We’re these worth a punt?

Dovefromabove

Scots pine fix a swing branch

Fire

I agree with keeping the view. It looks like quite a small garden. I wouldn't plant the trees just because you got a bargain.

mikejames2011

Papi Jo said:

Totally agree with @Silver surfer and @Dovefromabove . Why on earth would you want to block that view?

I’m not sure you get the idea, they will not block the view, I’m not intending them to be a line of conifers but more like two sculptural pines with the crowns raised that you look through, I’m hoping to enhance the view, it can be quite exposed and feel a bit too open at the moment. 

I’ve seen lots of Scots pines like the ones below. Not sure if that makes a bit more sense but I’ve often thought that trees can frame a view beautifully. 

Fairygirl

Yes @mikejames2011. As I said - they're gappy and you can see 'through' them, especially as the crowns tend to be high. If you're careful, you can achieve a framed view - an old design trick. Worst case scenario - if they get too solid and dense, and you can't remove any low branches successfully, you can remove one, or both, of them. 

There are 2 just along from me [2 separate gardens] and I wish the crowns weren't so high. They'd block the ugly garages and backs of the terraced houses there.
In fact - I wish I had one directly across from my rear windows as it would block the view of that neighbour's endless garden 'buildings'   

Obelixx

Framing the view is a fine idea but those two red marks for your suggested planting spaces will block, rather than frame.  I would suggest one either side of your central path and as close to your boundary as you can go without upsetting the neighbours with overhanging branches.

I suspect that may be a tall order.

Fairygirl

Those are around 12 to 15 feet apart. You can see the height of the crown because those both have a standard shed right beside them.
That's facing east, approximately.

Obelixx

Exactly.  More blocking than framing except their crowns are too high to hide those boxes.

Fairygirl

Positioning is key 

Obelixx

In so many ways!

mikejames2011

Greenbird said:

A gardening blogger once wrote something that's always stuck with me:

"I taught my children two important rules:

1) Never marry anyone without first living with that person.

2) Every time you think of planting a tree, do it."

Have you ever walked through the countryside and thought, that view would be spectacular if that tree wasn't there? or through a grove of Oaks and thought, this shade is depressing?

In my opinion, trees always enhance the beauty of the landscape (apart from leylandii and such, which are literally green walls). 

Plant them. If you find they aren't delivering the desired effect in a few years, take them down. It's not the end of the world. But I'm 100% certain that your great grandchildren would find that view even more spectacular whilst sitting on a rope swing beneath the light shade of a Scotts Pine.

Thank you 👍 what a lovely thought! And I’m with you on that one,  trees pretty much always enhance the landscape visually. I don’t think a garden looks right without at least one tree even if it’s small. 

Fairygirl said:

Those are around 12 to 15 feet apart. You can see the height of the crown because those both have a standard shed right beside them.
That's facing east, approximately.

Love these, what beautiful trees. They wouldn’t be blocking anything if you were standing in those gardens , with the high crowns you look straight though them.