Are you really really sure you want Leylandii? They grow huge, need a lot of regular cutting back, and if you cut the sides back too far you are left with brown branches which never ever turn green again. Also they suck all the moisture and nutrients out of the soil so that nothing will grow near them, not even a lawn.
Have a look at beech hedging, holly and laurel and have a re-think please - they're all much less trouble than Leylandii
I'm sure others here will give you some other hedging suggestions
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi I am trying to find some sort of fast growing plant/tree for privacy on my back wall, it is 5ft at the moment & kids on the green at the other side are constantly kicking footballs over then looking over & climbing in to get them. Help is needed this is very stressfull. Bricks are too expensive as the wall is 93ft from front to back! I was thinking conifers but the above posts are putting me off. I need at least 10ft to stop the footballs? any suggestions please? Many thanks Sue
The problem you have if you want a plant that is fast growing, evergreen and that will reach 10 ft in height is that you are looking at conifers [unless you live in a very mild area like cornwall or south devon]. If you are willing to be patient some broadleaved evergreens will reach 10 ft, Holly, Portuguese and Cherry laurels. Some deciduous plants would be quicker, Beech and Hornbeam for instance, they retain their dead leaves over winter which helps with privacy.
the only things that are good about leylandii is the dried logs burn well and the chipped up remains make great mulch!
if you want quick cover I would recommend trellis on the top of the fence/wall and climbers (but for gods sake not Russian vine!! why anybody would recommend that thug is beyond me, its like recommending ground elder as a ground cover plant!) there are numerous types of clematis and honeysuckles, you could also grow jasmine for its nightscent .
I'd consider Budlejas... they are quick growing but very versatile, you can always cut them hard back. There are several colours of flowers and many are nicely scented.
You can very easily grow them from cuttings stuck right in the ground where they are to grow, so if some friends of yours have budlejas in their garden you can have the hedge for free (but you have to prepare the ground a little, of course). I have white, purplish pink and dark violet ones, and I can't decide which I like more!
sorry Fonzie, having just read the thread from the top, I too was about to say NEVER plant Russian Vine, but many others have beaten me to it.
Previous owners of this house planted it to grow through a Thuya hedge ( why would any sane person do that???? ) and I've been fighting with it since we moved in.
You can get mixed native hedge whips very cheap - I bought from www.hedgenursery.co.uk/ and have lost about 5 plants out of 1600 (400 metres). Good quality and fast growing. My hedge is about 3 years old and grown from 60-80cm whips and now up to 10 foot although most is 6 foot.
I think the secret is keeping it watered as I planted before that very wet summer.
I have a mix of rowan, hawthorn, field maple, wild cherry, rosa, blackthorn, and a few others. Wildlife loves it and it makes a great boundary. You can also lay it if you want a stock proof barrier!
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Hello Harj Samra and welcome
Are you really really sure you want Leylandii? They grow huge, need a lot of regular cutting back, and if you cut the sides back too far you are left with brown branches which never ever turn green again. Also they suck all the moisture and nutrients out of the soil so that nothing will grow near them, not even a lawn.
Have a look at beech hedging, holly and laurel and have a re-think please - they're all much less trouble than Leylandii
I'm sure others here will give you some other hedging suggestions
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi I am trying to find some sort of fast growing plant/tree for privacy on my back wall, it is 5ft at the moment & kids on the green at the other side are constantly kicking footballs over then looking over & climbing in to get them. Help is needed this is very stressfull. Bricks are too expensive as the wall is 93ft from front to back! I was thinking conifers but the above posts are putting me off. I need at least 10ft to stop the footballs? any suggestions please? Many thanks Sue
The problem you have if you want a plant that is fast growing, evergreen and that will reach 10 ft in height is that you are looking at conifers [unless you live in a very mild area like cornwall or south devon]. If you are willing to be patient some broadleaved evergreens will reach 10 ft, Holly, Portuguese and Cherry laurels. Some deciduous plants would be quicker, Beech and Hornbeam for instance, they retain their dead leaves over winter which helps with privacy.
Pyracantha will stop them coming over after their footballs.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
the only things that are good about leylandii is the dried logs burn well and the chipped up remains make great mulch!
if you want quick cover I would recommend trellis on the top of the fence/wall and climbers (but for gods sake not Russian vine!! why anybody would recommend that thug is beyond me, its like recommending ground elder as a ground cover plant!) there are numerous types of clematis and honeysuckles, you could also grow jasmine for its nightscent .
I'd consider Budlejas... they are quick growing but very versatile, you can always cut them hard back. There are several colours of flowers and many are nicely scented.
You can very easily grow them from cuttings stuck right in the ground where they are to grow, so if some friends of yours have budlejas in their garden you can have the hedge for free (but you have to prepare the ground a little, of course). I have white, purplish pink and dark violet ones, and I can't decide which I like more!
sorry Fonzie, having just read the thread from the top, I too was about to say NEVER plant Russian Vine, but many others have beaten me to it.
Previous owners of this house planted it to grow through a Thuya hedge ( why would any sane person do that???? ) and I've been fighting with it since we moved in.
If you want a deterent against people climbing over or pushing through try Sea buckthorn and the birds love the berries.
Pyracantha is fast growing and bears brightly coloured berries. They also bear sharp thorns - ideal for deterring burglars and football-retrievers !
Photinia Red a Robin has red leaves but no thorns. Both these plants are evergreen.
You can get mixed native hedge whips very cheap - I bought from www.hedgenursery.co.uk/ and have lost about 5 plants out of 1600 (400 metres). Good quality and fast growing. My hedge is about 3 years old and grown from 60-80cm whips and now up to 10 foot although most is 6 foot.
I think the secret is keeping it watered as I planted before that very wet summer.
I have a mix of rowan, hawthorn, field maple, wild cherry, rosa, blackthorn, and a few others. Wildlife loves it and it makes a great boundary. You can also lay it if you want a stock proof barrier!