Planting to reduce traffic noise
 

Hello. I'm new to the site and looking for advice. We've recently moved into a new house in Suffolk with a very large garden. It's about 30 yards from a fairly busy B road. We have lawn of about 10 yards so have space to put in quite a lot of planting. I'd prefer overlapping evergreen hedging of different types. Googling came up with laurel as being best to ameliorate noise. I know nothing will block it out but a wall or earth bund which are not feasible. I'd be grateful for any suggestions (other than move house!). Thank you.

Planting to reduce traffic noise
 

In article ,
Carrie writes:
|
| Hello. I'm new to the site and looking for advice. We've recently moved
| into a new house in Suffolk with a very large garden. It's about 30
| yards from a fairly busy B road. We have lawn of about 10 yards so have
| space to put in quite a lot of planting. I'd prefer overlapping
| evergreen hedging of different types. Googling came up with laurel as
| being best to ameliorate noise. I know nothing will block it out but a
| wall or earth bund which are not feasible. I'd be grateful for any
| suggestions (other than move house!). Thank you.

30 yards is not a lot for acoustic shielding. Ignore that about
laurel - the shielding is pro rata to the leaf mass, so laurel is
good but anything else with heavy, evergreen leaves is good, too.

However, anything like that will shut out a lot of light, too.
Which direction is the road from you?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Planting to reduce traffic noise
 

In article ,
Carrie writes:
|
| However, anything like that will shut out a lot of light, too.
| Which direction is the road from you?
|
| Thank you for the reply. The road is to the west and obviously I'd not
| want to block the light - good point.

You have to balance the constraints, then. A hedge 15' high, or
even 10', of something with heavy, evergreen leaves, will help.
Depending on where you are, there are lots of suitable plants;
even the dreaded leylandii would do, if you keep it properly
trimmed EVERY year.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thank you for the reply. The road is to the west and obviously I'd not want to block the light - good point.