Dear all,

We have a particularly ugly block of flats overlooking our garden:
http://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081009rz4.jpg

I want to plant a tree between the trees you can see in this picture
to provide screening. The existing trees are beyond our boundary on
the other side of a high wall/fence. The ideal height and shape would
be a the same tree as the one you see on the right - anyone able to
identify that? Or any other ideas? I have toyed with the idea of the
dreaded leyland cyprus, but I'm not very keen on them.

The base of the tree would be no more than 10 metres from the back of
the house.

By the way I'm well-aware that (with the exception of the leylandii
possibility) this is long-term planning, I'm hoping for a bit more
privacy in our retirement!

In article 08faa1f2-eb4b-40a8-8c34-
, says...
Dear all,

We have a particularly ugly block of flats overlooking our garden:
http://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081009rz4.jpg

I want to plant a tree between the trees you can see in this picture
to provide screening. The existing trees are beyond our boundary on
the other side of a high wall/fence. The ideal height and shape would
be a the same tree as the one you see on the right - anyone able to
identify that? Or any other ideas? I have toyed with the idea of the
dreaded leyland cyprus, but I'm not very keen on them.

The base of the tree would be no more than 10 metres from the back of
the house.

By the way I'm well-aware that (with the exception of the leylandii
possibility) this is long-term planning, I'm hoping for a bit more
privacy in our retirement!

I think the existing trees may be limes
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 11:38:36 +0100, Charlie Pridham

I think the existing trees may be limes

Thanks for this. A quick look at limes suggests they're fairly slow-
growing. I would say the tree to the right is around 9 metres high,
which is what the "new" tree would need to reach to make a good
screen. I know I said it was a long-term project, but it looks like I
won't be around to see it get there if it's a lime! Any suggestions
for something that would go a bit faster?

" writes
On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 11:38:36 +0100, Charlie Pridham


I think the existing trees may be limes

Thanks for this. A quick look at limes suggests they're fairly slow-
growing. I would say the tree to the right is around 9 metres high,
which is what the "new" tree would need to reach to make a good
screen. I know I said it was a long-term project, but it looks like I
won't be around to see it get there if it's a lime! Any suggestions
for something that would go a bit faster?

I don't think the original trees are limes - if you look closely towards
the bottom RH of the LH tree, the leaves are lobed. Shape is rather
sycamore-ish, but the tree looks too conical, so perhaps one of the
other maples?
--
Kay

In article ,
K writes:
|
| I don't think the original trees are limes - if you look closely towards
| the bottom RH of the LH tree, the leaves are lobed. Shape is rather
| sycamore-ish, but the tree looks too conical, so perhaps one of the
| other maples?

That was my reaction, but plane leaves are also lobed. For better
indentification, we need a closer picture of the leaves and of the
fruit (if any).

The answer is, of course, there are plenty of suitable trees - but
we need to know the location, soil type, whether deciduous or
evergreen is wanted, and the timescale to grow to 9 metres.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 11:38:36 +0100, Charlie Pridham


I think the existing trees may be limes

Thanks for this. A quick look at limes suggests they're fairly slow-
growing. I would say the tree to the right is around 9 metres high,
which is what the "new" tree would need to reach to make a good
screen. I know I said it was a long-term project, but it looks like I
won't be around to see it get there if it's a lime! Any suggestions
for something that would go a bit faster?

Lleylandi would grow a lot faster than that and spread out a bit.

On 2 Aug, 17:16, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

That was my reaction, but plane leaves are also lobed. *For better
indentification, we need a closer picture of the leaves and of the
fruit (if any).

The answer is, of course, there are plenty of suitable trees - but
we need to know the location, soil type, whether deciduous or
evergreen is wanted, and the timescale to grow to 9 metres.

Hi,

Thanks for all contributions so far. Here are some more pictures that
may help with identifying the existing trees, sorry but I'm hampered
by using a low quality phone camera and by the trees being the other
side of a high wall. The leaves are about hand-sized, and have five
"points", I think you can just about see from the photos.
http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081723hm0.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081724oh2.jpg

The location for the new tree is quite sheltered. It will be
immediately north of a six foot wall, and immediately east of another
six foot wall with a six foot mesh fence on top of it. Soil type I
don't know about, it's in north London if that helps, quite heavy and
holds water well, without being waterlogged. We tend to prefer
deciduous trees, although in many ways I can see the advantage of
evergreen as an all-year screen. The types of evergreen I personally
prefer, the broad-leafed ones like holly rather than the coniferous
ones, are I think very slow-growing? I guess it would be nice if it
could get to 9m in ten years. We'd be prepared to shell out for a
reasonably mature sapling, maybe two or three metres already, to give
us a head start.

If we can put up with it being coniferous I'm beginning to think maybe
a leylandii isn't such a bad idea for this particular purpose.

On Aug 2, 10:50*am, "
wrote:
We have a particularly ugly block of flats overlooking our garden:http://img128.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081009rz4.jpg

(snipette)

Those two trees are acer campestre - field maples and they looked self
seeded to me. If you want evergreen, so that you have privacy in
winter too, you could either plant a holy or holm oak - it's not rapid
growth, but how long do you have and how much can you afford? A friend
in a similar situation as you planted an hazel contorta, its twisted
branches are wonderful in winter and obscure the building across her
garden quite well, it is also interesting in spring with its yellow
catkins. After about 10 years it looks splendid. Finally, and if I was
you, I'd plant a nut tree, either a walnut or chestnut. Your grand
children will enjoy these very much I'm sure.

