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What sort of trees would be best at screening high rise flats in back garden

jasminskellyjasminskelly Posts: 5
in Problem solving
Hi,

We've recently had an offer accepted on a house, and I'm keen to do work on the garden, which is about 100 foot long but north facing. I was wondering which trees would be best at screening the two blocks of flats that overlook the garden at the back, and on the left hand side? Also, would it be a problem planting trees so close to the neighbours garage which borders our garden on the right hand side? Are there trees I could plant that wouldn't damage their foundations? Thanks for any help you can offer!
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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Rather than trees, which may well be problematic in that space, I would go for a pergola at the far end of the lawn, covered with climbers such as clematis, wisteria, grapevines or similar ... that will give you a much greater sense of privacy when in the garden, without the problems for neighbours and buildings that trees can cause.  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • jasminskellyjasminskelly Posts: 5
    Hi Dovefromabove thanks for getting back to me. Ideally I would prefer something with a bit more height so that if we are sitting in the house and looking into the garden the flats are obscured. Are there no trees then that would work?Thanks
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Where's your eye level if you're sitting in the house?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    What about some pleached beech trees?
    Image result for pleached beech tree

    Are you able to maintain such trees?  (I don't know about their root habits close to structures, so that would require some research).  
    Utah, USA.
  • jasminskellyjasminskelly Posts: 5
    Nice, I like the beech trees idea. My eye level would be slightly below where it is in the photo, as that was taken standing up looking out the dining room window I imagine
  • ThankthecatThankthecat Posts: 421
    If you grow standard trees in such a narrow garden they would create an awful lot of shade...
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    The left hand side will shade the neighbors garden, not OPs.  >:)  Good point though Thankthecat... I hadn't even considered it.  I suppose I've been in Utah too long.. we are desperate for created shade.
    Utah, USA.
  • jasminskellyjasminskelly Posts: 5
    As the garden is north facing, am I right in thinking that trees would only shade part of the right hand sides' garden in the evening, and left hand sides' in the morning?

    Trees planted at the very back where the flat block is wouldn't add shade to any garden, as there aren't any houses immediately behind me.

    I would carefully consider these issues of course, as don't want arguments with neighbours. What trees would you consider with that in mind?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Don't want to  labour the point if you've decided against it , but if your eye level is as you say,  a pergola the height of the white building to the right will totally screen the flats from your view when you're sitting in the house.

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Dove is right.  Also, screening works better the closer it is to you, so a couple of tallish evergreen shrubs would probably do the job, or the pergola also suggested. Something like eleagnus ebbingi might suit, evergreen, green, gold edged leaves and tiny perfumed flowers. A staggered line across the lawn (where the shadow line falls on the photo) would help break up your long thin garden as well.
    However, if you do want a tree, something like an amelanchier would do well, although it's not evergreen.
    On the left hand side, you could improve the situation by putting trellis on top of the fence (if it's yours) and then a climber in a very large pot could be trained along the trellis.  You should not plant a tree or even a large shrub right next door to your neighbours garage, but you could with their permission hang some hanging baskets if that's your thing or screw some trellis to it.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
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