Tree

I am needing a tree or shrub preferably one that keeps it's leaves all year round and grows to about 4 meteres but isn't to hard to maintain or is to dense. Ive attached a pic and any hlep would be great. The location is quite sunny but is wet
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Comments

  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 14,352 Forumite
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    edited 14 February at 12:44PM
    All year leaves tends to mean some sort of conifer, which would be a green blob in that corner

    Is it your fence?
    If yes, train a thornless blackberry along it, lovely blossom & then crumbles for you if you also plant a self fertile apple in the sunny spot there, look for dwarfing root stocks, M9 or M26

    Now is the ideal time for planting a bare root fruit tree, get named one with known rootstock, one not one from £land
    The link will take you to site where you can research a suitable apple for you

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  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Posts: 22,486 Forumite
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    Holly?

    I think I'd go for a large shrub and not worry about it being evergreen

    Having said that, I do have a nice variegated pittisporum that would fit there. Needs trimming once a year to keep it in shape
  • FlorayG
    FlorayG Posts: 1,969 Forumite
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    edited 14 February at 12:56PM
    You won't get a shrub to that height. A holly tree would fit the bill if you don't want a conifer and has the advantage you can trim it without killing the top
    A grafted apple or pear tree would work as the height is determined by the rootstock it's grafted on to but of course they lose leaves in winter
    You need to bear in mind two very important things;
    1) Any tree that will get to 4m quickly is going to keep growing way, way over that height and will be 8m in 15 years, so if you want one that's going to be easy to keep within bounds you're looking at potentially 15 years before it gets anywhere near that height of 4m
    2) You need to be aware of root damage to the foundations of the houses that are very near to where you intend to plant it - I think that may be too close for any decent size 'real' tree
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,887 Forumite
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    edited 14 February at 1:25PM
    You'll have much more choice if you drop the 'evergreen' criteria.

    I'm a great fan of crab apples.  Buy one on a restricted root stock, so it won't grow too big, and you'll have colour for most of the year, including flowers in the spring and colourful fruits in the autumn.

    You could then under-plant with evergreen ground cover 
  • Working_Mum
    Working_Mum Posts: 744 Forumite
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    I think a Rowan tree would look good in that spot - it can have a nice canopy shape so it's screen the houses behind during the summer months - they're great for feeding the birds too.

    I agree with FlorayG that any conifer type / evergreen type would soon overwhelm the space and not provide you with a lot of visual interest.

    If you're wanting screening a better a idea may be to add screens / trellis to the top your fence and grow something lovely up them - you can get evergreen jasmine or I have a passionflower plant which is green now but in the summer has the most beautiful flowers.

    I suppose it depends on what you're trying to achieve with that area of your garden.

    Keep us posted!

    WM
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 17,809 Forumite
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    Don't plant a conifer or a laurel - Both are fast growing, and whilst conifers pruned at ground level don't return, laurels will throw up suckers until you dig out the roots.
    Holly would do the job, even better if you can get a female. Tolerates extreme pruning, even at ground level. But dead leaves & prunings are prickly to deal with.
    Eucalyptus is also fast growing, and some can be copiced/pollarded (Snow gum springs to mind). But being shallow rooted, they are prone to being felled in high winds if allowed to get too big.

    Myrtle would be a good choice in my opinion - Not very fast growing and unlikely to get more than 4m high. Dark green leaves all year round (you can get a variegated variety, but it isn't that hardy in my experience). Leaves & flowers give off a pleasant scent, and the berries can be eaten.
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  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Posts: 22,486 Forumite
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    Some other shrubs that might fit the bill are

    Red Robin Photina

    Callistemon Bottle Brush

    Olearia New Zealand Holly
  • Brookside88
    Brookside88 Posts: 341 Forumite
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    I'd consider a camelia. We have one that is now around 9ft tall with lower branches removed to make it tree shaped. It's green all year round and flowers twice a year. Very forgiving. it could definitely be kept smaller than that 
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 7,070 Forumite
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    A Crab or flowering cherry would be nice but if you want evergreen then I'd suggest Ligustrum Japonicum Varigata
    It comes as a shrub and you prune it to tree shape which is the cheapest way, or you can buy them as trees with a trunk.

    I have had one as a multi stemmed tree which would add interest there and from a cutting a shrub. The gold stands out in winter.
    It's fine branches are easy to prune and dispose of. They don't shed overmuch so very little clearing.

    It would give privacy and dappled shade. Grows about 3mtrs.

    4mtrs is high. You won't find something that grows that high and then stops at the size you want.

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  • -taff
    -taff Posts: 15,163 Forumite
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    edited 14 February at 2:56PM
    I'd have a look for a tree trained ceanothus too, lovely blue flowers in the summer and evergreen.
    I would also think about whether whatever you grow is going to hang over the fence. If you own the bits outside the fence  fine, but if your neighbours do, expect them to cut it level with the fence if it overhangs.
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