On 2 Aug, 20:25, wrote:
Those two trees are acer campestre- field maples and they looked self
seeded to me. If you want evergreen, so that you have privacy in
winter too, you could either plant a holy or holm oak - it's not rapid
growth, but how long do you have and how much can you afford? A friend
in a similar situation as you planted an hazel contorta, its twisted
branches are wonderful in winter and obscure the building across her
garden quite well, it is also interesting in spring with its yellow
catkins. After about 10 years it looks splendid. Finally, and if I was
you, I'd plant a nut tree, either a walnut or chestnut. Your grand
children will enjoy these very much I'm sure.

Thanks Helene, having just done a bit of googling you're right about
acer campestre.

I'm interested in the nut tree idea, and having something productive
in the garden, although the timescale involved is more than we'd like.
Any ideas for fruit trees that would grow into the appropriate
columnar/conical shape and reach the required height at maturity (say
10m)?

In message
,
" writes
Thanks for all contributions so far. Here are some more pictures that
may help with identifying the existing trees, sorry but I'm hampered by
using a low quality phone camera and by the trees being the other side
of a high wall. The leaves are about hand-sized, and have five
"points", I think you can just about see from the photos.
http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081723hm0.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081724oh2.jpg

Not limes then. I'd guess at London Plane (Platanus hispanica) or Norway
Maple (Acer platanoides) - the leaf apices are too acute for Sycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus).

The plant in the foreground of the first picture is tulip-tree
(Liriodendron tulipifera).

Is the purple-leaved tree over to the left the same as the others, apart
from leaf colour? That would be a point in favour of Norway Maple;
purple leaved forms of that are quite commonly planted.

Otherwise, London Plane has mottled bark, and fuzzy round seed heads
(about 1 inch in diameter); Norway Maple has winged seeds in pairs, like
a Sycamore, or other maples.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

On 2/8/08 22:57, in article lid, "Stewart Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

In message
,
" writes
Thanks for all contributions so far. Here are some more pictures that
may help with identifying the existing trees, sorry but I'm hampered by
using a low quality phone camera and by the trees being the other side
of a high wall. The leaves are about hand-sized, and have five
"points", I think you can just about see from the photos.
http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081723hm0.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...8081724oh2.jpg

Not limes then. I'd guess at London Plane (Platanus hispanica) or Norway
Maple (Acer platanoides) - the leaf apices are too acute for Sycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus).

The plant in the foreground of the first picture is tulip-tree
(Liriodendron tulipifera).

Is the purple-leaved tree over to the left the same as the others, apart
from leaf colour? That would be a point in favour of Norway Maple;
purple leaved forms of that are quite commonly planted.

Otherwise, London Plane has mottled bark, and fuzzy round seed heads
(about 1 inch in diameter); Norway Maple has winged seeds in pairs, like
a Sycamore, or other maples.

Is JD the same person as JayDee, I wonder?
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 2 Aug, 22:57, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:

Not limes then. I'd guess at London Plane (Platanus hispanica) or Norway
Maple (Acer platanoides) - the leaf apices are too acute for Sycamore
(Acer pseudoplatanus).

The plant in the foreground of the first picture is tulip-tree
(Liriodendron tulipifera).

Is the purple-leaved tree over to the left the same as the others, apart
from leaf colour? That would be a point in favour of Norway Maple;
purple leaved forms of that are quite commonly planted.

Otherwise, London Plane has mottled bark, and fuzzy round seed heads
(about 1 inch in diameter); Norway Maple has winged seeds in pairs, like
a Sycamore, or other maples.

Hi Stewart,

The purple-leaved tree is something else. From the pictures I've found
through Google I think Helene is right with acer campestre. Well-
spotted with the liriodendron tulipifera - that's the young tree
currently occupying the spot to be filled. However, as far as I can
see that is likely to grow far too large when it's mature, so the plan
is to remove it and replace with something more suitable.

writes

Those two trees are acer campestre - field maples and they looked self
seeded to me. If you want evergreen, so that you have privacy in
winter too, you could either plant a holy or holm oak - it's not rapid
growth, but how long do you have and how much can you afford? A friend
in a similar situation as you planted an hazel contorta, its twisted
branches are wonderful in winter and obscure the building across her
garden quite well, it is also interesting in spring with its yellow
catkins. After about 10 years it looks splendid.

It's never going to grow tall, though.

--
Kay

"KThose two trees are acer campestre - field maples and they looked self
seeded to me. If you want evergreen, so that you have privacy in
winter too, you could either plant a holy or holm oak - it's not rapid
growth, but how long do you have and how much can you afford? A friend
in a similar situation as you planted an hazel contorta, its twisted
branches are wonderful in winter and obscure the building across her
garden quite well, it is also interesting in spring with its yellow
catkins. After about 10 years it looks splendid.

It's never going to grow tall, though.

--
Kay

How tall does it have to be, I have several hazel contorta and they are
about 16ft tall + and fill out a lot if space but perhaps not tall enough

kate

Kate Morgan writes

"KThose two trees are acer campestre - field maples and they looked self
seeded to me. If you want evergreen, so that you have privacy in
winter too, you could either plant a holy or holm oak - it's not rapid
growth, but how long do you have and how much can you afford? A friend
in a similar situation as you planted an hazel contorta, its twisted
branches are wonderful in winter and obscure the building across her
garden quite well, it is also interesting in spring with its yellow
catkins. After about 10 years it looks splendid.

It's never going to grow tall, though.


How tall does it have to be, I have several hazel contorta and they are
about 16ft tall + and fill out a lot if space but perhaps not tall
enough

9m in 10 years is what the OP asked for.
--
Kay