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.

Medium evergreen tree for front garden

KLKL Posts: 115
in Garden design
Hi, I’m new to the forum so this is my first post. I’m looking for a nice colourful evergreen tree (if such a tree exists) for my front garden to give me some screening at the front of my house. Can anyone give me some help please. I would like to buy something initially around the 3m height.

thanks

Paul 

Posts

  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 1,017
    edited June 2019
    Hi Paul,

    What is your soil like and what exposure is your plot?
    If it's evergreen you're after, you could also consider a large bush, like an evergreen viburnum tinus (very hardy, low maintenance and has flowers in winter followed by berries) which could then act as foil through which you could train a clematis, for example.
    Fatsias also come in evergreen forms and grow to about 3-4m.

    It does also depend on what you like the look of! Personally, I love hollies and there are smaller, self fertile varieties that can suit a smaller front garden, plus you'd have the benefit of berries for the birds.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    If you’re sure you want evergreen my best suggestion is a variegated holly, clipped into a cone shape. 

    https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/10-hollies-to-grow/

    Large ones don’t come cheap tho’ https://www.gardenplantsonline.co.uk/product/topiary-trees/cone/ilex-aquifolium-variegatum-variegated-english-holly-cone-2/

    By the way I don’t know the above supplier so can’t recommend them ... I’m just using them as an
    illustration. 


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





  • KLKL Posts: 115
    Hi, thanks for your replies. Firstly I’m going to  attach a couple of pictures to give you a better understanding of where the tree would be sited. It would be in the area of the flowers at the vans front wheel at the grass side. I had a small birch tree here that was there when I moved in but some vandals broke it in half so I removed the left over part. My hope is that I can plant something that will screen my living room window from the houses opposite. The bottom picture is taken from my living room window and the other picture from the bedroom above. The bottom picture gives the best idea of height required for privacy. 
  • KLKL Posts: 115
    Haha, I like your thinking, I will have a look later when free.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    I can't believe I'm suggesting this because I'm such a snob, but have you considered Photinia 'Red Robin'? It's evergreen, colourful and about the right height. You can get it as a large bush and gradually remove small twiggy branches from lower down to reveal the main stems and turn it into a multi-stem 'tree'.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    For example something like this would give immediate impact (except it's root balled for autumn planting, pre-order only) 
    https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Photinia-Red-Robin-Photinia-x-fraseri-Red-Robin-200-225cm-Root-ball.html
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • KLKL Posts: 115
    Hi Will, I do like the photinia but was planning on replacing the front hedge with this so looking for something different as a main tree but won’t rule it out..
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Cotoneasters will do well in a number of soil conditions and aspects. Cotoneaster Lacteus size wise will be ideal in that spot. Early summer flowers and autumn berries, a good all-rounder for a front garden.
Sign In or Register to comment.