Privacy trees for very small garden

[Bringtheweatherwithyou]

I am trying to find a tree or two to make my garden more private. When I look out my kitchen window, I can see a row of houses and it makes me feel claustrophobic.

I really like Pauls' scarlet flowering hawthorn but I think I need more than one tree.

The fence is approx 5-6m wide so very small. Height is 6m.

Can anyone suggest another tree or large shrub to make sure that I get the privacy I crave.
Despite my best efforts to improve drainage over the last few years, the soil is still quite heavy/clay although it is a lot better than it was.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions.

On one side of the garden, I grew clamatis but it doesn't help with privacy and the neighbour keeps cutting it and pulling it from the fence so it can't climb.....

https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Hornbeam-fresh-pleached-tree-Carpinus-betulus-180cm-clear-stem-180-wide-x-120-high-Root-ball.html?utm_term=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqdqvBhCPARIsANrmZhOb20GBlXLP3prQDu-v-Jjd9UxJ3l1s5AmndDhUoGvM_9EyQGNe3WEaAq3yEALw_wcB

have you considered pleached trees? A bit expensive but will give you pretty much immediate results?

I would love them but they are too far out of my budget unfortunately.

we have laurel - it sits very close to the fence so doesn’t impede into the garden space. We got 10 small plants from eBay for £20 and they grew so quickly.

Is this a hedge?

How high did it grow and how quickly?

My preference would be trees - for interest mainly.

I'd go with smaller trees or shrubs, and closer to your house. You don't have to have trees right at the end of your garden to hide the view - in fact they have to grow pretty big to be of any use.

Presumably you want something evergreen? You can get dwarf forms of Eucalyptus which are lovely. Laurel would work, or Holly or Ceanothus.

If not evergreen then you can get fruit trees on dwarf root stock which gives height whilst still being compact or something like Amelanchier lamarckii or a Silver Birch.

Or you could just go for something like bamboo though be careful to avoid the types with invasive roots.

Aldo don't understand your clematis comment - surely your neighbours aren't pulling it off your side of the fence?

Yes they are. The clematis grew up (rapidly) and I tied it so it would spread along the fence. It looks nice when its in flower.
The neighbour keeps (presumably) leaning over and untying it so it blows down. She cuts the growth that is higher than the fence and throws it back into our garden.

I tried bamboo but didn't like it.

Evergreen would be nice - anything as long as it keeps some privacy during winter. I planted a cherry blossom a few years ago and when in bloom, it is lovely. Most of the year, it has bare branches though and I really want to avoid this again.

https://herbidacious.calamus.graphics/2019/05/05/trellis-panels-in-fences/

can you put some higher level trellis on your side of the fence so that your neighbour cant reach over so easily?

Are they your fence or theirs?
If it theirs I can understand them cutting it back bit rude throwing it back at yours though, but the weight of clematis will effect the fence.
Again if your fence then add trellis along the top for added height and get and evergreen clematis or jasmine star.
You could also try doing pleached trees yourself, or a climber on a frame.

Our fence. I don’t think it’s too heavy, it’s under two years old (as are the fences as I was the one who bought and had them put up as the original fences fell down due to ivy the neighbour was growing).

I’d prefer trees rather than worrying about the neighbour pulling down anything that isn’t rooted.

Is there anything in this thread that helps?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/4246171-trees-in-small-gardens

WobblyLondoner

That is a wonderful thread. Thank you. I will study it properly and see if I can source the trees suggested.

How many trees would people recommend?

She has no right to be damaging plants in your garden. I would be tempted to use a trained Pyracantha to support the Clematis. When I had a similar problem, I erected a barrier of Pyracantha prunings

Re the Pyracantha, I have a dog so definitely not. But I like your way of thinking…..

https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&sca_esv=2608eba17faff7bb&hl=en-gb&q=weigela&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDwaPWpPyEAxUVUkEAHcuMB7IQBSgAegQIBBAC&biw=414&bih=705&dpr=2

weigela, there’s pink, purple, white, silver leafed versions.

Tree peony

Thing is op. Most trees take years and years to reach any height that would give you privacy, unless you’ve a major budget to plant mature one. So as in, you plant one, and In ten to twenty years you will have privacy. So time to maturity is worth thinking of.

We've got these.
New build directly overlooked. Put them in 3 years ago and now we can sit in our lounge in privacy.
We have a red version, very pretty.

Not a tree but Spotted Laurel has a lot of interest and is fast growing (35cm a year) It's evergreen, with attractive spotted glossy leaves and has lots of bright red berries in winter. A quick tidy up in spring will keep it in check. They're not expensive.

If that's not for you, could you go to a garden centre and ask their advice. At this time of year you can buy bare root hedging plants and trees and they are very cheap to buy.

I agree with PP who said plant the tree nearer the house and not at the fence to give better privacy. That's a good trick.

It is very nice. What is it called?

ETA I just clicked on it and saw the name.
What size were they when you planted them?

They were probably around 5.5 to 6ft tall, basketball sized (or maybe a little bigger) leaf and branch growth. Now easily 15ft plus, have spread and merged so we have one continuous looking green and red leaf cover. We have 4 to go across approx 25/30ft.

I love Pauls scarlet, (hawthorn, crateagus) - its a lovely, craggy, fast growing small tree that can easily be cut back and the flowers are v pretty. I think Pauls scarlet is infertile (wont fruit). Spend on manure, compost etc and itll grow quickly. Wont care if your awful neighbour chops at overhanging branches.

Alternatively, mahonia is evergreen, architectural, jaggy, and relatively fast. Happy in shade or part shade, winter flowers, doesnt care if you cut it back. Mahonia media "charity" or "fortescue" are taller. They look amazing with strategically positioned lights in rhe winter, if thats your thing. Tend to have bare "legs" so a bit more like a short tree with lots of trunks, but I like that because you can plant things underneath.

Berberis also jaggy, affordable, evergreen, but more shrubby blob than tree shaped.

Pyracantha is jaggy, lovely berries in autumn, wont mind next door chopping overhanging bits. IMO it looks much nicer trained against a wall or fence.

Your neighbour sounds like a pita.

Hi Op I’m looking for the same thing but I would have to grow some in pots. Are there any trees that are happy in pots and how do you look after them? Ie what compost, watering etc

I had the same with an old neighbour. Grew a beautiful rose and if it grew a mm onto his side he took shears to it 😢 idiot.