Recommend fast growing tall evergreens for full shade?

[Artinsurance]

We need to plant some tall, (ideally fast-growing) evergreens along our border because we fear our new neighbours will remove the row of 30 ft high Nooka Cypress on their side of the fence which gives our garden total privacy from them. Currently the border is in deep, reasonably moist shade with neutral, bordering on acidic soil. The border is between 8-10 feet deep, 60 feet wide and currently planted with a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, a few old lilac trees and lots of brambles. We want to fill the gaps with evergreens.

We don't mind the height of the neighbour's trees, but, if planting again, would prefer shrubs or conifers that grew to a maximum of 15-20 feet to be more manageable to keep in check. So far, I've got:

Garrya Elliptica
Cherry Laurel
Mahonia
Photinia Red Robin
Viburnum rhytidophyllum

Are there any others you have used that you know to love these conditions and to grow quickly.? Rhododendrons possibly but which varieties?

I planted a row of cherry laurel last year and they have grown really well . I would recommend getting 5 foot or more to start with though . My normal laurels hasn't grown well at all despite being 4 foot to start with .

Fast-growing tall evergreens tend to keep on growing and get ever taller, especially conifers. There aren't all that many that grow fast and then stop at the height you want, unfortunately. The ones you mention seem a good idea though.

Depending on your budget, you can always get larger specimens to start with.

It’s not evergreen but hornbeam grows fast & loves moist shade. Most importantly it doesn’t drop its leaves, giving screening over winter - do a search on google for images of winter hornbeam.

I have a Eucryphia in shady north-facing front garden. It’s a lovely tree/shrub - small white flowers and nice small glossy leaves. Mine is around 3-4metres tall and doesn’t seem to be getting any bigger but apparently they can.

Would you consider a holly? - great for wildlife. I have one in a shady spot - doesn’t get berries but think if you get a self-fertile one you will?

Aucuba (spotted laurel)? Isn't that the usual go-to for shade?

Also suggesting Hornbeam, it's deciduous but they leaves stay on all winter so it remains quite dense. It's easy to keep tidy and supports a ton of wildlife.

Thanks for the feedback everyone, very helpful. I've got one holly in the border already and it is getting tall but is very leggy. I also have another couple to plant and a small spotted laurel rooted cutting.

I'd not heard of Euchryphia but I'd be concerned it's a bit too tender for the North East.

I'd never looked at Hornbeam before (purple beech was a consideration for another hedge we have to replace) but it seems to be a good contender. When do you prune yours jcurve and Hard As Snails?

Yes, I get what you mean about fast growing evergreens but there are always some outliers Tudor, I've used Viburnum Tinus in similar circumstances and it has grown fairly quickly to 6-7 feet then stopped. If only it grew another few feet.

We prune in late summer (August-ish) for hornbeam.

I would go for a mixed hedge.
pyracantha, hornbeam, quince, cyanothus, roses...

but tbh, the neighbours cypresses probably have sucked all nutrients out of the soil, so whatever you plant needs to be in containers/raised beds to get a chance to thrive

Amelanchier aren't evergreen but could be kept at the right height. They aren't very tall anyway and are quite twiggy so a bit of a screen in winter. Another small tree is hawthorn, they come into leaf first ime. These would need to be planted after their hedge has gone as they wouldn't grow much with the present shade and soil.

We also pruned late summer, have moved so don't have the hedge now but it was lovely and if I was having a hedge I'd have it again.

If only it grew another few feet. My V. tinus is double that height. (Unfortunately, it's very leggy, so I'm currently, over about 3 years, cutting it back down to ground level to encourage new growth where I can actually see the flowers)

I think I'm decided on a bit of layered planting with Hornbeam in the most obvious gaps and some of the other plants I've got in a row in front.

I've been working on the border (hacking out the brambles) and can see we actually have very leggy privet on our side so I think a bit of pruning needs to happen with that too.

I'm afraid I don't do thorny things woodencoffeetable **