Tall shrubs/tree for large planter?

[Coconutfeet]

Can anyone suggest any tall shrubs that would be happy in a long planter about 1m30 long, 50cm wide and 70cm deep? I'd like to be able to screen the view behind it if possible. A tree would also be nice but I'm not sure that the planter is really large enough?

[Coconutfeet]

Can anyone help?

[mistlethrush]

I've seen camelia's growing nicely in that sort of size of planter - and they would be evergreen, have flowers in the spring and have nice glossy leaves.

[Coconutfeet]

Actually I was just admiring someone's camellias the other day. That could work well. Thank you.

[mistlethrush]

Just make sure that you get some appropriate compost and some advice on how you should fill the planter to help the plant.

[mistlethrush]

Bamboo would be another one - some of them do well in pots.

[Coconutfeet]

We've got quite a bit of bamboo in pots already but thanks for the suggestion.

[nottheparrot]

We've got several photinias (Red Robin) in big tubs (half barrel size or slightly bigger) which we use as screening. Evergreen, and beautiful new foliage in Spring (lovely at the minute). We bought them at a decent size - about 1 metre tall - and paid about £30 for each one. You can buy smaller versions, but we didn't want to wait too long for them to reach a good size!

[whereisshe]

Be prepared to replace the soil periodically. Trees / large shrubs will run out of nutrients otherwise.

[Coconutfeet]

Nottheparrot - funnily enough I've just put a red robin out the front in a large planter to screen us from the road slightly. The foliage is lovely at the moment.

I was hoping that top dressing the soil with something nutritious every year and regular feeding would be enough. Do you think I need to do more?

[nottheparrot]

That's just what we've done - also got a couple at the side to screen us from our (lovely) neighbours.
Photinias can be pruned to keep them under control (google for exactly when to do it), but may not need it if in a big tub.
Scoop out the top layer of compost each year, throw away or put on a border, and replace with fresh compost. Feed occasionally. That's all we do, and they look great!