This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Suggestions for Privacy Hedge?
garnantgnomem-hV1o4v
Posts: 15
in Plants
I have a garden approximately 6/7 m wide, which stretches back from the house 20+ m. The 6ft high wall at the bottom of the garden is directly overlooked by a first-floor window on a property the other side - a couple of feet from the wall.
The property is run by a charity, which used to be a woman's aid charity for abused women, but it seems to have a wider remit now.
When I go into my garden, the woman in there often shouts abuse at me, threatening to come into my garden and destroy my security lights, smoking at her window and flicking ash into my garden, and shouting at me to not look at her.
I have been in touch with the charity, (though it was *very* difficult to find out who to contact), and though they made all the right noises, nothing has changed. (In fact, I got the impression that they simply believe that this is what will happen at their properties, and people should suck it up, and they will only reluctantly even give the impression of doing something if people continuously and vociferously complain.)
So, to solve the situation, I want to put up a privacy hedge.
Bamboo sounded nice, but looking into it there seems to be no bamboo which can not be invasive - and as someone who is unaccustomed to gardening, I am inclined to decide against it.
My partner is the gardener, I am not. Unfortunately, she has just broken her fibula, and will be out of action for at least some weeks.
Does anyone have any advice for a good, tall, quick growing privacy hedge suitable for this situation?
Thank you.
The property is run by a charity, which used to be a woman's aid charity for abused women, but it seems to have a wider remit now.
When I go into my garden, the woman in there often shouts abuse at me, threatening to come into my garden and destroy my security lights, smoking at her window and flicking ash into my garden, and shouting at me to not look at her.
I have been in touch with the charity, (though it was *very* difficult to find out who to contact), and though they made all the right noises, nothing has changed. (In fact, I got the impression that they simply believe that this is what will happen at their properties, and people should suck it up, and they will only reluctantly even give the impression of doing something if people continuously and vociferously complain.)
So, to solve the situation, I want to put up a privacy hedge.
Bamboo sounded nice, but looking into it there seems to be no bamboo which can not be invasive - and as someone who is unaccustomed to gardening, I am inclined to decide against it.
My partner is the gardener, I am not. Unfortunately, she has just broken her fibula, and will be out of action for at least some weeks.
Does anyone have any advice for a good, tall, quick growing privacy hedge suitable for this situation?
Thank you.
1
Posts
It seems a good length [your plot] so the other option you can have is to bring the screening further forward - ie nearer to your property. That has the effect of helping with perspective and means you don't need quite so much height to get the screening you want. Hedges can be tricky anyway, as there are height limits on them, which is usually 2 metres in most areas, and that wouldn't give you any worthwhile privacy if planted right at the wall. You'd also have the problem of maintenance if you didn't leave a gap so that you can access it from the back, so it would need to be a good few feet from the wall, to avoid any confrontation from the neighbouring side. The last thing you probably want!
If you initially used a basic screen of some kind - ie trellis and posts, across the garden, about fifteen feet or so in from the wall, that would mean you could either use climbers, or you could still have hedging. It also means it wouldn't need to get to such a height as it would right at the boundary, and is an old garden design trick.
Something that can be kept neat might be the best option, and Beech and Hornbeam are ideal for that. Definitely avoid bamboo - of any kind. That will give you a headache. Even the so called well behaved clumping ones can get huge. There are far better options for you that will be easier.
A simple gateway/arch or space to access the back of the garden can be in the middle or offset, depending on what you like and what suits that view from the other side. Whatever you decide on, a decent border created for the planting is needed, and the ground well prepped. We can help you with that too if needed. Your rough location and the climate you have is also important as conditions vary enormously around the UK
If you have a photo of the site, that also helps as we can give more targeted positioning of planting etc.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Though your information and ideas are informative, as you can see, next door to us has a bottom hedge of laurel of well over two metres - exactly because of this! (She has suggested that laurel can become unmanageable, but I am open to anything - indeed, quite desperate for it!)
It seems that the previous owner of our property chopped down a tree at the bottom of our garden which was large enough to provide considerable privacy a couple or three years ago. Rather stupidly in my opinion. (He was ex-army, and apparently "liked straight lines!")
As far as I understand, the high hedges act needs someone to complain about the hedge, and to show that they have been in discussion with the owner of the hedge about the matter, and it is then and for the council to make a decision about it. That is, there is not a blanket ban on hedges over six feet - it is simply an option to be applied for and decided upon by the council if a hedge is over that.
I believe there is also a fee to apply for it.
I get the impression that the charity (as landlords) would not complain or want the hedge taken down, hence next door!
I am not sure about this, having only looked into it recently, for obvious reasons.
Oh, the area I live in is South Wales, 39 m above sea level. I am told by my partner from her current position reclined on the sofa that the soil is slightly acidic.
Small town surrounded by - well, nature! I won't name it - the last time I identified where the building at the bottom of my garden was I was made to feel a wretched individual for "putting vulnerable individuals at risk." I can see the logic in that, but when the charity itself is of no help, and that is the common reaction from others, it gets frustrating and depressing.
