HEDGE again!

Well, the gardening year is starting and I'm desperately trying to work out a privacy solution.

Our hedge, a joint boundary, has been cut down to four feet by new neighbours since last spring, previously it was 5 1/2 feet. We asked him to leave our half, as we did not want the height reduced, and he now leaves us a little frill at the top edge of our side.

I don't want constant dispute and bad feeling, and the hedge cannot be removed and replaced with a fence.

In view of the above could 6 foot trellis work, put up against our side of the hedge? We could then grow things up it and trim bits of hedge that poke through? I think my 5 ft high sumac tree which I have planted next to the hedge has taken as it is green under the bark, and a berberis which I planted is also in bud.

Any thoughts?

 

I like that Marley.

You mean just plant along the hedge to thicken it and add height on our side? Would certainly add sound-proofing!

 

I get a lot of hedging plants from Ashridge trees - always been happy with them.
http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/Hedging-Packs

The Dobbies deal is 4M of hedging (10 plants i.e. 2.5 / metre) for £25. Can't see anything about how tall the plants are, so maybe the "trees" are standards ... but if not Ashridge is probably cheaper, although their hedging packs are 50 plants - so you would be buying for about 20 M - but you have a choice of "mixes" and plant-heights

I am fond of pleached trees - a hedge grown higher up - that would be at the height that the existing hedge stops. Ashridge sell fan-trained Limes that are ready for pleaching. Not a cheap option - about £10 per metre (assuming 3M planting distance)
http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/Flat-Headed-Linden-Tilia-Euchlora-Flat-Headed

I posted some pictures on another thread in case of interest:
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/Thread-Best-Trees-for-Screening-out-overlooking-windows.html?pid=407981#pid407981

 

I like the pleached trees, but I'm not sure how that would work with the hedge.

I did see on your other thread though Kristen, that non invasive bamboo could be an option.

I can't help thinking that maybe if I carry on filling in along the hedge with more hedging on our side or shrubs I should leave out the trellis so they can grow together with the hedge.

 

Yup, Bamboo would do well. Price would be my concern - but let me know if you find a cheap source please!

 

If you want to lend a hand with planting the 1,500 hedging plants I have arriving next week let me know, OK? :D

 

Blimey Kristen... you've got your work cut out!

So I think that the idea of growing shrubs and hedging along our side to make a dense border is a good idea. Lonicera nitilda (the hedge as is) does grow into things as I've seen it in mixed hedges.

I'm on silty loam on chalk. Zone 8b/9a.

I guess evergreen shrubs would be great, 6 feet and over.

Any suggestions? I'll splash out and buy big ones!

 

Hi you can borrow the two kids from next door with a trampoline, plus loads of school mates they would soon regret cutting it down

Spruce

 

I think that's a great idea. Maybe I should make myself a pest and keep peering over and looking into their sitting room!

 

Hmm
have you thought about a trellis with climbers on your side maybe a mixture of roses, clematis honeysuckle or Cotaneaster horizontalis trained up the treillis in places. Just a thought.

 

Thank you Spotlandman,

I have indeed thought of trellis, that was my original idea at the beginning of this post, but after other suggestions I think that looking further down the line, shrubs and widening the hedge could give us greater privacy and sound proofing further down the line.

I originally thought of shrubs last year when we originally faced the problem, but I wasn't sure they'd grow as at the time I could only afford tiny ones. But I put three things in which I found around the garden or locally and begged! And they've all taken. Plus I realised that mixed hedges knit together, so there'd be no reason why the hedge as is wouldn't just knit into further hedging or shrubs, especially if he's clipping it on his side.

So now I just need to decide that buy.

 

Hi

Hawthorn is realy cheep but you need to get a move on to get the barerooted plus good for wild life



Spruce

 

I've been looking through my gardening books and have so far decided on red robin and choisya, but I'm not sure how big the choisya can get to.

I would like to stick to evergreen but I don't want to miss out on any fabulous shrubs just because they're diciduous.