From: "John Tucker"
Organization: SBC http://yahoo.sbc.com
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 21:36:10 GMT
Subject: Bamboo and Austree Trees

I have very small back yard so I'm in big-time need of a privacy hedge. I'm
also interested in something that grows fast because I don't plan on being
here for more than another three years or so. I've seen some yards with
bamboo, which seems to provide for a nice, thick privacy screen. I've also
just started looking into Austree Hybrids, which can grow six to seven feet
in one season - http://austree.com/rma/trees/index.html.

Does anyone here have experience with either of these and care to comment or
advise?

I think the flaw in your logic here is that plants may grow quickly putting
on several feet in one year but that does not mean they will provide any
privacy due to the fact that most of that growth is from the main lead and
goes straight up. For a plant to fill out and become a screen, much more
than three years are needed. The first year, the plants will become
established; the second year you will see decent growth; the third year they
will start growing like crazy and the fourth year you will be moving. They
will only start providing some screening in the fourth or fifth year, at the
earliest no matter what you plant, and will only become a privacy screen
after six or seven years. There is no quick fix here except maybe to buy
mature italian cypress and to plant them very closely.

How about some sort of high fence with vines planted on it. Some vines
would only take one season to provide privacy and if you create some sort of
pergola or overhead trellis you may be able to get the privacy you want in
the time frame you need.