Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near the
sea.

Thank you,

Al

"AL_n" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near
the
sea.

You could consider Clerodendrum trichotomum (or Clerodendron as it is
apparently known in the U.S.) It's a tree with really beautiful and
interesting perfumed flowers, followed by spectacular purple berries encased
in a red star-shaped calyx (is that the right word?). I have seen one in
the garden of a pub near Bath, and it's not more than about 10 feet tall, I
think, so it might fit your requirements. I have managed to acquire some
seeds for this tree from a source on the IoW and have about five seedlings
on the go at the moment, but I would suggest you purchase a larger specimen
if you're over 40 years old :-)

I wouldn't recommend a weeping willow, my father planted one when I was a
child and it sucked all the moisture out of the lawn and left it brown and
dry. Weeping willows should probably be planted near a water source such as
a lake or stream.

HTH, someone

On Apr 9, 9:55*pm, "AL_n" wrote:
Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near the
sea.

Thank you,

Al
No tree grows fast to a specific hieght and then just stops.
If you want a small tree, it will grow slowly.
If you want a fast growing tree, it will be big.
At some point it will need to be trimmed/cut back.

"AL_n" wrote

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near the
sea.

.................
Willow is not a good idea for various reasons, foundations, drains, moisture
levels in the rest of the garden....
The only way to get what you want is to spend considerable money on a mature
specimen tree. As another poster has said, fast growing trees like Leylandii
don't stop growing, 100ft+ is possible, so constant pruning and trimming is
needed to keep them small. A tree as small as you want takes time to get
there.
Bamboo makes a good screen but be careful which you choose and surround it
with a deep barrier to stop it wandering.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

Bamboo makes a good screen but be careful which you choose and
surround it with a deep barrier to stop it wandering.

Thanks to all for the replies. Is there a 12-ft tall bamboo?
Anyway, you've got me thinking... perhaps there is something other than a
tree that would do the trick. The problem is, that it needs to grow at
least 10 ft to provide the privacy I need, but mustn't grow more than 12 or
13ft, otherwise it'll encroach on someone's sea view.

I don't mind doing a bit of pruning each year, but I'm reluctant to lop
trees because it usually messes up their beauty, I think. However, if
someone knows of a type of tree where this doesn't apply, please let me
know...

Al

On 10 Apr 2011 14:52:13 GMT, "AL_n" wrote:

"Bob Hobden" wrote in
:

Bamboo makes a good screen but be careful which you choose and
surround it with a deep barrier to stop it wandering.

Thanks to all for the replies. Is there a 12-ft tall bamboo?
Anyway, you've got me thinking... perhaps there is something other than a
tree that would do the trick. The problem is, that it needs to grow at
least 10 ft to provide the privacy I need, but mustn't grow more than 12 or
13ft, otherwise it'll encroach on someone's sea view.

I don't mind doing a bit of pruning each year, but I'm reluctant to lop
trees because it usually messes up their beauty, I think. However, if
someone knows of a type of tree where this doesn't apply, please let me
know...

It does sound like a case for one of the bamboos: if they like their
quarters they do grow fast, and they do stop at a particular height.
But, as Bob says, they do need to be restrained at root level once
they get going. Plug "bamboo nursery" into a search engine, and see
what's out there. I'd start here for official basic info,
https://xxx.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=79
and maybe here, but try to find somewhere cheaper to buy from:
http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/bamboo/plcid.301/

--
Mike.

"AL_n" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near
the
sea.

Thank you,

Al

Hi Al,

I live in Leigh-on-Sea and have a wonderful Willow in the garden. As my
garden slopes slightly and the Willow is at the bottom end of the slope
there is not a problem with water being sucked up. The garden is very
green - even around the Willow.
Whereabouts are you on the South Coast?

Good luck with your search,
Jo

Plenty.

And also there are a few well-behaved bamboos that don't need restraint. These are "true clumping bamboos". Don't believe any bamboo seller who says something is clumping, believe only those you have researched and know to be true clumping. These are, for cultivation in Britain, really only Fargesia and Thamnocalamus spp.

A bamboos such as Fargesia murieliae "Jumbo" will grow to 12 ft pretty reliably. However it has a tendency to flop over, hence its common name fountain or umbrella bamboo, so you need to tie some strings around it to keep it more upright.

Several other members of these families will do the trick, if you can give them fair growing conditions.

In article
,
harry writes
No tree grows fast to a specific hieght and then just stops.
If you want a small tree, it will grow slowly.
If you want a fast growing tree, it will be big.
At some point it will need to be trimmed/cut back.


Yes but there are, if you don't mind shelling out about 200 quid for a
semi mature tree, a fair few good nurseries like majestic trees in
Hertfordshire and plenty of others, that can supply and plant trees that
break at 6 foot, (so just above hedge height) so you get the trunk below
that and foliage above for privacy.
Lop trees for want of a better term. i got 5 for a customer about month
ago to screen off a caravan next door and it works really well. They
have a fair range of trees bigger and smaller which might be an idea?

