Forum home› Garden design
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

What will thrive next to neighbour’s laurel?

BaileyJoBaileyJo Posts: 4
in Garden design


My neighbour has planted a row of 6 laurel plants about 6 inches in his boundary. Having just finished renovations inside my house, am looking to overhaul the front garden. My border is the overgrown side,on the left in the picture, it is only about 2.5m long.  Am worried about whatever I plant being swamped. It is south facing, I am in the East. Wondered about putting some paving slabs down and standing tallish planters on each one so they won’t be fighting for nutrients with the laurel, but a bit worried they would topple over and break his plants. Also, through reading through many posts wondered about digging down and putting some sort of root barrier in? Any ideas welcomed.

Posts

  • David WDavid W Posts: 84
    That, in my opinion, is far too close to your border. Those Laurel could easily swamp your border unless you keep your side closely clipped.

    in the background of the attached photo of the end of our front garden is a laurel hedge our neighbour keeps under control. As you can see it’s quite wide despite its height being kept low.

    Are you happy with paving slabs and pots, if so that might be the way to go. Laurel are tough, a pot falling over would not be a problem to them.


  • BaileyJoBaileyJo Posts: 4
    Thanks for your reply, David. I agree, I think it was deliberate as he objected to our extension. I am confident trimming any overhang back to the boundary line so hopefully it will keep under control my side. His garden is very tidy so I don’t think it will get too unruly... hopefully! 
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845
    edited April 2018
    Perhaps he just wants to screen the new extension.  That's if the laurel is in-between.  I see a hedge better than a fence, and it could be a plus for you as it will eventually be a good opaque partition.  The looser is the one with the shady garden who'll have to cut it back twice a year.  It's just a bit of a boring choice for a hedge.   I'd give the hedge a chance to get going, rather than mulching it with paving slabs.

    It's a shame you couldn't agree on a nice piece of hedging straight down the boundary.  I've a narrow garden and placing a hedge too far over feels too much of a loss.  If it's on their side, that's a bonus.  Not that I'm the one living with it.
  • BaileyJoBaileyJo Posts: 4
    The extension is at the back of our house so the hedge makes no difference. I agree, I would like an opaque partition, but also need to get planting something my side as it is looking rather neglected and is the main view from my lounge window ( where I took the photo from.) as you say, it is quite boring to look at, need something in front!
  • autumngloryautumnglory Posts: 255
    It looks like you have some lawn next to the border, how big is it? I'd let the hedge grow and cut away the lawn to make the border wider so your plants are further away from the laurel.
  • BaileyJoBaileyJo Posts: 4
    It is a square of grass, I was debating getting rid of it as hardly worth bringing the mower round, so could feasibly just have a giant border with a few stepping stones and not get stressed by the laurels at all! Thanks for replying.
Sign In or Register to comment.