In article , toad
writes

1. it would need to grow to around 20 feet minimum ( to provide the screen )
but i would not want it to grow much higher than 30 feet when fully mature.

Look for trees described as 'suitable for a small garden'. Things like
birch sorbus (mountain ash) Crateagus (hawthorn)

2. our garden it quite small 35 * 35 feet approx and so i would want the
tree to grow upwards but not to grow out back into the garden area too much.
for this reason i presume i need to look at a few "smaller" thin tree's.

There is at least one Sorbus of very upright habit - think it may be
'Joseph Rock' but may be wrong on that - it is a yellow berried one.
Some of the birches are upright in growth as well.


3. i quite like the idea of the tree having lots a small leaves providing
the coverage as this would be appropriate to the surroundings.

Birch and Soprbus would fit this

4. it would be nice if the branches and leaves did not begin until around
the height of the fence ( approx 7 feet ) from the floor.

You can control this by removing the lower branches.

5. i would like them to provide cover for a large part of the year if
possible but am not interested in a fur.

Is it all conifers you are against, or is it just leylandii and the
similar looking cypresses?

You could try a holly which is evergreen, but that is slower growing
than the Sorbuses and birches.

6. ***** the quicker growing the better.....

the soil is mainly clay based but the drainage is very good due to a french
drain running alongside the public side of the fence.

can anyone give me any options

thks



--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm