It's not illegal to grow leylandii, in fact a single specimen doesn't count. If a line of them is grown as a boundary hedge, then they have to be kept under 2 metre high.
I’m basically in a similar situation to this, I’m considering using Portuguese Laurel trees again for the evergreen aspect. What are everybody’s thoughts on this, anybody used it for something similar?? It’s either that, or I’ll probably go with something deciduous like the silver birch. I’d like to use holly trees but the OH isn’t keen on them.
Silver Birch all day long. They grow quickly, are beautiful especially in the sun and will cover enough. Unless growing Bamboo in pots, they are a complete nuisance.
Mix 2tbsp of white,granulated sugar with 1tbsp of water and place on a spoon for a Bee to reach. Sometimes they're too exhausted to reach back to the hives when it's hot and dry.
Eucalyptus pauciflora niphophila might be an option for by he shed, evergreen and pretty fast growing. It's not as big as some other Eucalyptus and you can cut it down and let it regrow (coppicing) to keep it in bounds.
I would be tempted to plant a veil of tall semi-see-through stuff along the boundary of the lawn and the patio though (with a gap to access the lawn). Could be Phyllostachys nigra (in troughs) or even Verbena bonariensis.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
Silver birch is fine but it is not really a tree for a small town garden as it grows too big and looks horrible if its lopped. You are only overlooked from next doors top windows so I wouldn't go overboard with screening (unless they have a penchant for sitting at their top windows all the time. For the living room I would invest in some vertical blinds for the sliding doors and for the garden, I would suggest a small decorative tree for the middle of your lawn - something like an Amelanchier, or flowering cherry etc. The RHS site has a list of small flowering trees. If you really really want to go the silver birch route, get the Jacquemontii one - expensive but has a beautiful white trunk which you will never get tired of looking at. Apart from the window blind suggestion, you are going to be looking at 5-10 years before a tree gives you the privacy you are looking for. Another suggestion would be to build a wooden pergola coming out from the house and extending over your patio area - you would need it to come out at least 8 ft from the house. That would solve all your problems instantly (or at least in the two days it would take to build). Even the pergola on its own would do the trick but with plants growing up it and over it - job done.
Something like this would look fab.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
Thanks @WillDB the Eucalyptus pauciflora niphophila seems like a good option! A nice light canopy much like a silver birch only an evergreen option.
Any thoughts on the Portuguese Laurel Tree guys and gals??
It’s a cottage garden style we’re going for, has anybody used a Thuja plicata Excelsa for use as screening?? It seems another good option for an evergreen screen option.
What would you use in a cottage garden for screening a neighbours upstairs window?? It’s not going to be right in front of their window don’t worry! I’m trying to create a nice private garden, I’m unsure whether to go evergreen or deciduous screening trees. Maybe a few evergreens behind with smaller deciduous in front of them.
Anything tall enough to screen upstairs windows are going to be too tall for such a small garden - believe me, we've got two 40ft high silver birches only 3 metres from our house. They drop twiggy debris constantly as well as catkins in the spring, sticky aphid sap and then dead leaves in the autumn, I'm forever clearing up. As for eucalyptus, they grow very quickly and can get to 70 ft. Most people keep them pruned for a couple of years and then can't be bothered. Removing a tall mature tree can now cost up to £1000. As others have suggested, either a pergola (or sail shade fixed to posts) is your best option Failing that, go for a largish shrub half way down your garden.
Do remember that if you plant something big the roots will extend way beyond the trunk and steal water etc. Lleylandii are particularly demanding, and you can get a dead zone around them.
What about a fruit tree that has a nice form in winter, great spring flowers and fruit for your little one to enjoy? Choose something self pollinating on a reasonable sized root stock, plant it fairly central and before you know it the view will be masked.
The closer to your house it is, the smaller it can be and still block the view. But if you plant something at the bottom of the garden it has to be huge to have the same effect.
Posts
I would be tempted to plant a veil of tall semi-see-through stuff along the boundary of the lawn and the patio though (with a gap to access the lawn). Could be Phyllostachys nigra (in troughs) or even Verbena bonariensis.
For the living room I would invest in some vertical blinds for the sliding doors and for the garden, I would suggest a small decorative tree for the middle of your lawn - something like an Amelanchier, or flowering cherry etc. The RHS site has a list of small flowering trees. If you really really want to go the silver birch route, get the Jacquemontii one - expensive but has a beautiful white trunk which you will never get tired of looking at.
Apart from the window blind suggestion, you are going to be looking at 5-10 years before a tree gives you the privacy you are looking for.
Another suggestion would be to build a wooden pergola coming out from the house and extending over your patio area - you would need it to come out at least 8 ft from the house. That would solve all your problems instantly (or at least in the two days it would take to build). Even the pergola on its own would do the trick but with plants growing up it and over it - job done.
Something like this would look fab.
Any thoughts on the Portuguese Laurel Tree guys and gals??
It’s a cottage garden style we’re going for, has anybody used a Thuja plicata Excelsa for use as screening?? It seems another good option for an evergreen screen option.
What would you use in a cottage garden for screening a neighbours upstairs window?? It’s not going to be right in front of their window don’t worry! I’m trying to create a nice private garden, I’m unsure whether to go evergreen or deciduous screening trees. Maybe a few evergreens behind with smaller deciduous in front of them.
What about a fruit tree that has a nice form in winter, great spring flowers and fruit for your little one to enjoy? Choose something self pollinating on a reasonable sized root stock, plant it fairly central and before you know it the view will be masked.
The closer to your house it is, the smaller it can be and still block the view. But if you plant something at the bottom of the garden it has to be huge to have the same effect.