Leif but thanks anyway.

I am training a couple of branches to spread sideways and am leaving the other branches to grow upwards. Hopefully that will achieve a screening effect over the years.

Tinks32

Arbutus (strawberry tree, lovely flowers, that are followed by bright red fruits that you can eat, evergreen & fast growing). Ceanothus (California Lilac, evergreen with blue flowers in spring that bees adore). Laurel which is chunky and evergreen but is a thug, I have planted this to screen me from my lovely neighbour, works a treat but can be a thug, i have inter-planted fruit trees and flowering cherry and clematis to give year round interest. Griselinia (lovely lime coloured multi stemmed shrub it grows very quickly and looks like a tree, its evergreen too. Fatsia Japonica (caster oil plant) loves a shady spot,evergreen fast growing, lovely white flowers followed by blue/black berries looks very tropical. My absolute favourite is a tree called Cercidiphyllum (Katsura tree)the red/brown leaves smell of candy floss which in autumn change colour to yellow/red smell like burnt candy floss (i can't possibly do it justice describing it here) . As you can tell I am a bit of a tree nerd, imo you can't have too many and if one out grows its position just hoof it out and plant a new one in its place. Check out Burncoose Nurseries order their catalogue, great descriptions & pictures and if you are still not sure give them a ring and they are always happy to answer questions. And I don't work from them, I just collect trees from them!
Sorry for the long post I couldn't help myself gov!
Also I bought many of my ornamental fruit trees from Aldi in the spring, they cost £4.99 and out of 10 only one didn't make it.

lostinrates

Lol, i am a tree nerd too and katsura (which i call a burnt sugar tree) is one of my favourites too. I have recently bought an arbutus and i cannot wait to see it grow...it seems like it could be the perfect screening tree for many a spot where a conifer has been shoved in instead.

Tinks32

Yes they are also great for shaping too! I have one growing in my rockery! (yes obviously it is no longer a rockery because my tree addiction took over)! I have grown it as a standard and 2 weeks ago trimmed it into a mushroom shape, it looks wonderful. when I get some more posts behind me I will add some photos.

cyclonebri1

Ok, advice.
NB, I don't like that word on this forum.

But it seems you are already on confrontation approach to the neighbours by wanting to plant trees where If I detect correctly, trees don't fit.

No trees will thrive and not give issues re foundations within that proximity. Think shrubs.

I also detect you have 2 very differently regarded neighbours?