However, as I say, the information and suggestions you give are welcome and informative.
Thank you.
I can also see that your garden is quite well filled, so my suggestion of something further 'in' isn't so ideal without you removing other planting etc, although the area to the right of your shed might be suitable.
If the previous owner had a tree and it was removed, is there a possibility you could plant something new in roughly that area? I'm also wondering if a single specimen planted roughly where that metal frame is - just below the window in your pic, would do the job well enough for you? Even a single laurel, as per your other neighbour's hedge, would work, but yes - laurel can get huge, especially with plenty of water, which I expect you get, just like we do here. It'll be a similar sort of climate, although I'm at a higher altitude, but the plants I mentioned are totally hardy here, so would be fine for you.
Re the hedging heights/regulations, it's usually considered a hedge when two or more specimens of the same type are planted next to each other, which is stated in your link. I don't know if you'd consider the use of all deciduous shrubs, as many get into growth quite early in the year, and many retain their foliage well into autumn, so that could be a consideration if you want more of a hedge.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
To be serious though, how long do you think it would be before a willow could provide privacy against a first floor window like that? I was hoping for something sooner, to cover the (presumably many) years until that happened.
Behind the shed there is a shoot of laurel given us by our neighbour a month or two ago, waiting to grow roots. [Edit- it is in a pot, having been given organic rooting gel and whatnot. It seems to be quite happy. Waiting to grow a root ball so it can be transplanted, I mean.]
My partner was doing it, she's the one who knows about these things! But hasn't grown trees before, though she loves them.
Would the laurel be appreciably quicker to give the coverage called for than the willow?
My partners preference would be for Rowan/Willow/Hawthorn/ etc over Laurel. And certainly was over bamboo! (Again, drifted away from that.)
[Oh, I wasn't saying that the single tree was a hedge - that was information in passing. I think it was probably there for a reason. That link was for the bit about bamboo - "The Act applies to trees or shrubs that keep their foliage all year (evergreen) and to those that keep at least some live foliage for the year (semi-evergreen). It does not include climbing plants, such as ivy, or bamboo, which is considered 'grass'."
But even if a hedge, it is not automatically "outlawed". There must still be a complaint from the appropriate person (probably landlord), attempts to have solved it amicably must shown to have been made, a fee paid to the council and a decision made by the council. And it's not a decision on simply "is it over 2m tall". That's when the complaint can be made. It's on "whether the hedge is negatively affecting the reasonable enjoyment of your property. They will take into account all views and relevant factors and assess each case on its own merits." "There are no general restrictions on how high they can grow the hedge". ]
Once again, thank you for your suggestions and information.
I believe we had new legislation brought in, although I can't remember exactly when, and it's pretty much the same as everywhere else now as far as I know. You may have to investigate a bit though, and it might be worth contacting your council for accurate info, just in case you get into any bother. That's the last thing you want.
As @JennyJ says though - a mixed bunch of shrubs might be the solution. That's what I was hinting at when I mentioned the deciduous shrubs earlier. I reckon that's the best way to go, and you could mix it in with the rowan and willow, depending on what room you have. A space, as she says, is also a good idea, for maintenance too.
Willows can get huge, but I can't think how long it would take for it to get sizeable enough for it to make a difference. The rowan will get to a decent size after about five or 6 years, and will fill out over time. It would depend on variety though. The native one is quicker growing. Both of those need plenty of moisture, so you'd need to be sure you didn't compromise other shrubs you put in. Even with our wet climate in the west, it can still be a while for shrubs to establish and start growing well, especially as there's been a definite change in conditions in the last few years.
A good base of organic matter to a border/bed before planting, and plenty of mulching after rainfall, will help. Easier to do that prep now and plant in autumn, when conditions are easier for woody plants to get going and thrive.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I think the definition of a hedge may well be moot, as I am now leaning towards preparing the ground at the very bottom of the garden (as you say, @Fairygirl ) for planting one established laurel in autumn. Quite happy to buy a larger established one rather than use the one we have in a pot trying to get to form roots from a cutting, happy though it seems. That will be one tree at the bottom, but obviously not part of a hedge. (Unlike our neighbour, we have only the one window to deal with, so only need one tree rather than a hedge. This conversation has made me more conscious of the importance of that.)
Also quite happy to cut down the laurel once the other trees get a bit bigger, though I'm normally against cutting down trees unless I have to in principle, as is my partner! But these are not normal circumstances, and really wanting to get something up in the middle of the bottom of the garden as soon as possible for my mental health. (Quite seriously. It is affecting me, but the charity won't give a monkey's.)
So, how to prepare for a laurel? And what size is best to buy? That is, looking for the best largest/tall size which we could still plant.
And how best to prepare? As simple as digging a big 'ole and filling with compost and turning etc?
Thanks for all help up to now, and thanks for any further help on this.
In an emergency you could put in something like that until the rest of your shrubbery comes up. My self-seeded silver birch is at about 15ft in four years!