Was discussing my neighbours fence with him yesterday as its looking a bit tired. He said he put it up 50, yes 50 years ago! was a nice oak panelled with concrete posts. He said was expensive but it got 50 years life from it so well worth it.
Hi Paul. Regarding the hedge/tree/shrubs part of your query, Andy has given a couple of IDs and I think it's conifer behind the fence bit (goes fuzzy when I try to zoom in)
Unless you already know what you've got, put on some closer pics of the left hand side for IDs and pruning advice before you start chopping.
The conifer will not grow back if it's hard pruned and you could be left with unsightly gaps.
I agree with Joe. Quality timber will last a very long time. I spent a lot on mine but saved money by doing it myself. If it only lasts five years, I'll be round McNairs to give them grief...
The lap fences are a total waste of money here with the wind. They'd be in my kitchen after one winter. They act like a sail. Wind has to be filtered, so a solid barrier, unless you're site is sheltered, will just get battered, and there's no contest...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Right guys. Thanks for your help so far. After having a cold for a week from breathing in so much tree dust I've got round to clearing yet MORE ivy from this section. I've taken a selection of closer up photos for you to have a look at. Some of the trees behind those visible are pushing mine forward a bit. The fence is completely knackered and will have to be replaced but funds are low at moment and my priority is with tidying things up without ripping too much out.
Everything is intertwined and overgrown but if I cut back too much it'll just be bark. A bit of wildness doesn't bother me...
Oh Paul you are talking to the ivy queen here. Our garden was such a mass of ivy, brambles and sundry foliage that when we first viewed the house we thought we had a courtyard garden, it was in fact 100 ft long.
As we were both working full time it took us some years to clear it and it was just back breaking hard work digging up the 30 year old ivy roots with stems as thick as my arm and clearing all the other rubbish. All the fencing had to be replaced.
We had to do all the work ourselves as it was too expensive to get a landscaping firm in as the house needed a lot of building work inside.
It was just digging and more digging and skips. Had to get a tree taken down as well.
It's very satisfying though and there is a great sense of achievement.
Posts
Was discussing my neighbours fence with him yesterday as its looking a bit tired. He said he put it up 50, yes 50 years ago! was a nice oak panelled with concrete posts. He said was expensive but it got 50 years life from it so well worth it.
Hi Paul. Regarding the hedge/tree/shrubs part of your query, Andy has given a couple of IDs and I think it's conifer behind the fence bit (goes fuzzy when I try to zoom in)
Unless you already know what you've got, put on some closer pics of the left hand side for IDs and pruning advice before you start chopping.
The conifer will not grow back if it's hard pruned and you could be left with unsightly gaps.
Good luck, it's a large area to tackle.
I agree with Joe. Quality timber will last a very long time. I spent a lot on mine but saved money by doing it myself. If it only lasts five years, I'll be round McNairs to give them grief...
The lap fences are a total waste of money here with the wind. They'd be in my kitchen after one winter. They act like a sail. Wind has to be filtered, so a solid barrier, unless you're site is sheltered, will just get battered, and there's no contest...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Right guys. Thanks for your help so far. After having a cold for a week from breathing in so much tree dust I've got round to clearing yet MORE ivy from this section. I've taken a selection of closer up photos for you to have a look at. Some of the trees behind those visible are pushing mine forward a bit. The fence is completely knackered and will have to be replaced but funds are low at moment and my priority is with tidying things up without ripping too much out.
Everything is intertwined and overgrown but if I cut back too much it'll just be bark. A bit of wildness doesn't bother me...
Let me know if these give any further clues!
Hi Paul,
Do you need the trees/hedges to be that high - does it suit either you or your neighbour?
Hi Paul. I think I can see hawthorn leaves in pic one of the new photos and it's definitely some type of conifer above the fence in pic two.
The big one in the last pic could be a viburnum tinus as Andy has already said.
I'm not great with shrub ID's sorry, hopefully one of the experts will chip in with a proper confirmation for you.
It looks quite shady on your side. Does it face north?
Oh Paul you are talking to the ivy queen here. Our garden was such a mass of ivy, brambles and sundry foliage that when we first viewed the house we thought we had a courtyard garden, it was in fact 100 ft long.
As we were both working full time it took us some years to clear it and it was just back breaking hard work digging up the 30 year old ivy roots with stems as thick as my arm and clearing all the other rubbish. All the fencing had to be replaced.
We had to do all the work ourselves as it was too expensive to get a landscaping firm in as the house needed a lot of building work inside.
It was just digging and more digging and skips. Had to get a tree taken down as well.
It's very satisfying though and there is a great sense of achievement.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=398
Here is some general advice on hedge renovation from the RHS which includes a section of advice for conifers.