I know this is a dogs forum but thought I would give this question a go lol

I am moving to a ruralish property which has a huge garden, on three sides (the only sides which would have an open view to the country side there are conifer trees and hedging which form a lovely high (approx 7 foot) hedge.

The only side which has no hedge or anything is the wall that is a boundary to the small country lane.  I was just wondering if anyone knew if you can buy large conifers to plant straight in (prob about 6ft if possible) to give some privacy to that area of the garden and to hopefully blend in with the rest. 

The other conifers in the garden are heavily thick and from floor level covering (you can't even see a stump or anything).

Is it possible to get something quite big to help block off the area quickly and something which is going to be thickly set like the others.

I know there can be issues with height etc but don't like the look at them over about 7 foot anyway so would keep on top of it?

Any help would be great

The answer is Yes.
BUT,
I have bought in 6'+ Laylandii, but they are still quite 'loose' so had to plant them very close together.
It all depends on what you want to spend, the type of hedging you want, if you are prepared to water, as mature plants will need alot of water if we get a dry spell. But dont just take into account the cost of the actual plants, you also hve to take into account the cost diggers if you get very large plants, and digging the holes, which would need to be big for mature plants.
For Mature hedging you are looking at  ALOT of money!!!!!
I was at a trade fair last week and there was a firm there that did instant hedges but I didnt take much notice as we always get all our shrubs and mature plants from a Nuirsery near here.
I might be able to find the information if you want.
Lea :)

That would be great if you could lea, your a star.  I like the idea of an instant hedge lol

Ok will look through all the bumph I got and the site plan and work out. It is at the office so will have to remember to pick it up LOL
Failing mefinding any, have you looked in the back of Gardeners world?? They have adverts and am sire I have found instant hedges in there.
Lea :)

leylandi  cant you try something more traditional to your area?

Can't remember what but there are new laws regarding Leylandii about the height etc so if you want it be prepared to look after it well. It grows at a ridiculous rate and I think stays very think for the first few years, I would personally go for a decent quality box conifer.      Most people have a tail to tell about the dreaded leylandii :-)

And lots of them seem to be dying in this area anyway. Hurray! :D

Our next door neighbour has them and never ever trims them. I swear. We would never ever go out of our way to cause problems with our neighbours so my husband cuts them down every year. Honestly :rolleyes:  I know I could force them to attend to them but you want harmony in your living space I think. They also have a cherry blossom type tree like a block of flats we have to cut down from our side every year.  This year it took both  my husband and I one full day between us doing their trees.

If it was me I would be ashamed of myself leaving my neighbour to do it but hey..   Other than that they are good neighbours, 50 ish no family , no noise and lay sunbathing all day everyday. :-)   So good for the dogs.

I suppose they see any growing to your side as being yoru responsibility, as maybe they inherited them anyway so didn't plant them? 

Oh they don't grown in my side they just keep growing up and up and up. I have 6 ft fencing right around my property that is the height we cut them back to.  only this year we spotted they were getting so fat that they are pushing the fence over slightly. So my better half jumped the fence and cut right down the side of them.

Brainless we even dispose of all the excess stuff and it is a 2 transit van trip to the tip with it all. 

It wouldn't be so bad but the 2 houses are bungalows and the trees just look silly that high and block the light out of one side of my kitchen.

We are quite good I think in doing it every year and saying nothing. ( Well apart from under my breath)  :-)

I certainly don't think you've a legal right to cut your neighbour's side of the hedge without their permission, nor are you legally entitled to reduce the height.  All you're allowed to do is cut back the branches that grow across your boundary.

But then I suppose if the neighbours are happy for you to do all their work for them.........:-D

I certainly don't think you've a legal right to cut your neighbour's side of the hedge without their permission, nor are you legally entitled to reduce the height.  All you're allowed to do is cut back the branches that grow across your boundary.


I never once said that it was legal, hence the 2 posts. One outlining the legal rights. I know legally we can only cut back what is coming through or over BUT it is bending our fence over now. 

AND you are right they are more than happy to sit back and let us do it. If we didn't they would just leave it. It is a bit like like it or lump it.

BTW if you have trees that over hang others property it is your responsibility to cut them down. Not the neighbours. Your trees , your branches.
The only thing that applies to the neighbours is that they have a right to cut them back to the boundry line.

I will have to tell my neighbour then, but then I would have to have him come into my garden, and vice versa.

I still like good old privett best.

Smaller privets are fine, but the big ones need management - I moved in ot a house with a 60ft long privet hedge (big leaf kind) in november, it's been left unchecked and is now about 20ft tall and an absolute nightmare.  I'm in the process of taking it out altogether.

it's been left unchecked and is now about 20ft tall and an absolute nightmare.  I'm in the process of taking it out altogether.

Good exercise for you then Nikita :P

Lindsay
x

Flippin ec, you're not wrong!!!  I've got two huge piles of branches and I've only cut back a few of the plants, and after two hours' work yesterday I still haven't got the first one out of the ground! :p

The things about privet is at least you can cut back to old wood and it will grow again, but some of the conifers if not kept up regularly, and then you try to cut them back you won't get new growth.

I think yew is one of the few that will sprout from old wood, so can be cut back hard and won't die. Most of the other common hedging evergreens won't.

It certainly will, I cut it right back in February and until I cut it back again last month it had grown over a foot sideways and at least 2 feet upward.  Vigorous stuff, which is why I'm taking it right out - with a big garden it's more than I can cope with with a growth rate like that.  It'll be replaced with an evergreen clematis, much nicer :)

That is the reason it has been planted because in these new builds it was a way to get a quik hedge.

If it turns out the 'instant hedge' thing is more than you want to spend then you could just plant smaller ones, you's never know the difference in a couple of years :) My neighbour planted a leylandii hedge 2 years ago. She bought the 3' plants from our local garden centre as they were much cheaper than bigger ones. They've just been trimmed now at 6' so they do grow amazingly quickly.