thin border plants... 3-5ft?

The fence in my front garden is approx 3ft high & I have a very thin border along the fence in which I currently have some bulbs & roses.  The problem is I get no privacy from my neighbours.. and so I am trying to find a few plants that are tall & thin (I don't want large bushes) that will give me a little extra privacy without blocking out all the sunlight or taking over the garden.  Can anyone suggest any nice tall, thin plants that grow up to 5ft (& will preferrably still provide some privacy in the winter months)

thanks

I had the same problem in my garden, and I used Lavatera 'Barnsley baby' as you can just trim and prune it to the shape you want. It will grow to about three metres if left so should be more than ample. It keeps it leaves in winter and has beautiful flowers in summer. Plus its not too vigorous, I've found mine easy to tame and I'm glad I picked it.

Hello Vicvic92,

This may not be everybody's favourite, but Mahonia x media or Mahonia japonica can grow tall and thin with slim stalks (beneath which you could plant something else) topped off with foliage and, in winter, fragrant flowers. I was thinking about bamboo, but planting even the 'non-invasive' types with a submerged barrier next to your fence could make you unpopular with your neighbours. There are also some lovely tall, slim cultivars of evergreen shrubs, like Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' that could do the trick, but they are pricey to plant en masse. Let us know how you get on,

Emma

gardenersworld.com team