Tall screening plants north facing garden

[sparklingharbour]

Hi, my new house has a low fence at the back of the garden which is open to the Close behind. We will add trellis to the fence but ideally I'd like some tall dense evergreen screening plants - maybe 8 foot high.

The fence is maybe 30 feet long and north facing.

I don't want bamboo I think, or leylandi and my budget isn't huge.

In an ideal world I'd like something good for wildlife, but security and privacy are my main priorities, especially as I've two v young kids.

What would you recommend? Thanks!

Clematis Armandii might be good if you looking for something to grow up a fence or trellis.

Or get some bare root mixed native hedging - it's cheap and will get up to 8 ft in a couple of years.

Not wonderful suggestions perhaps but couldn't bear to see your post unanswered.

Thanks! I'd love to get the hedging but I can't wait. Need something immediate!

Photinia might be an answer then. Not my favourite bush but sounds like it meets your criteria. www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=145 - it grows about 40cm a year.

Can you mix it up with some evergreens e.g cherry laurel, photinia and some small, pretty trees? Would give you variety and some flowers to look at if you go for flowering cherry trees for example. You'd have a pretty good screen after a few years although you can buy bigger plants for more instant effect!

Thanks both. Laurel and photinia sound good if I can get 2 metre approx bare root versions. Ornamental trees sounds nice too x