On Jan 21, 1:46 pm, wrote:
Dear All,

We live in a flat with a communal garden area.

We would like to plant something that will screen a 40m x 5ft
glavanised steel fence and give us more privacy.

As our experience is limited I hoped you might help by providing some
hedging or plant suggestions.

Our requirements are that:

-It will need to require minimum maintenance, so ideally not grow
outwards too much and not grow much above 2m in height.(So as not to
increase our maintenance charge)

-It's evergreen.

-It's dense.

-Hopefully fast growing.

Our local garden centre recommended bare rooted Laurel planted at 1m
intervals. He said that once it reaches 2m, it should be cut to that
height and will not tend to go above this. How much would it be likely
to bush outwards?

Thanks for your help!

Regards,

Nick

Fast growing and low maintenance are mutually exclusive.
You will have to cut/trim it at least once a year. That is routine,
however and can be done on contract by landscape maintenence companies
or by you (you just need electric or petrol hedge trimmers and some
way of disposing of the clippings). Everything will grow outwards but
e.g. Laurel can just be trimmed each year to contain it. Leylandii
hedging will be extremely fast to grow but is a horrible plant and is
not low maintenance. Laurel is dull but easy to manage. Also have
privet or Griselinia. Yew is fantastic but very slow to get started.


Des "hedging my bets here"