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Tree screen

Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
in Plants
I am looking for suggestions to make a screen of trees.  We have an ownership boundary at the bottom of our field which is 33 metres wide.  When we aquired the field and our neighbours bought the adjoining land he made an earth bank which was approx. 5 foot tall which soon became covered in brambles and weeds.  We didn't mind that it looked a bit "wild" as soon birds and hedgehogs began to use it, and a farmer used our field for his crops and livestock. Now the neighbour is building 7 houses in his garden, has demolished the earth bank and replaced it with a 3 foot bank which he is proposing to plant some hedging on the top.  We would like to plant one or two rows of trees in our field to screen the new houses.  We think they should be approx. 5 - 10 metres tall, with quite a dense canopy to help blot out the houses.  The proposed trees won't cause any shade on his property as his houses will be behind the trees - any suggestions for species would be appreciated - with pictures if possible.

Posts

  • yorkshireroseyorkshirerose Posts: 574
    Maybe a mixed planting of trees and shrubs will give you the best screen. Birch will give the height and could be inter-spaced with Rowans and/or Crab apple. Holly will provide an evergreen touch to the planting. Shrubs such as Viburnum opulus, Hazel, Elder will add another dimension. These plants are beneficial to wildlife in providing food and shelter. 
    A gardener's work is never at an end  - (John Evelyn 1620-1706)
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    You have given me some ideal suggestions Yorkshirerose, thanks.  I must admit I had thought that we will need some evergreen shrubs to help screen the eyesore when the winter leaves fall off the trees.  Are there some types of silver birch that are pendulous rather than just growing upright?  I have Twisted Willow and Oak saplings that I have grown from twigs in the past year, but I don't think either are appropriate, the willow being too large although it does grow very quickly. Ideally I really need an instant screen, but growing trees and shrubs is going to take time.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I shouldn't worry about the new houses GD, It's surprising how quickly you can get used to a different view and you do have a large garden/field between you and them.  The suggested native hedge sounds ideal. Hazel will grow quite quickly as well and you could also plant a few evergreen laurels in front of some of the offending windows.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    edited December 2018
    You may be right Lizzie, but we are concerned at the loss of privacy.  We are planning to put up a chain link fence to help prevent any dogs from using our field as a race track or toilet.  We have just had the field sown with wild flower seeds, so don't want them to be trampled over. 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    If you are planting trees, it's a longterm project. If you can source it, I recommend Osmanthus Yunnanensis. Beautiful glossy wavy long leaves that hang down loosely as it matures, and in later winter, fragrant white flowers fill the shrub/tree. Best planted away from the boundary edge to allow it to form a large canopy.

    Other evergreen options, Ligustrum Lucidum can form into a nice shape tree. Small creamy white flowers form in early summer.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Thank you for your helpful suggestions Borderline, you have given us some "different" ideas to investigate.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    You could consider forms of sorbus which would give youa long season of interest from foliage, blossom and berries.   Vilmorinii will get to about 5m high but others will get taller.   Search "sorbus" on the RHS site to see the different sizes and berry colours.   Great for wildlife so would go with your wildflower meadow.

    For evergreens, have a look at arbutus unedo for a medium tree  but surely, one of th ebest and cheapest options has to be a good old hawthorn.    



    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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