Block out nosey neighbours plants

[stilletoe]

I need to buy bushes or trees to plant at the end of my garden to grow tall enough so I can't see the neighbours across from me.

Can you recommend any low maintainance plants that grow tall enough to stop being overlooked by other neighbours?
Thanks

I read the title and thought you wanted to block the plants belonging to the neighbours. I had to click on the thread to find out what sort of plants could possible be so hideous that you wanted to cover them up!

There's the hated conifer hedge - there is a reason why everyone plants them, they do form a screen. Other hedge plants - laurel etc grow much more slowly.

hehe I read it the same as Littlefish

I read it like that too!

You're definitely right to state that you want low maintenance plants. The problem with the fast-growing conifers is that they don't stop growing when you want them too, and once they're taller than you can easily trim yourself, they're away unstoppably. It cost us over £1000 to have a row of leylandii taken out, so I really wouldn't recommend it unless you're feeling wealthy (kept us in firewood for 2 years, though).

How tall do you need them to get?

I'd go for trellis with climbing plants in the short term (perhaps a few annuals to get going, and something like a clematis armandii for the next few years), and perhaps either a mixed species hedge or a row of Portuguese laurels in the loner term.

If you go to a nursery as opposed to a garden centre, they have stuff that might have been growing for up to 10 years already. You can plant it and you'll have an instant screen.

Depending on how much area you have to cover, this could get very expensive. We did it for a small bit so it was OK.

With this, it is a question of going to the nursery and seeing what they have got - let someone know the purpose of the plants and they will help you.

I could have written GrendelsMum's post.
Dont go for leylandii, we also spent £1000 taking out a row of these which had been planted as a hedge, not maintained and had reached a height of 12m in 18 years...

Portuguese Laurel are great for screening and tough as old boots. You coudl buy decent size specimens but it will cost a bit.

Another option is to plant some bamboo. But they coverage they give is not that dense, much less dense than the Port Laurel.

WHat sort of height do you need?

Thats so true, have found my MN soul mate

I suppose the way I had written it was not very clear, but your responses have given me a bit of a giggle.

Anyway, I take your point pannacotta and grendelsmum about the leylandi and will avoid this plant. I did want the plants to be quite tall about 8ft, but definately don't want them to keep growing to 12ft,that would be too much.

I have not heard of the portuguese laurel,sounds pretty,so I have noted this down and hubby and I will go to our local nursery. Like you say noktok, if I can get them that have grown a bit rather then tiny plants that would be good.

Thanks everyone.