I need to block out my neighbours....Whats are the best trees?

Hello,

I need some help, I have a small garden- 14ftx 30ft. Behind my 6 foot fence is my neighbours house. We are on a very slight hill, but means their kitchen window looks straight into my dinning room.

They also have a trampoline, on which all the neighbours kids use.

I would love some privacy...:flag:

Can anyone suggest some types of trees to block out, noise and vision? Evergreen would be good, something that is happy to be topped at about 9-12ft. My soils is a bit clay-like.

A bonus would be- a nice russling when the wind blows, grows quickish or can be bought at a good height, doesn't grow wide with too much volume, nice too look at, even flowers now and then?? Am I asking too much?

Please help....

The Blooming Optimist

 

There's only one simple answer... Move!

Given the size of your garden, anything "tall and thick" will be a bit overpowering.
By the time anything grows to completely obscure the view of the neighbours, their kids might have given up trampolining and possibly left home.

 

Fence!

 

How about some of that bamboo type roll stuff fixed above the fence line.

Sort of "Tenko" type stuff, never used it myself, but its quite popular for creating a bit of privacy without being too overpowering.

 

One of many but have a look at Thuja Plicata Atrovirens, very easy to maintain at a size convenient to you, good for noise dampening and if you really fancy some flowers you can also plant a Honeysuckle, Clematis or climber of your choice to grow through it. Would look great and you'd get everything you asked for minus possibly the rustling. You could take care of that though by planting a clump forming bamboo as well.

To give you an idea of the effect you can get check out this Leylandii with a Tropaeolum speciosum growing through it.

 

Hoheria Sexstylosa Stardust.

Evergreen.
Fast growing.
Keeps slim.
White flowers.
Doesn't mind a haircut.

 

I agree with AXL, Thuja plicata, Western Red Cedar.:gnthb:

 

Put up some trellising...then plant a Russian Vine at the bottom of it. Come next summer, it will have engulfed the fence, trellising and gone rampaging into your neighbours garden, swallowing up trampoline AND children:hehe::hehe:

 

You mean sort of; "Triffid Trellising?"

 

Well Blooming Optimist, if your garden is 14 feet by 30 feet I don't think you have any room in there for trees without them becoming problematic to you and your neighbours.
To get some privacy in your dining room curtains or blinds would be a good option.

 

Hi,

If it is privacy while your family eats then as suggested, some blinds. If you want privacy in your own garden I can see no reason why you can't erect some lightweight trellis enclosing your seating area at the very least. Planted up with a climbing rose that isn't too vigorous and filled out each year with fast growing annual climbers it will cover the trellis each year.


As mentioned before anything too vigorous will serve only to block out your own bit of sun and will be more work than it is worth eventually.


The urge to obtain immediate and impenetrable privacy is understandable though.

 

There are many who dislike leylandii as a hedge but some over react about them. They are quite fast growing, the gold tend to bush out faster than the green and they do need pruning just as a privet hedge does. I prefer the Leylandii gold since I only let mine go to 5 metres height. I use a scaffold tower to prune them and prune the width as soon as they achieve the desirable depth not the height at this stage. I found that they do best in moist soil so to keep them looking lush they need watering and also the watering should include spraying the foliage as well as the base. This stops the inner core from going brown which would otherwise create the danger of trimming back to far and thus ruining the plant. I must point out that in my case I have access to a water source from which I irrigate them.

I do think it is the owners that need attention more than the plant and neighbours will appreciate a nice hedge that is at an appropriate height with good foliage. Even good neighbours prefer some privacy let alone the bad ones and there are plenty of those. There are many good features about leylandii - they increase the bird habitat, offer a wind break, provide shade against blazing sun, keep out intruders, and allow the wife to prance around on the lawn half naked with her mates in their tennis gear :lollol:

 

Alternatively, you could do something to your windows - this Windowfilm is excellent. It's a solar barrier that keeps the room cool in the hot weather and warm in the cold and whilst you have full view from within, from outside it looks like mirror glass, similar to ambulance windows. At least you'd know they couldn't see in to your lounge.

We had this film over the windows in an operating theatre where I once worked as they built a new ward block and the patients could see right into the operating room! :hehe:

It was great, very effective and not too expensive. Was just like putting Contact on the windows (inside).