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Chris Hogg wrote in
:

As you're on the south coast by the sea, it'll be fairly mild, so one
of the not-so-hardy salt-tolerant hedging plants might be OK for you,
such as any of the following: Escallonia varieties; Olearia traversii
or one of the other olearias; Griselinia littoralis; Euonymus
japonicus; Tamarisk (a bit untidy IMO); Hippophae rhamnoides. They'll
probably all need trimming eventually, and none very pretty IMO and
certainly not in the 'flowering cherry' league, but worth thinking
about. Look them up and make a judgement.

Fast growers in exposed coastal positions tend to outgrow their roots
and blow over easily in strong gales unless you cut them back to four
or five feet a couple of times in the first few years, to allow the
roots to get a good grip and the trunks to strengthen. Merely staking
them is little more than a futile gesture as unless you use really
heavy stakes (say 3" dia.min.) they'll break at ground level when
they've been in a couple of years.

Thanks for that! I took my weeping willow back to the small garden centre
where I bought it. They let me change it for somethinh more suitable. After
much hunting and cogitating, I settled upon a griselinia littoralis a.k.a.
New Zealand Privet (one of the ones you suggested). I saw that it grows to
about the correct height and spread, and loves the sea air and full sun,
yet sheltered from the wind, so it should be happy here... Also great is
the fact that it's evergreen (I think). I'll follow your sdvice about
cutting back.

Al

"AL_n" wrote in message ...

Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be

My brother planted a living willow fedge. The rods of willow are about 6
foot long and he planted them criss-cross as per 2nd diagram he-
http://www.kingsbarnfarm.co.uk/html/...ow_fedges.html

He got them at a good price (online supplier in Norfolk) and he restrict
their height to about 8'. Each year you can bend and weave the lower loose
branches, to thicken the fedge. Surplus branches (rods) can be cut and
placed in a bucket of water. These will produce roots in 6 months - don't
send her roses, send her a fedge.

2 years ago, someone gave me 24 rods, so I'm growing my own fedge on the
allotment, to hide a large corrugated compost heap. There's a row of rhubarb
next to the fedge and they show no signs of stress. Last year the fedge
produced a dozen rods, which have been 'bucketed'. This summer should
produce another 2 dozen rods. You should be able to produce a thick
impenetrable hedge in say, 3 to 4 years.

Bertie

In article , AL_n
writes
Thanks for that! I took my weeping willow back to the small garden centre
where I bought it. They let me change it for somethinh more suitable. After
much hunting and cogitating, I settled upon a griselinia littoralis a.k.a.
New Zealand Privet (one of the ones you suggested). I saw that it grows to
about the correct height and spread, and loves the sea air and full sun,
yet sheltered from the wind, so it should be happy here... Also great is
the fact that it's evergreen (I think). I'll follow your sdvice about
cutting back.

Al


Not that you will need to worry but Deer especially Muntjac have made a
beeline for someone's Griselina plants in a large garden locally!


Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On 4月10日, ��5:55, "AL_n" wrote:
Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near the
sea.

Thank you,

Al

we often see hedges with 'Photinia glabra' in our country (japan).
they can serve you a thick screen that no one can see them through.
and they look so pretty when they sprout the new leaves in spring.
and if you cut them back evenly sometimes, that's perfect.
Here's a picture of them:
http://wasa639.blog.so-net.ne.jp/_im...9/SSCN2820.JPG

Ono

On 09/04/2011 21:55, AL_n wrote:
Hello,

I need to plant a tree to provide some privacy from neighbours. It must be
one that won't grow more than 12 tall, absolute tops. I'd like something
that is fast growing, and graceful-looking (not a conifer). The soil is
very alkaline, stony and rather lacking in humous. Is there a weeping
willow that doesn't grow more than 12ft tall? Otherwise, perhaps a cherry
tree or something. I'm open to suggestions. Ideally, it'll be one whose
branches spread out somewhat. I love on the South Coast of England near the
sea.

Thank you,

Al

Have a word with your neighbours before planting, have a civilised
conversation regarding your concerns re privacy,
discuss the merits of screening, tell them you would like to plant a
tree and see if they have suggestions and would
it interfere with their view, or light requirements etc.
It's so much better to chat rather than find you've upset them by your
actions.I've always done that with neighbours
and found that it pays to have good relations, it's invariably reciprocated.
Don

Ono wrote in news:b8e07d84-3fe4-463d-af68-
:

we often see hedges with 'Photinia glabra' in our country (japan).
they can serve you a thick screen that no one can see them through.
and they look so pretty when they sprout the new leaves in spring.
and if you cut them back evenly sometimes, that's perfect.
Here's a picture of them:
http://wasa639.blog.so-net.ne.jp/_im...9/SSCN2820.JPG

Ono

That looks really beautiful, to my eyes. What a gorgeous colour
combination...

Al