What tree/shrub should I be looking at?

[SomethingSuper]

I am such a know-nothing when it comes to the garden but having conquered frog problem (another thread), I am determined to make my garden lush and as private as I can.

I would like

an evergreen I think, as they seem hardy but also make the garden look lush all year round
something mature so i dont have to wait ages for a little privacy
something that I cannot kill through a bit of neglect
Ideally one that doesn't grow to 25 foot, as I don't want to throw a lot of shade on the garden behind ours.

Does anyone have any ideas? I saw a beautiful plum tree in the garden centre earlier, which was about 10 foot and had lovely light branches but the guy working there said they grow to about 30 foot so i didnt buy it. I also saw a nice Eucalptys (sp) and a lovely lilac but they would prob take a while to grow substantially. I like Laurels but cant find mature ones.

Sorry for rambling, hope one of you knowledgable lovely people can help me. I would love a nice garden and have spent years chipping away at 3 skips of full concrete (plus the bloody frogs).

Oh and (just because the above post isnt quite long enough) I'm skint and have saved up £140 to buy something that will allow us to use garden fully, as we're very overlooked and DH thinks the neighbours like to look at him

A tree-cotoneaster is evergreen and has a lot of berries in autumn - 'cornuba' has red ones but there are other more trendy varieties. We've got one and the birds love it in November. It also has an open habit so does not throw a lot of shade while still providing a screen. I've never bought one as the one we have was here already and it wasn't love at first sight, but I really appreciate it now for its practical unfussy nature.

I agree that Malus are lovely - scented blossom as well. (I have both.) However a tree-cotoneaster is usually taller and more effective as a year-round screen if that's your priority - the leaves are 'semi evergreen' in that the old ones drop BUT the new ones are already there to replace them. I failed to mention that the berries were obviously flowers once - so you get frothy blossom on the tree cotoneaster - not as pretty as apple blossom but that doesn't deter the bees. There are very few diseases / maintenance associated with the cotoneaster - whearas malus needs a little more tlc especially during dry spells.

Personally, I'd get both as your budget more than covers it. The tree cotoneaster can go at the back as a screen and the malus nearer the house where you can appreciate its beauty. Then grow some evergreen clematis through the crab-apple to cheer it up in the winter months.

Oh thanks so much both of you! I was wandering around the garden centre for an hour earlier, completely overwhelmed by the choice and different factors. I will go back next week and look at a cotoneaster and a malus.

The garden was all concrete and ramps with a few concrete beds when we bought house 7 years ago. We got rid of the concrete, put a basic lawn down and kept the old plants that were in the beds, so I've got a good basis for a beautiful, mature garden - IF I can get my head around gardening! I have a 6ft Flame of the Forest, 6ft Rhodedendron, 5ft conifer and 1 or 2 other plants that look like Rhodedendrons and some that I have no clue about. The elderly couple who lived here before us clearly loved their plants so I'm trying to keep them going. I think some of them must be over 20/30 years old though, if that's possible. I would feel terrible if they died because of me.

Amelancier www.findmeplants.co.uk/plant-amelanchier-canadensis-0007.aspx is a fab small tree with lots of interest at different times of year.

If you like the eucalyptus they grow incredibly quickly and I like the blue foliage against all the english greens.

No offence taken Maryz - the tree cotoneaster does not immediately spring to mind as well as the ubiquitous shrubby cotoneaster horizontalis - used in car-parks everwhere.

SomethingSuper I'm interested that you mention Rhod'ys as this probably means you're on neutral /acid soil. This may in fact open up other possibilities to you. I've seen some fab ones in the South West along with camellias that can grow huge in a sheltered position. If you can, I'd get along to a garden open to the public near you this w'end and get inspired .

I have a similar problem with the over looking and have planted a row of lovely, deciduous trees because I couldn't find a nice looking evergreen! I'm planning to grow a few evergreen climbers through them once they have established so there will be at least some screen over the winter months.

Someone recommended a lovely tree to me on here - was too late as I'd already bought and planted mine but would def have gone for this had I known
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.insideiris.com/NRD_Images/plant_image/Pyrus_salicifolia_Pendula.jpg&imgrefurl=insideiris.com/feature_plants/1594/Pear__Willowlef_Weeping&usg=__ymo0pD2qYItLpjXR3yAdvRsn9qw=&h=480&w=640&sz=79&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=kPmpC4CSpi4eTM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=ShS3TfGeL5Cp8APFptw8&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpyrus%2Bsalicifolia%2Bpendula%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DGFo%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.google:en-US:official%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D578%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.insideiris.com/NRD_Images/plant_image/Pyrus_salicifolia_Pendula.jpg&imgrefurl=insideiris.com/feature_plants/1594/Pear__Willowlef_Weeping&usg=__ymo0pD2qYItLpjXR3yAdvRsn9qw=&h=480&w=640&sz=79&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=kPmpC4CSpi4eTM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&ei=ShS3TfGeL5Cp8APFptw8&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpyrus%2Bsalicifolia%2Bpendula%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DGFo%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dcom.google:en-US:official%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D578%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1

Yes those were my thoughts about evergreens exactly Maryz! Glad to hear you have a good screen - am willing my trees to grow fast!

Also meant to add that we have planted a few Cherry Laurel in-between the trees which are evergreen and grow quickly. They are not the most beautiful of specimens but are dense and make an excellent screen (if you have room for these as well?). You can buy them quite large from garden centres and online.

Well I went back to the nursery and went a bit mad buying stuff - I got a plum tree, a eucaliptis and a large lilac bush . So basically I forgot everything I'd been told on here and went running round randomly picking stuff up which turned out to be the stuff I'd decided against initially

Apparently the garden also have 2 camilias, ones about 9 footso pretty big. I am such a novice I didnt realise the type of soil in your garden could differ and impact on what you grow and how well it grows