Newbie *TREE* Question - Struggline :(

ezzo4444

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to garden. My back garden is overlooked and I'm looking to plant a row of 3 or 4 trees for privacy. I know nothing about trees at all. I have done a ton of Googling but got nowhere, that's why I'm now here

So below is my best case scenario and I would love if you knowledgeable people could recommend some trees that would work for me ... please

1) Need to be evergreen (for year round privacy)
2) As colourful as possible (deep reds, purples etc)
3) No conifers or palm trees
4) Would need to grow to at least 13 foot with leaves also below the height of the 6 foot fence.

Am I asking too much

Any help will be fantastic. If its relevant, I'm in Kent in the UK.

Thank you all
Ezzo

fidgetbones

Variegated holly.  However it is fairly slow growing.  There is not  much evergreen in the red purple phase.  Most conifers are evergreen, with some to the bluish range or golden range, but why don't you want conifers?

bertrand-mabel

Azara serrata. Everygreen with small scented orange flowers late winter early spring.

Clematis armandii fabulous scented white flowers late winter. Needs something to climb up and will keep climbing but easily pruned back if neeeded. Sorry not a tree but still everygreen and a good plant for screening.

ezzo4444

Thanks Bertrand & Fidget. Those are great suggestions, I think though they would have to be trees. Conifers are a bit erm ... boring and we had a holly tree but when the leaves dropped we kept stabbing ourselves lol. I've attached a pic of the plot and I think 3 trees would be enough, although Im not too sure. Wat would you guys put here to look great, and to screen the neighbours? :-)

JennyJ

You can only see the roofs of the neighbouring houses not the windows, gardens etc, so if it was mine I wouldn't be too worried about having only evergreens. I would choose things like a small-ish Sorbus, and a crab apple or cherry or amelianchier for spring blossom. I have a purple-leaved plum which is a nice colour (but deciduous). The bare branches of deciduous trees will break up the view in winter without completely blocking it, and provide more screening in summer when you (and the neighbours) are more likely to be spending time outside.

ezzo4444

Thanks Jenny, This is taken from downstairs, however from upstairs our Juliette balcony very much overlooks. Trees would need to be about 13 foot for privacy upstairs as the balcony looks direct into that garden 

didyw

Have a browse through this site to get ideas: https://www.hillier.co.uk/trees/listings/
Hilliers know everything about trees.
One thought - you don't have to have them lined up against the fence - you could have one nearer to the house, possible a multistemmed tree that would give you privacy from your balcony sooner - something like a pittospormum that is ever green with light green foliage.

gondor

I would also go for deciduous plants.

I'd have a flowering cherry, a tulip tree and a crab apple. The cherry will provide spring interest, then the crap apple will flower and then the the tulip tree flowers. Crab apples are a fab deep red in autumn and last throughout the winter until the birds eat them.

If you are set on evergreen, have a look at https://www.mailordertrees.co.uk/collections/evergreen-trees?sort_by=price-ascending

ezzo4444

Thanks for all your comments :-) Im going to plant a Photina Red Robin with a palm tree and a conifer either side. I already have a palm tree in my garden but cannot seem to nail down the exact species / name of it. Can anyone tell me what this is please? 

Fairygirl

Cordyline rather than a palm.

ezzo4444

Oh, so its not a palm? Is it a certain species of Cordyline? I want to get the same one if possible. Thanks