Help! Tree advice to block neighbours

Hi I am new to gardening just bought my first house and we have a good size garden. I think about 15-20m by about 10m wide. However at the bottom of the garden we have 3 story flats and I would love to plant some trees to take the unsightly look of them. previous owners have cut down 4 trees in the garden leaving the stumps. Why they would have cut down the trees I will never know!

Some advice on what type of tree would be great. Fast growing and evergreen would be perfect. We also live in a terraced house and therefore only way to get trees into garden is through house so will initally have to fit through a door frame

Also is there anyway of getting rid of the tree stumps they have left behind.

 

Have you thought about Eucalyptus trees there evergreen and fast growing.
You can buy a chemical to rot down the stumps are if your feeling energetic you could dig them out

 

to GC and congratulations on your new (first!) home

Really? Are you really, *really* sure that is what you want? Fast growing anything actually means: needs maintenance (frequently!) And tree maintenance can prove quite costly if you aren't up to the task yourself.

Eucalyptus, as mentioned above, is a fast growing evergreen, but, unless you chop it every couple of years, it won't take long before all the "tree" part is way up in the air and all you are looking at is trunk (and the view behind the trunk ). So, that may not be as ideal as it first sounds.

Which direction does your garden "face"? Maybe the previous owner had to cut down the trees because they were creating "light" issues for the people behind? Or, maybe the roots were becoming invasive? Or, maybe they were becoming unstable in strong winds? The only people who can tell you that would be the previous owners (might be worth contacting the agents and asking that question? You never know your luck )

Could you post a picture then GC'ers would be able to give you the best advice for your circumstances. As the home owner, you definitely don't want to rush into anything which may cost you more than you bargained for in the longer term

 

Thanks for the advice so far - I will take on board everything you are telling me as I am a total novice and you are all the experts!

My garden is North facing- has sun though from around 12-8 during the summer (have not yet been here in winter.

I have uploaded some photos - I have also taken some photos of the neighbours as you can see they all have lovely blooming trees that just look so pretty and offer lots of privacy.

I plan to be in this house for about 5 years. The one thing that was my negative was the privacy issue from the ones in the flat over looking the garden. I was out eating last night and there was 3 different people in their balconies just watching me :-/ I also think for reselling - some privacy might help.

I think if the trees need maintenance every few years that would be fine - every few months when large is a different matter. I only think i need a few to the left of the garden as the shed is on the right hand side.

Also I live in Devon (SW England) - Im not sure if that makes any difference
View attachment 50865

 

I think your best bet would be to buy fairly mature plants which are over 2m tall. I bought a lovely half standard Photinia Red Robin a couple of years ago which is used for privacy at the back of my garden and it's over 2.5m tall now (and evergreen). So I'd recommend a fast growing shrub which isn't going to grow more than about 4m high to give an evergreen hedge. Wouldn't be cheap though.

There's a pic on this page of a Photinia half standard similar to the one I bought. I brought it home in my car so it would easily go through the house.

You have to be careful of buying a tree which is going to get very tall as your North facing garden will end up even shadier.

 

flag pole cherry are really great for blocking out windows plus they go up not out with branches so dont create lots of shade , down side they lose all the leaves over winter

 

Great pictures

Ok, so you plan on being there about 5 years

I'm guessing you are using the patio for sitting and eating? In which case, for privacy, do you actually *need* the expense of trees to line the back of the garden?

You have three well defined zones there (patio, grass, shed/washing). I would be inclined to put up some trellis between the patio/grass areas and grow some climbers up that. It would give you an enclosed, private, patio area that would not be over looked by the housing from the back.

If you are equally concerned about being overlooked from the upstairs windows of your immediate neighbours, then I would be considering erecting a pergola structure over the top of the patio area.

Or, you could still go with the trellis/climber idea, but take it further back to the grass/utility area which would then also "hide" your washing line/shed but you would still see the grass area giving you a fuller view of the garden and increase the sense of space.

 

Hi, I'm a novice too.
I'm looking for the same solution to my problem too. Overlooking neighbours from their upstairs windows into our garden. Anything like a pergola or trellis with climbers blocks the sun from our seating area in the spot for our last bit of sun in the day. Ive been doing a lot of research on the internet....which has led me here, so I'll be hoping to pick the experts' brains too.

To address your problem I would agree with Spruce in suggesting flagpole cherry by fence line strategically placed to block the line of sight that you want to be screened from. Standing from your backdoor or your patio area looking out check the places that need blocking out and plant the flagpole cherry trees in those places. In the winter when the cherry loses its leaves, I dont think you'd be out in your garden all that much anyway... if you are anything like me. You could alternatively or as well, plant clumping variety of bamboo. Just an idea. You have a lovely garden template though.

oops just noticed the date you wrote the message !! I hope you got sorted out.

 

did you get sorted geevin or have you moved now?

 

just realised it was you , spruce, who rated my message .....I'll get the hang of this forum one day.

 

it came up in my alerts