Hmm, yes I agree with @edhelka, Mme. Alfred Carriere can grow very large. Monty Don has one fanned and trained horizontally against a wall and it’s enormous. I have allocated a five metre stretch of fence for mine. Also about mixing different white roses, it’s like using different shades of white paint in a room, the creamier shade always looks dirty. I think Aimee would be easier, one either side, fanned outwards and upwards or maybe growing more natural and loosely trained, just tied in where necessary.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I'd stick to one tree each side of the pergola too, and something that will have a clean trunk up to about the height of the pergola then a canopy above that. If you're not after symmetry, I think the left side needs something with a wider, denser canopy. The right side could be something that will let more light through. Maybe add a white-berried sorbus (rowan) to your list for consideration?
I think the acers might take a long time to get tall enough to block the view of (or from) the houses at the back.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Prunus can get quite big over time. Crabapples are a great choice and would look lovely in your position. Blood good is too delicate although beautiful. Very expensive and slow growing too. Cornus controversa can get enormous, but I think the others stay smaller. As mentioned before acers are good specimen trees. You could put the acers on one side of the pegola and crabapples on the other.
From your list, I would say it really has to be a Prunus or a Cornus, or an alternative crab apple - I hadn’t heard of Firebird so looked it up, it’s a dwarf American patented cultivar that only gets to 1.5m high so won’t do the job of screening. Is it available in Europe? There are better crab apples out there more suited to one tree either side.
I agree acers would just take too long to grow and form any kind of useful screen and require specific growing conditions you may not have. If you like them, choose a couple of nice specimens for large pots perhaps? Best in morning or dappled sun, not full-on southern exposure, a spot out of strong winds and ideally a neutral to slightly acidic soil to get decent growth and colour. Lovely trees if you can provide the right conditions...
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I'd stick to one tree each side of the pergola too, and something that will have a clean trunk up to about the height of the pergola then a canopy above that. If you're not after symmetry, I think the left side needs something with a wider, denser canopy. The right side could be something that will let more light through. Maybe add a white-berried sorbus (rowan) to your list for consideration?
I think the acers might take a long time to get tall enough to block the view of (or from) the houses at the back.
Thanks Jenny, I am after symmetry. I considered clean trunks such as birch (bit big) but would then need 3 or 4 per side which is then getting expensive. I agree acers may be too slow growing.
From your list, I would say it really has to be a Prunus or a Cornus, or an alternative crab apple - I hadn’t heard of Firebird so looked it up, it’s a dwarf American patented cultivar that only gets to 1.5m high so won’t do the job of screening. Is it available in Europe? There are better crab apples out there more suited to one tree either side.
I agree acers would just take too long to grow and form any kind of useful screen and require specific growing conditions you may not have. If you like them, choose a couple of nice specimens for large pots perhaps? Best in morning or dappled sun, not full-on southern exposure, a spot out of strong winds and ideally a neutral to slightly acidic soil to get decent growth and colour. Lovely trees if you can provide the right conditions...
Prunus or Cornus seem to be winning out. I'd looked at crab apple but we have a dog and despite being told otherwise is leaping on the currently empty beds and I fear he may try to eat dropped crab apples.
I'd stick to one tree each side of the pergola too, and something that will have a clean trunk up to about the height of the pergola then a canopy above that. If you're not after symmetry, I think the left side needs something with a wider, denser canopy. The right side could be something that will let more light through. Maybe add a white-berried sorbus (rowan) to your list for consideration?
I think the acers might take a long time to get tall enough to block the view of (or from) the houses at the back.
Thanks Jenny, I am after symmetry. I considered clean trunks such as birch (bit big) but would then need 3 or 4 per side which is then getting expensive. I agree acers may be too slow growing.
Sorry, I think I misunderstood. Are you aiming to hide the bottom half of your own garden as well as the houses behind? I was thinking you wanted to block the view of the houses but leave room for other plants under and around the trees.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I'd stick to one tree each side of the pergola too, and something that will have a clean trunk up to about the height of the pergola then a canopy above that. If you're not after symmetry, I think the left side needs something with a wider, denser canopy. The right side could be something that will let more light through. Maybe add a white-berried sorbus (rowan) to your list for consideration?
I think the acers might take a long time to get tall enough to block the view of (or from) the houses at the back.
Thanks Jenny, I am after symmetry. I considered clean trunks such as birch (bit big) but would then need 3 or 4 per side which is then getting expensive. I agree acers may be too slow growing.
Sorry, I think I misunderstood. Are you aiming to hide the bottom half of your own garden as well as the houses behind? I was thinking you wanted to block the view of the houses but leave room for other plants under and around the trees.
So, I don't want to completely hide the bottom half of the garden but it is meant to be a barrier and partial screen. It will also be the main thing you can see from the house so has to be eye catching. I have acers planted at the back of the garden which I'm hoping will grow to hide the houses to some extent even tho they are slow.
Posts
This is my short list, I'd be interested in any comments anyone has:
Prunus Shirotae
Prunus Shirofugen
Firebird Crabapple
Bloodgood Japanese Maple
Cornus Controversa Variegata
Cornus Kousa China Girl
Cornus Kousa Chinensis
Cornus Florida Cloud 9
Acer Palmatum Beni Kawa
Acer Palmatum Sango Kaku
Acer Palmatum Cascade
Thanks all
I agree acers would just take too long to grow and form any kind of useful screen and require specific growing conditions you may not have. If you like them, choose a couple of nice specimens for large pots perhaps? Best in morning or dappled sun, not full-on southern exposure, a spot out of strong winds and ideally a neutral to slightly acidic soil to get decent growth and colour. Lovely trees if you can provide the right conditions...