Tree planting advice
Discussion
I want to plant 3 or 4 trees at the top end of my garden to help establish it a little more (new build) and also provide additional privacy over time.
The length of the wall on which the arbour backs up on to is just under 5 meters long, I'd been thinking about putting in a bark / slate border about 1200 in depth and would like to have a tree either side of the arbour itself. I'm also thinking about making the border more of a feature and extending it down the left hand wall by several meters and if possible planing 1 or 2 more trees there. The image above is east facing.
I want something that's going to grow to a maximum height of 4-5 meters over time, there is a tarmac drive behind the arbour and private road to the left so I don't want anything that's going to cause significant root damage over time. In terms of looks I'm keen on something that flowers at some point in the year such as a magnolia or some kind of cherry tree, but I also like the idea of a fruit tree or silver birch.
That's about as far as I've got, I'm looking for suggestions and advice in regards to what'd be best suited in those positions and anything else that I should be aware of.
The length of the wall on which the arbour backs up on to is just under 5 meters long, I'd been thinking about putting in a bark / slate border about 1200 in depth and would like to have a tree either side of the arbour itself. I'm also thinking about making the border more of a feature and extending it down the left hand wall by several meters and if possible planing 1 or 2 more trees there. The image above is east facing.
I want something that's going to grow to a maximum height of 4-5 meters over time, there is a tarmac drive behind the arbour and private road to the left so I don't want anything that's going to cause significant root damage over time. In terms of looks I'm keen on something that flowers at some point in the year such as a magnolia or some kind of cherry tree, but I also like the idea of a fruit tree or silver birch.
That's about as far as I've got, I'm looking for suggestions and advice in regards to what'd be best suited in those positions and anything else that I should be aware of.
Can't help with trees, but that outlook would put me off buying the house in the first place. New builds these days are certainly packed in, and wouldn't be a place I'd choose to live. Good luck making it more private, but they don't look cheap houses, so maybe buy somewhere more private to start with? Just my thoughts anyway.
You can get some ideas
Here http://www.architecturalplants.com/plants/search/d...
Architectural Plants have a list of trees/shrubs for masking view. The obvious one is bamboo...just makes sure it's planted in something that will contain it though! Otherwise it will spread.
Or
http://www.majestictrees.co.uk/treefinder/all-tree...
Majestic do the same.
Neither company are particularly cheap but they know what they're doing and you can search on both for ideas.
Majestic suppplied us with a couple of 5m high trees this year....both require watering for two years during the growing season every other day for 6 mins each!
Here http://www.architecturalplants.com/plants/search/d...
Architectural Plants have a list of trees/shrubs for masking view. The obvious one is bamboo...just makes sure it's planted in something that will contain it though! Otherwise it will spread.
Or
http://www.majestictrees.co.uk/treefinder/all-tree...
Majestic do the same.
Neither company are particularly cheap but they know what they're doing and you can search on both for ideas.
Majestic suppplied us with a couple of 5m high trees this year....both require watering for two years during the growing season every other day for 6 mins each!
Maybe try red robbins?
I have a 4-5m gap in my side hedge where a couple of decent bushes died off this year due to root rot.
I went to a local 'Big Plant Nursery' place this morning and found 3 8 foot tall red robbins, which are evergreen bushes, at half price. £300 all in, delivered.
They'll be tall enough to immediately provide some visual cover to the gap above my fence panels, and will bush up and continue to grow over the next few years to form a solid barrier. I hope!
I don't know where you are, but google 'big plant nursery' and see if there's one near you. I was really impressed, we reckoned it was like going to a Waitrose for plants.
I have a 4-5m gap in my side hedge where a couple of decent bushes died off this year due to root rot.
I went to a local 'Big Plant Nursery' place this morning and found 3 8 foot tall red robbins, which are evergreen bushes, at half price. £300 all in, delivered.
They'll be tall enough to immediately provide some visual cover to the gap above my fence panels, and will bush up and continue to grow over the next few years to form a solid barrier. I hope!
I don't know where you are, but google 'big plant nursery' and see if there's one near you. I was really impressed, we reckoned it was like going to a Waitrose for plants.
Freds said:
Quick growing and low maintenance . http://www.leylandii.com
Unless kept in check Leylandii would quickly out grow that situation and would p
s off your neighbours.Personally I think Leylandii are monumentally dull tree's aswell.
A fruiting deciduous tree would be my choice all season interst and should not block to much light in the winter.
Thanks for the advice so far, think I'm set on at least one cherry tree, my OCD will probably lead to getting another so I can have one either side of the arbour. Lelandii are a big no-no as far as I'm concerned but I had considered using some climbers up the wall to the left, possibly roses with a trained apple tree, the photinias look interesting too
Luckily we've got a very well stocked independent garden centre / nursery that's about 2 minutes walk up the road, the only downside is that they've got such a big selection that I'm not sure what to pick (hence the post) I spent an hour in there yesterday and the pricing seemed quite reasonable for trees that were between 2 and 3 meters tall (£40-70 for most varieties, however the silver birches and magnolias were £150-170 depending on size and spread).
