Trees that provide cover for a small garden please!!

Hello,

Until recently we've had a lovely magnolia and a leylandi tree in our back garden. Unfortunately our neighbours were not happy as they were overhanging into their garden so we've had to cut them down. This has left us exposed to all the neighbours and the garden looks rather bare! In order to regain some privacy, not to mention all the added benefits of trees, I'd like to plant some more that will provide a bit of cover but not be too unmanageable - I was thinking something tall and thin but with enough foliage. My gardening knowledge is somewhat limited so any advice would be much appreciated, thank you!

What about a mixed hedge with shrubs such as photinia Red Robin, Philadelphus, hawthorn (birds like the berries) with the odd small tree at intervals, like crabapple, rowan, amalanchier. I don't know the length of the area you want to plant. Here is a website full of hedging plants.

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/photinia_red_robin.html

Bobcat,it was considerate of you to cut down the trees, since I should think that their only rights were to cut off the overhanging branches and give them back to you.

We had a similar problem with neighbours and trees. We solved it by putting up a pergola and planting large climbers to grow over it. We have quite a lot of privacy without causing a nuisance to the neighbours. Otherwise, there is are some nice flowering cherries that are narrow in growth and go to about ten metres and I am thinking about planting one at the bottom of the garden.

Thanks very much for the suggestions, I'll look into them!  

For a smallish tree have a look at Amelanchire Lamarckii (June Berry Tree)

For me my first choice tree for a new garden would be the crabapple...Malus Everest..it has the most amazing display of white blossom and loads of fruit for the birds in the autumn/ winter. I have up to 5 or 6 blackbirds feasting on it at a time. I came by one by accident and was so impressed that I planted 2 more. It is a good shape and well behaved. It won't get overlarge. I have had no disease problems with it. Go find.......

I have a nice pink berried chinese mountain ash that so far is keeping its manners...

Crab apple is an excellent choice. Or perhaps go for an eating apple tree on a small rootstock?