IMO beech is prettier than Griselinia and much cheaper to buy at a good size. You can even pleach it yourself if you want to see underneath to the next level, but retain eye level screening of the houses.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
@SoozJ22 Totally get the messy side of Silver Birch, impossible to sweep when wet on a drive. Whatever you decide there will be mess at some point and maintenance as mentioned before. I just wondered if your garden is a particularly windy site?
Both @Loxley and @Plantminded have given you some good options. Perhaps you could just go and see some of these plants at some point?
We are in a serious drought situation at present and I wouldn't recommend you plant anything until Autumn and even then we will really need to have had some really good rain fall. You may need to water through the first winter if dry and next year too. Soil preparation will also be critical, the levels will drop when ground is prepared so ideally need to give it time to settle.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Any hedge is going to need very good soil preparation before planting, especially if yours is sandy, and then watering and care afterwards while it establishes. It will also need formative pruning as it grows and then regular trimming when it reaches the size you want. Some hedges need more care than others.
@GardenerSuze no it isn't particularly windy. Thanks re the advice about planting too, I'll look to get something ordered for September planting.
@Silver surfer that's a beautiful tree, I'm thinking maybe two multi stemmed ones would be enough for me, one in front of each set of windows. Wow that Beech hedge is huge! The hedge is for in front of the bottom wall so it wouldn't need to be too high, the trees are for right at the bottom in front of the fence.
@Obelixx thank you for the links I'll have a look tonight.
Thank you so much everyone for all your ideas and help, I really do appreciate it and will hopefully update with someone pictures in a few months all being well 😊
@SoozJ22 Good luck with your plans, the ideas have gone round and round but I do think it is best to look at as many options as possible. Look forward to seeing what you do in the future.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Posts
Both @Loxley and @Plantminded have given you some good options. Perhaps you could just go and see some of these plants at some point?
We are in a serious drought situation at present and I wouldn't recommend you plant anything until Autumn and even then we will really need to have had some really good rain fall. You may need to water through the first winter if dry and next year too. Soil preparation will also be critical, the levels will drop when ground is prepared so ideally need to give it time to settle.
A multi stemmed form.
It was a wedding present...planted in 2013.
In your position I know what my choice would be.
Beech hedges needs to be pruned to keep them from growing into a row of beech trees.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meikleour_Beech_Hedges#/media/File:Meikleour.jpg
You will need access from both sides.
It is hard work to do and to get rid of the trimmings.
How do you keep the top trimmed if it is high?
Pics below show a hedge near me that has been freshly pruned to make entrance way for new houses. Beech hedges grow...fast
Silver birch trees can just be left...to look at and admire.
I don't think the Himalayan birch trees seed in the same way that Betula pendula does.
I suggest you do some research on the RHS website, starting with this page - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/hedges/choosing - and also on specialist hedge supplier sites such as https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/ or https://www.best4hedging.co.uk/hedge-plants
@Silver surfer that's a beautiful tree, I'm thinking maybe two multi stemmed ones would be enough for me, one in front of each set of windows. Wow that Beech hedge is huge! The hedge is for in front of the bottom wall so it wouldn't need to be too high, the trees are for right at the bottom in front of the fence.
@Obelixx thank you for the links I'll have a look tonight.
Thank you so much everyone for all your ideas and help, I really do appreciate it and will hopefully update with someone pictures in a few months all being well 😊