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conifer

gr.phippardgr.phippard Posts: 10
in Plants
Hello everybody, I'm not much of a gardener presently as the property we own doesn't have much of what I'd call a proper garden.... anyhow, we (my wife and I) are looking to buy a conifer about 7-8 ft tall to pop in the corner of our front garden to help with privacy by our front door.
I've scoured local garden centres with no success (we live in Newton Abbot) and have resorted to looking online but struggling to find a supplier for such a plant. 
We have a budget that isn't huge and would appreciate some help with finding somewhere that can supply a half decent tree for our needs.
Any suggestions would be most welcome, thanks.

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    Hello gr.phippard and welcome to the forum. Unfortunately to acquire an evergreen that height you would probably have to pay a great deal of money. It can be better to buy a smaller tree as this would probably settle in more quickly than a larger specimen. There are quite a few suppliers online (you may already have visited these sites) e.g. Jackson's Coolings or Ashridge to name a few. All I would say is it may be better to avoid Cupressus x leylandii. There are several varieties of Lawsons cypress that may suit.
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
    Lime Cross Nursery are conifer specialists. The problem is as @Ladybird4
    says, in that semi-mature stock is hard to come by. If 7-8ft is the current height, what is the ultimate height? Do you have ideas in terms of height versus width?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Just be careful planting one by your door. 
    Those charming 'dwarf'  conifers that places sell don't just stop growing.  ;)

    Buying one already at that height, if you can get it,  is also much harder to establish - even at this time of year. They all take a while to reach 7 or 8 feet apart from leylandii, so they are mature shrubs when that height.  If you really want a conifer, pick one that can be pruned hard without it dying. Thuja is more robust and can take pruning well, as can Yew.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I would go for Taxus baccata ‘David’ ... a dense golden leaved form of the upright yew. 


    Unlike many other conifers you can prune this back hard if it is outgrowing its allotted space, and it will remain attractive and clothed with foliage. 

    Planting and growing on a large one successfully will take a lot of TLC but it can be done.  We can hold your hand and advise. 😊 

    The first thing to do is to prepare the planting site ... can we see some photos of the site please?  

    Have you any idea what the soil in your area is like?  

    Also have you investigated below the surface? Often the ground near to a building can be full of builders’ rubble etc and quite a large area will need to be dug out and improved. 


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





  • gr.phippardgr.phippard Posts: 10
    thanks for all the replies folks, very helpful.

    Maybe I'll have to downsize a bit and let nature take its course.... was just keen to get an instant bit of extra privacy from the street.

    The soil is pretty good but clay further down as we live in an old house (with no builder's rubble) in Newton Abbot. There used to be a big rockery at one time out the front with a very well established Hazel that the previous owners had let run riot, about 25ft tall!

    I would need something that could be kept in shape and not get too tall so thanks for the suggestions on species that can survive a good pruning. I'll have a look at your suggestions  :)
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    There are also many other shrubs which would be much more attractive, easier to maintain, and offer more than a conifer. Plenty of evergreens to give all year round privacy   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I was going to suggest the same as @Fairygirl . Depending on your conditions and aspect, something like a camellia or an evergreen viburnum might work.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • gr.phippardgr.phippard Posts: 10
    just wanted to put something back to complement the conifers that are left after we had to remove some to create our new drive.... but I'll have a look, thanks  :)
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