what tree or bush for screening?

asp746

i need to screen my house as the house that backs on to me is quite close and there's no privacy. It sounds like i need a couple of leylandi putting in but they get so out of control. Is there anything else I could use - also I want something thats already fairly big, ie something that's a sapling about 6ft tall so it won't belong before i benefit from the screening.

a climber won't work as the fence is only about 5.5 ft tall and the screening needs to eventually be about 20ft max.

thanks.

Horace

Holly is good, plus you get the benefit of berries and lots of prickles (keeps the scallywags out). I think you can get holly saplings and beech saplings as these grow quite quickly too.

ukjoel

What about some bamboos. They can hit anything up to 30ft in this country with the right conditions and grow at a fair rate. They are fairly hardy and also give a nice bit of movement as well. Also once they hit 10ft you can start taking off the lower leaves so you will get to see some really attractive stems. I saw a few at Hillier gardens a while ago where this has been done so well that from a distance they looked like trees.

Penny_Farthing_2

Bamboos make a good screen (I have 6 in half barrels as a 'hedge' in my front garden). If you choose these, you MUST research them properly. Some are clump-forming but others are 'free range' and will spread like wildfire and can push their way up through tarmac or paving. It would be worth making a deep root run with membrane lining its sides. Have a google for specialist sellers who can advise you. I found the advantage in using half barrels over a thick layer of gravel is that I can control spread and height (some get too tall for me). The downside is that I have to feed and water and they are hungry and thirsty plants. It's do-able though with a cheap watering system.The bamboos themselves are a great screen without giving a hemmed in feeling. They are in a wind tunnel so they go to look a bit scrappy round the edges by mid spring but then they lose half of their leaves late in spring and renew them soon after.

MikeThomas

I thought I'd give something back to this place so I decided to give a tip I learned recently. My parents were also looking for Tree Screening so I done a bit of digging online and we went for Ruskins http://www.ruskins.co.uk/screening-trees/

I would highly recommend giving them a ring if you need any screening as we found them excellent. Very good guys who were above and beyond helpful.

Anyway, thays my tip of the day.