Creating height and also a screen - to keep prying neighbours at bay!

Hello All,

Plants are expensive creatures - particularly when you have a garden almost stripped bare.

I'm after a range of plants, grasses which will act as a screen between neighbours and give that 'exotic' touch. Talking obvious choices such as pampous grasses, Bamboo etc but crucially, and the reason im on this forum asking is;

Im looking for evergreen small(ish) trees..10 - 12ft perhaps..any thoughts? What choices?

I know liquidamber are not evergreen, but i keep being recommended these types when i got to garden centres..Pear and apple trees as well i quite fancy.

SO - any recommendations for..either a small tree and/or a small evergreen tree...something that in the lighter months at least will add height to my garden as well as a 'wall' / screen from the neighbours.

Thanks for your time

IMO, bamboo makes an excellent screening plant.

You need to get a species that is not invasive, and that has erect stems (that don't flop). Most bamboos are evergreen too. I don't know of a better screening plant, that can be erected almost instantly.

The slight drawback is that bamboos are not cheap, especially if you want to buy a large one, that is already well grown.

Also, have a look at this thread about screening suggestions...

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/problem-solving/screening/68628.html

 

At this time of the year my berberis Darwinii is lovely. Orange flowers for several weeks on small evergreen foliage. Easy to control and prune. viburnum burkwoodii is another evergreen to consider as well as the varieties of mahonia.
I love my grasses....miscanthus variegatus makes an upright whitish impact grass ....I cut mine now and it will grow to 7 feet by autumn and keep,it's framework over winter. Calamagrostis brachytricha and Overdam flower late spring/early summer and throughout the summer and, again, with winter skeletons. ,all these grasses are well behaved, non invasive and stand up well against the wind.
Pampas grass? Yes it has it's place but it's a thug, difficult to cut back without cutting your hands and does not associate well with other plants.

have you ever thought of growing a cotoneaster against your wall  dense growing habit semi evergreen and profusion of red berry's in winter as the leaves go off they turn red as well.

 Picture from the Internet

Derek

 

 

 

it'd help if you can give some photos and dimensions. Do you have fence along your border? if so you can add trellis to the top and then you can use climbers too, also growing fruit trees as fans or espaliers can be a productive screen. Instant screening can be achieved with bamboo screening, I'd be loathe to plant bamboo as they have a habit of escaping and then you'll never be rid of it.

Thank you all for your prompt and kind replies. I will scour te' internet in regards to some of those names mentioned although it does appear Bamboo is the way to go at least for the screening I was after. Not sure of dimentions off hand however, the 'escaping' bit aware of and intended to create a boxed raised bed..sitting on a slab base..its a large/wide box so hopefully will do the job.

Any other thoughts on a small(ish) tree to add height and colour. Is the Liquidamber any good?

And apple/pear trees..worth a punt? leaves last long enough kindof thing?

Thanks again for the replies

Hi, garjobo. For a quick screen, I like Leycesteria (Hiimalayan Honeysuckle), which  is not everygreen but grows quickly and has lovely purplish flowers and black berries. It strikes realy easily from cuttings. It reaches about 8 feet so in a raised be would be about ten feet. It can be cut to the ground in spring and will grow back to its full size quickly, or it can be left as it is.There's also sambucus, which grows very quickly and a nice lacy one called sambucus nigra laciniata.Iit gets to 15'. Obviously it would have to go  in the ground though.

Small tree I have been hankering after but have nowhere to put yet is a Cercis 'Forest Pansy'. I think it's stunning and not too dense but would give you some protection