Bob Hobden wrote:


"alison1971" wrote ...

I am really desperate for some garden privacy, and a fence just isn't
enough!
After studying online i come up with the royal empress tree, it appears
to grow fast, but is ative to the U.S.
Does anyoe kow if this tree will grow well in the UK? Has anyone grown
or had any experience with this tree?
I have bought some seeds online and have them ready to sow asap, and am
hoping for some success.....
I have read may forums etc about this tree, but all the posts are from
the U.S and as i am in lancashire, england, it doesnt seem to apply.

My garden is approx 52ft long x 25ft wide ad is 99% empty except for
lawn and dug empty border.

any advice or help would be great, i do really want to fill my garden
with at least small plants this year in the hope that the next few years
i will see alot of change and growth.
I am a reasonably ok gardener, just not tree educated.

thankyou in advance
alison

A fence would be less trouble and be instant as you require. Fast
growing plants don't stop growing when you want them to, which is the
problem with Leylandii etc

In this instance it might since it would be prone to frost damage in
winter. Unless very close to the coast I doubt it will ever flower. I
think the OPs best interest would be served by a hedge of mostly fine
leaved moderately growing evergreen hedges. Mine is planted with
stretches of 6'-8' the same. Beech is nice too - the leaves stay on in
winter and are nice contrast.

They grow into large trees and, as Charlie says, they have no leaves in
the winter so no screen at all then and you would need to have them
constantly dealt with to stop them taking over your 25ft wide garden and
shading out everything else.
If you really want trees, have you thought about fruit trees?
Apples, Plums, Pears, etc they would do a similar job, not grow too big
(depends on the root stock used) and would provide flowers in spring and
fruit in autumn.

My neighbour has cordon planted fruit trees along my S boundary - that
works well in summer although there is very limited screening in
mid-winter. But do you really care in midwinter? Chatting to the
neighbours is an excuse to stop digging the heavy clay soil...

Regards,
Martin Brown