I think your dream of growing a hedge on wheels needs to be scaled back a bit. I have grown box in pots and also lonicera nitida and euonymus but none of them grow tall enough in a confined pot or trough to make a decent hedge that can stand up in a stiff breeze. In order to withstand the buffeting of the weather they need to be rounded rather than thin and upright (if that makes sense). I have visions of your hedge taking off down the road like a ship under sail.
A trough full of earth weighs a fair bit and putting it on wheels might not be feasible unless you are going in for some heavy duty hardware. I'm not sure it would be easy to move.
Bamboo could work but you would need to pick one of the lower growing varieties and it can work out quite expensive of you want instant cover.
You could consider other grasses which don't have the problem of too much weight at the top but they can flop everywhere and that might cause problems with the space that you need for cars. A lot of these can be grown from seed which cuts down the cost.
I think I might invest in an attractive slatted fence. No maintenance other than the occasional painting or staining. There are some nice diagonal designs using open slats on each side of the posts to filter wind rather than having a solid face. If you can afford to use heavy gauge timber planks they should last a good few years.
Bamboo fargesia nitada can manage with a fairly small root system, and is evergreen (though it does drop some leaves over winter and replace these next spring. It does need plenty of water though. Drying out is fatal. And it prefers a shady, still spot.
In my experience, lonicera does not do well in a container long term. It likes a big root system.
To be honest I think if the planting HAS to be in a container, it's probably more trouble than it's worth; especially wheeled containers etc. For privacy, net curtains would probably be much more efficient!
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I agree, net curtains, or blinds perhaps. If the issue is privacy from the house next door rather than from the street in front, something like a strategically-positioned hanging basket or trellis fixed to the house wall and boundary wall just on the section near the house could help without narrowing the driveway, depending on the layout. A picture would help us to make better suggestions.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
@Fairygirl@Nollie Thank you so much for your thoughts and suggestions...I shall officially conclude that these planters are too small! I'll get a higher and wider trough and think about shorter options as you've kindly recommended- now looking at both the loniceras and Euonymus.
@Ceres The image of the hedge flying off like a ship in the wind is certainly rather alarming Are there any specific tall grasses you recommend that are lusciously green and easy to grow?
@Ceres@ViewAhead I'm so grateful for your thoughts on bamboo! The driveway is north-facing so more shady than sunny, and if bamboo is more likely to survive than a hedge variety, and less fiddly than maintaining and training Ivy on trellis, perhaps this is the better option. And I'll revise my ideas to a higher planter and lower, spaced out, plants.
@Loxley@Joyce Goldenlily@JennyJ Thank you for your help thinking about the privacy issue- it's both the privacy & the greenery that are a challenge...I hope the photo below might help if you happen to be able to brainstorm some ideas!
The road is really busy and the properties opposite are businesses that don't have any greenery in front so feels the whole space needs something. The concrete wall sits on the boundary itself and at the point where it ends (behind our black car) the neighbours' house begins. The wall is fully owned by the neighbour and we cannot attach anything to it, so any trellis would need to be attached to/in planters.
Their house begins where the front of the car ends & they have net curtains but the problem is also a screen from sight/smell of bins & feeling exposed getting in and out of the house. Dad is now disabled and it takes quite an effort to get in and out the car so I think they feel rather self-conscious about the whole world passing by whilst he does it.
Are there any specific tall grasses you recommend that are lusciously green and easy to grow?
I always look to Knoll Gardens site for advice on grasses https://www.knollgardens.co.uk/. Evergreens are a better bet than deciduous for your purposes. I always grow carex and stipa varieties because they do well in my garden but you will have to pick varieties that are suitable for your garden and it may be a case of trial and error.
@Loxley@Joyce Goldenlily@JennyJ Thank you for your help thinking about the privacy issue- it's both the privacy & the greenery that are a challenge...I hope the photo below might help if you happen to be able to brainstorm some ideas!
The road is really busy and the properties opposite are businesses that don't have any greenery in front so feels the whole space needs something. The concrete wall sits on the boundary itself and at the point where it ends (behind our black car) the neighbours' house begins. The wall is fully owned by the neighbour and we cannot attach anything to it, so any trellis would need to be attached to/in planters.
Their house begins where the front of the car ends & they have net curtains but the problem is also a screen from sight/smell of bins & feeling exposed getting in and out of the house. Dad is now disabled and it takes quite an effort to get in and out the car so I think they feel rather self-conscious about the whole world passing by whilst he does it.
Really appreciate your suggestions, thank you!
The slatted fencing I meant you cannot see through. There are some very good modern designs in the panels, they come in different heights and it is possible to erect fence panels without putting posts into the ground. There are square metal boxes that are bolted onto the paving/into the ground, and then the ends of the posts go into the boxes and are fixed, they can be found in most good garden centres that sell fencing or online where you might find a bigger selection of designs. A few containers with annuals grown from seed or plugs could give your parents some colour each year. With your Dad being disabled I would dissuade them from worrying about anyone else and the last thing they need is having to worry about stopping their shrubs from encroaching over the pavement.Someone will quickly complain.
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@Ceres @ViewAhead
I'm so grateful for your thoughts on bamboo! The driveway is north-facing so more shady than sunny, and if bamboo is more likely to survive than a hedge variety, and less fiddly than maintaining and training Ivy on trellis, perhaps this is the better option. And I'll revise my ideas to a higher planter and lower, spaced out, plants.
The road is really busy and the properties opposite are businesses that don't have any greenery in front so feels the whole space needs something. The concrete wall sits on the boundary itself and at the point where it ends (behind our black car) the neighbours' house begins. The wall is fully owned by the neighbour and we cannot attach anything to it, so any trellis would need to be attached to/in planters.
Their house begins where the front of the car ends & they have net curtains but the problem is also a screen from sight/smell of bins & feeling exposed getting in and out of the house. Dad is now disabled and it takes quite an effort to get in and out the car so I think they feel rather self-conscious about the whole world passing by whilst he does it.
Really appreciate your suggestions, thank you!