I would like to plant a tree to obscure my neighbours house - the only
problem is this would put it 6 foot from both our houses - is it
likely the roots would cause problems eventually? I was thinking of
sometiing like a silver birch.

Could a (very large) bush be planted instead without root problems? I
would guess it would need to be 12foot or more to be much use.

PS I do get along with my neighbour just I'd prefer to look at a tree
than a brick wall.

On 10/7/07 09:03, in article
, "405 TD Estate"
wrote:

I would like to plant a tree to obscure my neighbours house - the only
problem is this would put it 6 foot from both our houses - is it
likely the roots would cause problems eventually? I was thinking of
sometiing like a silver birch.

Could a (very large) bush be planted instead without root problems? I
would guess it would need to be 12foot or more to be much use.

PS I do get along with my neighbour just I'd prefer to look at a tree
than a brick wall.

Grow something up the brick wall, having attached a trellis to it, or grow
one of the more attractive ivies. But don't plant a tree 6' from either
house! Your insurance companies won't love you for it, you'll have leaves
and rain dripping on everyone coming and going and yes, the roots could be a
problem.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

"405 TD Estate" wrote in message
ups.com...
I would like to plant a tree to obscure my neighbours house - the only
problem is this would put it 6 foot from both our houses - is it
likely the roots would cause problems eventually? I was thinking of
sometiing like a silver birch.

Could a (very large) bush be planted instead without root problems? I
would guess it would need to be 12foot or more to be much use.

PS I do get along with my neighbour just I'd prefer to look at a tree
than a brick wall.



Some species are a total no-no. Don't ask me which! In a previous life I
worked for a utility and we sometimes had a need to screen above ground
'plant'. We had a book which detailed suitable and unsuitable
trees/shrubs.
I would imagine your local planning dept would have a similar book.Perhaps
not a willow!

I'm with Sacha, grow something up the wall. I've just planted a Boston Ivy.

mark

"Mark" wrote in message
...

"405 TD Estate" wrote in message
ups.com...
I would like to plant a tree to obscure my neighbours house - the only
problem is this would put it 6 foot from both our houses - is it
likely the roots would cause problems eventually? I was thinking of
sometiing like a silver birch.

Could a (very large) bush be planted instead without root problems? I
would guess it would need to be 12foot or more to be much use.

PS I do get along with my neighbour just I'd prefer to look at a tree
than a brick wall.



Some species are a total no-no. Don't ask me which! In a previous life I
worked for a utility and we sometimes had a need to screen above ground
'plant'. We had a book which detailed suitable and unsuitable
trees/shrubs.
I would imagine your local planning dept would have a similar book.Perhaps
not a willow!

I'm with Sacha, grow something up the wall. I've just planted a Boston
Ivy.



As long as it is YOUR wall :-))

Mike


--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk

On 10 Jul, 09:03, 405 TD Estate wrote:
I would like to plant a tree to obscure my neighbours house - the only
problem is this would put it 6 foot from both our houses - is it
likely the roots would cause problems eventually? I was thinking of
sometiing like a silver birch.
Could a (very large) bush be planted instead without root problems? I
would guess it would need to be 12foot or more to be much use.
PS I do get along with my neighbour just I'd prefer to look at a tree
than a brick wall.

Like everybody else have said it's a bad idea to plant a tree so
close. I've just had to fell an eucalyptus planted 10 years ago, like
you, about 6 foot from back wall. It was a really silly idea as once
it passed above both rooves (ours and neighbours), the wind took it
and crash it into our neighbour's wall. That and the roots, still
underground as we just can't escavate any further without ending up
under the dining room!! The leaves were in every gutters etc. but also
you will end up, after some years, just seeing the trunk as the
branches will get higher, it's perhaps not a good idea.

A bush on the other hand is something to consider. I have planted a
fatsia in a gap between my neighbour's entrance path and our back
yard, and now in it's 6th year, it is tall, about 2m and the bonus is
that it is evergreen. Also I have planted a rhus to screen an old
entrance to our front garden. It is a slow grower, don't get too high,
about 3m, but it is a feature to look at, bright yellow and red in
autumn and great flowers on it too. It is also happy in a container.

Which direction is your neighbour's wall facing? This could give you
ideas on what you can plant against it. And do you have grass in front
of your neighbour's wall, is it your garden or a drive or can you see
it above a low wall?

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 10/7/07 09:03, in article
, "405 TD Estate"
wrote:

I would like to plant a tree to obscure my neighbours house - the only
problem is this would put it 6 foot from both our houses - is it
likely the roots would cause problems eventually? I was thinking of
sometiing like a silver birch.

Could a (very large) bush be planted instead without root problems? I
would guess it would need to be 12foot or more to be much use.

PS I do get along with my neighbour just I'd prefer to look at a tree
than a brick wall.

Grow something up the brick wall, having attached a trellis to it, or grow
one of the more attractive ivies. But don't plant a tree 6' from either
house! Your insurance companies won't love you for it, you'll have leaves
and rain dripping on everyone coming and going and yes, the roots could be
a
problem.

I agree. Could be very expensive planting a tree that close.

In article , Mark
writes

I'm with Sacha, grow something up the wall. I've just planted a Boston Ivy.

mark


Might be a problem as it is their neighbour's wall presumably?
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

If there is only 12 ft between the houses, there isn't much room for most trees, you would have to prune it into fan shape. A tree that is of house height would normally be called a small tree, not a large one. You could consider a shallow rooted tree such as a frondose conifer, choose a reliably small narrow one, for example there are junipers of that behaviour. Definitely don't choose the leylandii thug which can grow over 100 feet. Plant it well into your property, so it does not project into the neighbour's land.

Another possibility is bamboo, which are shallow rooted. There is a good choice of species that don't run, if you go to a specialist bamboos supplier. If you choose one that does run, you should put a rhizome barrier along the property boundary. In fact it is wise to do that even with the non-running ones. The reliably non-running ones are mostly Fargesia, Borinda and Thamnocalamus. 12ft is a typical mature height, but will take a few years to get there. If someone tries to tell you Phyllostachys or Pseudosasa doesn't run, they are either ignorant or lying, even if they are on the telly.

On 11/7/07 00:36, in article , "Janet Tweedy"
wrote:

In article , Mark
writes

I'm with Sacha, grow something up the wall. I've just planted a Boston Ivy.

mark


Might be a problem as it is their neighbour's wall presumably?

Don't most people grow things up either side of a wall or fence without bad
feeling? I can only imagine that the most curmudgeonly of neighbours would
object to well-behaved/controlled plants clothing a brick wall from the side
that they don't have to look at!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

In article , Sacha
writes
Don't most people grow things up either side of a wall or fence without bad
feeling? I can only imagine that the most curmudgeonly of neighbours would
object to well-behaved/controlled plants clothing a brick wall from the side
that they don't have to look at!


Growing something that self clings is one thing, but putting on trellis
work and vine eyes and wires and drilling holes might be a different
matter Sacha!
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On 11/7/07 19:03, in article , "Janet Tweedy"
wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes
Don't most people grow things up either side of a wall or fence without bad
feeling? I can only imagine that the most curmudgeonly of neighbours would
object to well-behaved/controlled plants clothing a brick wall from the side
that they don't have to look at!


Growing something that self clings is one thing, but putting on trellis
work and vine eyes and wires and drilling holes might be a different
matter Sacha!

Okay. I haven't experienced this which is why I asked the question. If the
plants do no harm how can one possibly object to them?
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'