In regards to privacy I think the photo doesn't do the plot much justice, the house behind us is at least 35 meters away from ours and the two to the side are at an oblique angle that the overlook from the bedrooms isn't really that much of an issue. Its certainly no less private than any house I've owned or lived in before and is significantly more private than most of the plots you'd get these days from the big builders - ours is a small development of 5 houses by a private builder, he originally applied to put 7 houses on the site but because we're next to a conservation area the planners insisted on greater spacing to remain in keeping with the immediate area. In fact, you wouldn't think it looking at the picture but in terms of public privacy our plot is the most private, there is a public right of way to the countryside behind us accessed from the private drive, our garden is the only one that is fully enclosed, all the other plots have exposed gardens you can see clearly into via the open driveways to the side / rear of the houses and to the front we have a deep planted boarder with a three meter grass verge to the kerb and no public footpath so no-one can walk along the front aspect.
Luckily we've got a very well stocked independent garden centre / nursery that's about 2 minutes walk up the road, the only downside is that they've got such a big selection that I'm not sure what to pick (hence the post) I spent an hour in there yesterday and the pricing seemed quite reasonable for trees that were between 2 and 3 meters tall (£40-70 for most varieties, however the silver birches and magnolias were £150-170 depending on size and spread).
In regards to privacy I think the photo doesn't do the plot much justice, the house behind us is at least 35 meters away from ours and the two to the side are at an oblique angle that the overlook from the bedrooms isn't really that much of an issue. Its certainly no less private than any house I've owned or lived in before and is significantly more private than most of the plots you'd get these days from the big builders - ours is a small development of 5 houses by a private builder, he originally applied to put 7 houses on the site but because we're next to a conservation area the planners insisted on greater spacing to remain in keeping with the immediate area. In fact, you wouldn't think it looking at the picture but in terms of public privacy our plot is the most private, there is a public right of way to the countryside behind us accessed from the private drive, our garden is the only one that is fully enclosed, all the other plots have exposed gardens you can see clearly into via the open driveways to the side / rear of the houses and to the front we have a deep planted boarder with a three meter grass verge to the kerb and no public footpath so no-one can walk along the front aspect.
We are planning to plant some trees soon and visited our local nursery. I don't know whether yours is the same, but we were advised to wait until November when they will be placing orders for bare rooted trees. The ones they had in stock are established but the bare rooted ones are apparently a similar size and cheaper. Might be worth enquiring.
Leylandis are awful.
Acers are really pretty trees, but take a while.
Poplars are fairly fast growing, and some are quite nice (although maybe a little large).
Liquid Ambers are beautiful, but can also get quite large, are slow growing and will need management.
Mountain Ash (Rowans) are nice.
A nice climber is a passion flower, really striking.
Acers are really pretty trees, but take a while.
Poplars are fairly fast growing, and some are quite nice (although maybe a little large).
Liquid Ambers are beautiful, but can also get quite large, are slow growing and will need management.
Mountain Ash (Rowans) are nice.
A nice climber is a passion flower, really striking.
Edited by Tonsko on Monday 10th October 20:42
Freds said:
Quick growing and low maintenance . http://www.leylandii.com
Don't touch them with a bargepool.They take over and you regret planting Leylandii.Johnnytheboy said:
Photinias are nice but they take a bit of care. They are pretty thirsty, and very hungry.
Thirsty? Don't really agree with that (I find them fairly drought tolerant and they don't like having their feet wet), but hungry - yes. They do seem to be quite heavy feeders, but that's easily dealt with by buying a tub of all-purpose fertiliser granules and lobbing a decent sprinkling of them around the base of the shrubs in early spring, and perhaps again in mid summer. Ten to fifteen minutes' work, tops.I have a line of Red Robins at the bottom of my garden, and early this year they were looking rather chlorotic - the leaves were yellow instead of a healthy green. I wasn't sure if it was nitrogen deficiency, or iron deficiency, or magnesium deficiency. So I hit them with a triple whammy: some general-purpose fertiliser granules to provide nitrogen and other nutrients, and watered it in with a mixture of chelated iron and Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). And oh boy, have they done well for the rest of the year!
They are moderately fast growers, but you'll get best results by being slightly more patient and trimming them back slightly each year. This'll result in thicker, bushier growth that provides much better cover. The additional benefit of pruning them in early summer is that you'll get a second flush of the fantastic red shoots. And keep the very low branches pruned back to improve airflow around the base of the plants, otherwise the dampness can cause them to drop their leaves over the winter.
They're not at all difficult to grow, but will reward a very small bit of effort.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Thirsty? Don't really agree with that (I find them fairly drought tolerant and they don't like having their feet wet), but hungry - yes.
You are more knowledgeable than me - we've used them in pots in the past and found them thirsty, and I had the in my old garden in fairly ropy soil and they sagged quite easily.But I imagine in the ground in decent soil they are probably fine.
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