I'm with p and p - quite hard to tell, but I'd go for a laurel of some kind, simply because I'm unsure as to why anyone would hack Camellias back like that, unless it's a one-off thing because they've outgrown their home. If you want to have them as a hedge (I'm assuming that's what you have there) they need a lot of space to look right, as they can get enormous. Cutting them back regularly to keep them really tight doesn't work very well as you'd keep sacrificing flowers.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's not laurel, either P. laurocerasus or P. lusitanica. They have alternate leaves, this had opposite leaves. So does Eleagnus x ebbingei which I think is the one known as oleaster.
I don't know camellias but had a google and they seem to be alternate as well.
Is there any more information available saramkg. Is it evergreen? Does it flower? Do the leaves smell at all. The bark looks quite distinctive, could we have a photo of that?
Thanks all for your help. When we bought the house these shrubs along the front gate had been hacked to death. While the leaves look similar to a camelia, I am pretty sure that is not it. It does not flower or have any fragrance. Here are some more pictures.
nut - I should have looked more closely at the leaf pattern...
I originally thought it looked a bit like privet, but the foliage just gave the impression of being much bigger.
saramkg - what sort of size are the leaves? Privet would certainly make sense if it runs along the boundary fence, as it's such a common hedge, and it can big very quickly when it's established and not maintained. Sometimes hard to tell if it's a close up without a longer view as well. FChild has given the proper name for privet, so Google that and see if it helps you
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Looks like Elaeagnus (Oleaster) to me.
I'm with p and p - quite hard to tell, but I'd go for a laurel of some kind, simply because I'm unsure as to why anyone would hack Camellias back like that, unless it's a one-off thing because they've outgrown their home. If you want to have them as a hedge (I'm assuming that's what you have there) they need a lot of space to look right, as they can get enormous. Cutting them back regularly to keep them really tight doesn't work very well as you'd keep sacrificing flowers.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's not laurel, either P. laurocerasus or P. lusitanica. They have alternate leaves, this had opposite leaves. So does Eleagnus x ebbingei which I think is the one known as oleaster.
I don't know camellias but had a google and they seem to be alternate as well.
Is there any more information available saramkg. Is it evergreen? Does it flower? Do the leaves smell at all. The bark looks quite distinctive, could we have a photo of that?
In the sticks near Peterborough
As this picture is taken from a rather close position, could it perhaps be oval-leaved privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)?
I think it's a camellia of some sort as well. Have a look around for any dried/dead flowers.
That branch right at the bottom certainly looks like garden privet.
Thanks all for your help. When we bought the house these shrubs along the front gate had been hacked to death. While the leaves look similar to a camelia, I am pretty sure that is not it. It does not flower or have any fragrance. Here are some more pictures.
nut - I should have looked more closely at the leaf pattern...
I originally thought it looked a bit like privet, but the foliage just gave the impression of being much bigger.
saramkg - what sort of size are the leaves? Privet would certainly make sense if it runs along the boundary fence, as it's such a common hedge, and it can big very quickly when it's established and not maintained. Sometimes hard to tell if it's a close up without a longer view as well. FChild has given the proper name for privet, so Google that and see if it helps you
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's not like my privet either in leaf or bark but I don't know what mine is.
In the sticks near Peterborough