New build needing a bit of privacy without annoying the neighbours - what would you plant here?

[iknownothingaboutgardens]

Any suggestions for what you'd plant along this back fence to create some privacy?

I'm after something evergreen and not hideously expensive. Bamboo is a no-go because the shedding drives me crazy and it's too invasive.

I thought about planting something in the middle of the garden so I'm not blocking the neighbour's sun too much but not sure the garden is big enough to take it.

Any ideas?

Can you put trellis along the top of the fence? You could then grow climbers along it without taking up too much space, maybe Japanese honeysuckle which is evergreen and fast growing.

Pleached trees?

I second pp ‘pleached trees’.

Expensive but plant once, sorted forever solution.
Crab apples are a good choice. Spring blossom, leaves change colour and the fruit stays on over winter.

www.paramountplants.co.uk/plant/tpts/parasol-trees.html

And / or, umbrella/roof trained trees. Can form a canopy, gazebo effect.

Photinia is another good choice for pleached trees.
I think it would be good to plant something more in the middle of your own garden too, if your space allows, rather than just at the boundary.
The nearer the screening object is to your own house the less large it needs to be to create privacy, or so I’ve read somewhere!
What time of day was the photo taken, as a lot of your garden is in shade?

I would also plant pleached trees.

Preached trees have to be deciduous or they count as a hedge & there are a bunch of regulations about high hedges. But the bare branches still give some privacy in winter

Place marking

I would go for espalier fruit trees and a climber like a honeysuckle or a rose.

Or some large ‘airy’ trees like silver birches and corkscrew willow that aren’t too dense.

Trees can be expensive and unless you buy semi mature, they will take a while to grow.
I’d look at planting a mixture of quick growing shrubs that can be pruned to keep under control. Cherry Laurel, Photinia and Leycesteria Formosa (Pheasant Berry ) all grow quickly. The Leycesteria can be pruned hard each year, but still grows very tall. In between it put a tree such as a holly or Rowan, but not a fir.

Doea it have to be evergreen? We have about 5 Himalayan birch trees that give some cover in winter, and their stems look stunning, especially if you plant an evergreen climber behind them. Some of the Himalayan variety don't get too big.

Trunks!

If the fence is at the maximum permitted height, you are not be allowed to put trellis on top.

Wow, an empty canvas, lucky you!!!!! One thing I would do is not to fall into the trap of straight line planting. It’s all to easy to plan borders ,around the edges, square seating areas, patios, straight paths etc, but when you start looking at gardens you soon realise that the interesting designs use curves to breakup the space.

If you want something tall and temporary you could try banana plants, they are amazing!

@QuietFlame

Photinia is another good choice for pleached trees. I think it would be good to plant something more in the middle of your own garden too, if your space allows, rather than just at the boundary. The nearer the screening object is to your own house the less large it needs to be to create privacy, or so I’ve read somewhere! What time of day was the photo taken, as a lot of your garden is in shade?

This was taken at 5pm, garden is north east facing

Photina X red robin. We've had pretty much the same issue, new builds are quite overlooked!
Also think about levels and what you plan to do for your garden. If you could afford it I'd get a landscape designer to come up with some ideas, as it's not always about blocking out the obvious.

@viques

Wow, an empty canvas, lucky you!!!!! One thing I would do is not to fall into the trap of straight line planting. It’s all to easy to plan borders ,around the edges, square seating areas, patios, straight paths etc, but when you start looking at gardens you soon realise that the interesting designs use curves to breakup the space.

If you want something tall and temporary you could try banana plants, they are amazing!

Thank you - I have bought the garden design encyclopaedia which is really good for landscaping ideas but less good for specific plant recommendations

I agree about the straight line planting.
It will direct the eye straight to the back fence and the house beyond.
If the sun is at the far end in the afternoon then that is where you will want a seating area I would imagine.
I would go for a curved border with a mix of evergreen fast growing shrubs and one or two strategically placed trees with year round interest.
Then perhaps a pergola over your seating area with scented climber?

We face E at the back and I’ve got a big acer in the NE corner - it took a while to get this tall but it’s a lovely looking thing through all the seasons.

Sorry for double posting!

Also, I know you said not bamboo, but I’ve just bought 3 baby fargesia rufa to grow in pots along our N-facing side wall, which is quite tall and bare, to give us something green and wavy to look at out of the kitchen window. (I didn’t know about the shedding but as yard is paved I’m hoping it won’t matter too much)
Its growth is restricted - max 3m and probably less in a pot? But I wondered if you could plonk one of those in a pot down there temporarily while other things grow.

I have 5 Himalayan birch trees also! They grow quickly, but obviously lose leaves in winter. Our back fence is painted black, so the branches look rather striking against the fence.

I would draw a plan or maybe use software if you gave access to some. Then draw a line from the patio, or wherever you plan to sit, to the upper windows opposite. The line shows the height you need for privacy depending how far you are from the neighbours window.
So maybe an Alemanchier 2/3rds up the garden, a couple of photinias Beside it. A flowering cherry on one side. Hawthorn?, viburnum?- not evergreen, I have prunus Lusitania which is evergreen but is bushy and hollies which are evergreen.
Maybe use potted bamboo whilst you wait for things to grow. I think a tall tree could shade your neighbours garden over time.

We have deciduous fruit trees. You do have to be careful as pp said that you aren't inadvertently creating a hedge, especially if you are planting along the boundary. In the winter we still have plenty of privacy from the bare branches as they obscure the view.