which shrubs / trees can you plant near the house?

My neighbours have all sorts of rubbish in their garden, old tyre wheels, indistinguisable large metal objects, traffic cones etc and yesterday a large wooden cot ended up there (the youngest is 15 so I'm not sure why)

So as you can imagine I'm desperate to plant something large which will obliterate our view of their garden. We've got high fencing, but you can look down on their garden from the bedroom, I thought if I planted something large there I would just see greenery instead! There was once a leylandi there which we had to remove as it was damaging our house, so I'm looking for something to replace it, does anyone know what will be tall and bushy and evergreen but not cause structural damage with its roots?

I was thinking about Cherry Laurel, does anyone know how far these should be from the house? Or is there a better alternative?

Help!

 

Hi Treasure. I had a problem with conifers planted too close to this house when we moved here..Have a read of this and scroll down for planting distances.
I have planted a Mock Orange to screen next doors rubbish dump!!
Good luck and welcome to G-C
http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/trees.html

 

thanks Paladin, that's really helpful.

I am thinking of either Bamboo or Cherry Laurel - does anyone else know anything about the roots these have?

Thanks

 

Hello, Treasure, and welcome to GC.

I agree with Pal, I had Leylandii in Bucks and it became a nightmare in late years.

You mention Cherry Laurel, that is a tree and not a shrub as I had one also in Bucks and it went to 20 feet plus in 18 years and made a beautiful "screen". It could be a good choice but then you have the time factor of growth.

I can't really comment on the Bamboo unless it's the wild that grows very tall and mine here is in a pot.

I'll have a think on this and perhaps come back to you.

In the meantime, enjoy!

 

Bamboo would be good. Trees have to be as far from the house as it's final height, so if you get a tree that will grow upto say 16ft then plant 16ft away from house.

 

Treasure I would go for a berberis hedge it will reach 8ft or so in a few years,rest assured you will be glad if they have a shed full of kids next door it will stop them getting in when they get older, darwinii or thunderbergia spring to mind, they are also colourfull the darwinii being evergreen. Be carefull of bamboo most are invasive.