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Supplementary noise/visual barrier

paulgrimaldi1paulgrimaldi1 Posts: 1
in Problem solving
I have a small front garden [c 4,m deep] before a noisy road.  There is a Photinia hedge at the boundary, planted about 6 years ago.  It is now about 3.5m tall and no longer dense at head height.   I would like to infill or place close in front of it, something that would restore the barrier.   I am thinking of a dense evergreen shrub that grows to about 1.5m.  The Hedge is North South oriented so the shrub would receive little direct sunlight. [for about 2 hrs when the sun is due South - but partly shaded by the Photinia] My initial thoughts are a compact Holly [Ilex]; Euonymous; Skimmia or even a small Rhododendron.
There is a bed of around 1m in front of the Photinia and about three obvious gaps so room for more than one shrub.   I'd be most grateful for any suggestions.

Posts

  • WibbleWibble Posts: 89
    How has the Photonia been clipped since it was planted? To keep dense growth, most hedging needs regular clipping, so it grows bushy, not just upward. They can get quite leggy otherwise. If it hasn’t been clipped, I’d get it onto a clipping routine first (mindful of nesting birds). It feels counterintuitive to cut down when you want to have height, but it’s needed to keep it dense all the way up.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited March 2021
    This is a recent video from designer Bunny Guinness. She says that hedges and shrubs have zero effect on sound deadening.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    The March copy of the RHS magazine "The Garden" has an article on hedging.
    It says: 'Hedges create a barrier that can reduce noise by about 8 decibels, but the denser and deeper the better: aim for a hedge at least 2m high and wide.
    Good options are cherry laurel, common yew and holly.'
    So that's your garden sorted then  :/
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited March 2021
    We had a customer that lived on a busy hill road who had a 5ft or less brick wall with I think a conifer hedge planted behind.  It made a noticeable difference as you walked from the open gate and went to the front door which was protected by in effect the garden equivalent of double glazing.
    They also filter out a lot of dirt from the road


  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    If your photinia is clipped properly it should be possible to restore the thicker growth. 😊 

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





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