Which evergreen?

[Shadowboy]

We have a new build house with a reasonable front garden - 4m x 8m all currently laid to lawn with a path up the centre dividing it up. Drive to the side.

Opposite there is/was an old orchard. They have just received planning to pull it down and build in it - so I would like to screen the front of my house. I would like perhaps two evergreens- but as they will only be 4m from the house they can’t be too big. I was thinking of the Magnolia Grandiflora Goliath? Or 2 olives- but worried these wouldn’t tolerate cold winters.

Are you thinking trees or shrubs? I would think the Magnolia would be too large and have a wide root area. Olives grow quite slowly and a large specimen would be £££, quite a risk if they die through frost.
Personally I’d look at larger growing evergreen shrubs such as Mexican Orange blossom, Osmanthus, various Vibirnum, even small holly or Bay. They can offer screening whilst easy to manage and prune to shape.

How tall do you need it? I’d think shrubs too - holly and California lilac maybe?

Agree, depends on the height you think you need. How about bamboo? Maybe in a raised bed so you can stop it running everywhere. I have a 2m high bamboo in a pot which is doing a sterling job of screening the view from next door's living room straight into our garden. Plus it's a bit less intrusive visually than Magnolia Grandiflora as it will move in the breeze.

We have quite a few shrubs etc in the back garden such as a cotoneaster and photinia red robin and a clumping bambo - I thin we were after something different. I can’t do holly as the place it would go is close to the drive and I don’t want to spike the kids when I get out the car!

It needs to be about 5-7 foot high so people walking past and new windows opposite can’t see in. We have curtains but I like them open in the day.

Well I know they're unfashionable but I find Pittosporum endlessly useful. There are some great variegated ones and they grow anywhere.

I was just coming on to say pittosporum. We have a lovely variegated one in our front garden. Maybe ceanothus? Camellia? Choisya ternata? Lots of syringa?

I would go for Christa, either Ternata Sundance or Aztec gold. Beautiful foliage and pretty flowers.

I have a,magnolia grandiflora and it is a bit of a thug, so I wouldn't put that in a confined space. What about bay, or laurel?

Christa? I mean Choisya, bloody autocorrect.