Garden Idea Help
James123
Posts: 2
When we moved into our current house it had this garden which was mainly gravel with a very large conifer hedge at the back which had been cut back too severly and died:
So we had to cut the hedge down.
Remove the gravel.
And put grass down:
The trouble is now we have gone from having loads of privacy to not very much at all.
So i'm trying to get ideas for planting large shrubs or small trees to give a little bit more privacy and be attractive as well, we're not that fussy so they dont necessarily need to be evergreen or cover the whole back.
As you can see the garden is quite wide but not very deep but the bed at the back can get deeper than it currently is without any problems, the plants there at the moment are just annuals (apart from the rose).
Would really appreciate if anyone has any suggestions.
Posts
Crab apples are good in small gardens. I have Photinia Red Robin, which is evergreen and has grown quite tall - has been pruned though. You could put trellis on top of the fence and grow some climbers, such as clematis and honeysuckle.
Not sure he can put trellis on top of the fence - it looks to be the allowable 6foot already. He could attach trellis on the fence or training wires and grow stuff there. Wouldn't help the privacy issue but would help the bareness of the fence. A couple of small trees might help to break the sightlines from next door. Amelanchier would be one that would do, or the small growing rowans. Fruit trees might be another possibility. There is not anything I can think of that would give you any amount of the same privacy that your huge hedge did (unless you want another hedge?).
Thanks very much for all your responses, I had done a bit of research and had a few ideas. Trouble is I was struggling to work out what would go together and how to lay it out.
I would rather not put trellis on the fence as the neighbour put it up not us.
I had thought a crab apple would be nice but I was worried that as it was close to the fence it would go over the neighbours side. Is there a particular variety you would recommend?
The other things I came across were Prunus Amanagowa as it is fairly upright and holly as it was evergreen, I also thought one of the bushier magnolias. But as you can see this is all a bit of a mix and I'm not sure how to lay any ideas out?
There are plenty of shrubs that will grow to 3 metres to give you some height, Buddlia globosa viburnum opulus, other viburnums, if you go to the rhs or crocus website and use the filters you get a range of shrubs with pics, so you can assess and make choices. Don't forget if you have height you also have spread, so don't forget to factor that in when making choices.
What about some Bamboo or a tall acer?
A nice tall acer would do the trick. +1 for mooresthemerrier. All sorts of different colours and sizes so do a little research to find the one right for you, and be prepared to pay abit for one already 5 - 6 ft tall (I'd estimate £60+).
Placing the acer by the fence and somewhat central might allow you to "cut the garden up", creating naturally different areas to work with.
When you start to consider shade, privacy, access and practicality the ideas should start to flow.
I did have an edited image of one of your photos quickly showing a possible idea but cant upload for some reason
Hey, You can get some ideas by the help of these pictures..
Cornus Kousa chinensis gets quite tall, Viburnum, contorted willow, arundo donax (looks like bamboo but is a grass), smoke bush, sambuca nigra, photinia.