Ideas for screening under a conifer

Nick24

Hi I would be really grateful for any ideas of what to grow under a large conifer. Our house (moved in last year) sits in quite a steep slope and we over look next doors garden. There’s a large conifer and underneath there’s just some wire fencing, so I’d like to grow something to give next door privacy (and us) so we’re not always looking into their garden. On the pictures basically everything the other side of the little wall next to the tree is next door. It’s pretty dark under there! There’s some hydrangeas which seem v happy but aren’t very tall, and a small camellia which did flower this year but I’m not sure how happy it is under there. I’ve come up with rhododendron but was wondering if there were any other shrubs or solutions I could consider? The whole of that boundary could do with planting some reasonably tall shrubs - I was thinking of things like elders or other woodland shrubs...we have a lot of large trees around us! Thanks for your advice in advance!

Nanny Beach

You are going to have a problem with dry shade under a tree that size, plus I would imagine root system which will hinder planting. I do envy you the trees though, I can't think of anything,that would give you privacy.stumped!

Nollie

You will have a problem with the dry shade and fierce competition for water and soil nutrients from the extensive roots of both your conifer and next-door’s huge tree. I can’t think of anything will establish and grow happily there and provide a decent privacy screen I’m afraid. If you started planting a couple of metres out from the conifer, maybe.. Have you considered a fence?

Nanny Beach

Nollie I was going to suggest a fence,we have a eucaliptus and crab apple same dry shade problem

AuntyRach

I agree, the soil conditions will be poor and the deep shade very tricky. If you could have a fence though, ferns would probably take to ‘green’ it up a bit. 

Nick24

Thanks very much, I was starting to think maybe a fence might be the only option...! Nice to hear others are as stumped as I am. Love the trees though!