Trees for privacy

[StuffingMyNuts]

My googling keeps finding trees that look ok until I find out they need pruning all the time to stop them getting to a tall height.

Are there any trees that won’t grow more than 3-4 meters high that would give us privacy next to a 6 foot fence?

No. They will just be a tall hedge that’s not permitted. You could plenty something like a couple of acers but evergreens at 3-4m are a complete no no and very antisocial.

The thing with trees is that yes, they grow.

Is a 6 Ft fence not enough?

I was just trying to get a bit of privacy between our neighbours. Don’t want a hedge but wanted something of a distraction from seeing straight into the back neighbours bedroom and them into our garden. Trees can be so antisocial in terms of height and maintenance so was hoping there was something like a dwarf tree that didn’t grow massive but created a visual type of barrier.

Maybe I am not explaining it very well. I don’t want a tall tree nor a hedge as I have a fence but equally
don’t want to have a direct line of sight into neighbours bedroom.

It's easier to plant something airy and tall nearer your window than theirs if you see what I mean. So something like bamboo (in large planters not in the ground) near your window would create a net curtain effect. I planted an amelanchier near our sliding doors which creates a nice airy effect for 6 months of the year sort of distracting from out neighbour's windows and I don't mind so much in the winter as the curtains are shut.

https://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/how-increase-garden-privacy/ This explains it well....

Thanks for the link. Will take a look.

You can get fruit trees in various different types of rootstock that will control their height. With the added bonus that you can make pies and crumbles.

I planted holly which is very slow growing, and black lace Nigella which is faster growing and growing but really easily pruned
I also grow an evergreen ceanothus a that has reached 3m after 10 years.

@StuffingMyNuts To get privacy is impossible without something dense. Bamboo is fairly horrible. I’d honestly go for a couple of acres as there are smaller varieties. They go a fantastic burnt orange in winter and will look amazing. Birds don’t like bamboo so if you care for wildlife it has to be deciduous and a small tree or two.

Do the neighbours sit in their bedroom watching you? I bet they don’t! What are you doing in your garden that they are interested in?

They are nice enough neighbours but do shout out the window to us so yeah it kind of feels a bit awkward so would like to have some foliage between us 😁. And we have other neighbours is our line of sight and honestly would like to look at plants instead but trees can be hard to manage in terms of height.

Buddleia or lilac?

We have an almond, a crab apple and a Liquid Amber about two feet from our neighbours fence. We also have grown an 8ft laurel against said fence. The trees have all grown to about 12 feet now but are not dense. They provide a dappled barrier between him and us. Thank God.

We have pittosporum - you can get smaller varieties How to grow pittosporum / RHS -

We have a line of prunus caucasica which, once they thicken out a bit, are essentially an elevated hedge. Though ours is less for privacy than to block view of an eyesore.

I get it OP!

I think some responses are assuming you want a complete barrier to your neighbour, but what you are after is something that will break up the outline of their house and bring your (and their) gaze forward to the trees instead of staring straight into each others houses. You’d still be able to see past the trees, but your gaze would naturally go to the trees first.

For the same effect we have planted holly, crabapple, amelanchier, portuguese laurel, acer (a slow growing one) and a fastigiate rowan. I also put in a himalayan birch, but I worry it will grow too tall.

Sundaybananas you hit the nail on the head. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. They will
give me something to narrow down to as google tended to go straight to hedges or trees unsuitable for a normal sized garden.

Holly and Laurel in particular are thugs in a smaller garden. Holly does have edible berries but they don’t grow very quickly and when they do, they spread. Laurel is awful. Mixed deciduous is much better for wildlife.

I respectfully disagree.

Some hollies are very slow growing. We have Golden King - bought because my brother has the same - a very healthy tree but in the last 15 years it has barely grown. Minimal pruning every 2-3 years.

Laurel is fast growing but incredibly easy to prune and keep contained.

https://www.rootsplants.co.uk/products/cornus-florida-rubra-flowering-dogwood

You can get small cornus trees like the attached.

You can also buy trees in "standard" size. This means the trunks are not supposed to grow and are capped at 6ft (or shorter for half and three quarter standard) which would restrict growth a bit.

https://www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk/tree-size-guide.html

Lots of options depending how large your garden is!

In past gardens, I've planted shrubs then cut away the under foliage to make a tree. This also means it's a smallish tree depending on the shrub size.

https://www.paramountplants.co.uk/plant/viburtinevehalfstan/viburnum-tinus-eve-price-half-standard.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21400843195&gclid=CjwKCAjw-svEBhB6EiwAEzSdrrBu76WXPDV279vJy0VqQSk3bLkBxJQrNxH0Rn59-_ggNj3EgwNmjBoC-qQQAvD_BwE

Viburnum tinnus is a lovely but not to massively sized leafed evergreen option. Comes in shrub, standards, half standards, quarter standard etc.

Have faith. Loads of small garden tree options, I promise!

Also try a dwarf "strawberry tree"

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/94003/arbutus-unedo-compacta/details. A shrub that can very easily be pruned into a tree. Or even purchased as a tree.