A bit of advice on the perfect tree - to hide the neighbours!

[garjobo79]

Short story shorter then. Annoying neighbours. Aware no hedge etc will really do the job of the 'delibrate' noise. But, out of site out of mind. So, it's a narrow area between houses...talking 4ft....so i am looking at getting several large tubs. I would like to stick into the tubs a tree - tall - narrow - thinking 8ft in height.

Any ideas, thoughts? other than move house! Any particuarly type of 'tree'. i am growing hedging but really looking for a good height of a tree - around 3 of them for time being.

thoughts welcome. And for that matter..any idea on type of 'soundproofing' between houses. A fence doesnt cut it.

 

[Chuck]

I am thinking not nearly enough sunlight for an 8 foot tree in a 4 foot wide opening. You would only get sunlight for limited hours per day even in the summer when the sun is at its highest. I think even understory trees need to receive more light than you can provide. But since I don't live in England perhaps I am wrong but I would definitely talk to some nursery experts about light requirements and I would time the amount of sunlight the area actually receives.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I cannot "Picture" this area.

 

[garjobo79]

this is a disappointing responce, and what little replies i got were negative. I do not do negativity. 4ft - is ample. Surely too goodness the 'tree' will go upwards and catch the sun. The 4ft is simply the 'alleyway' where the large pot will sit. I have been informed likes of 'Grizlandia' perhaps. Reading, other cite Wisteria which is just isnt cricket as nort everygreen, and certaintly a slow grower really. Thoughts stil welcome. This is a 'landscape' page. 4 ft width - keen to hide the mighty annoying and delbrate neighours. Any thoughts - and perhaps sound barrier? aware large leaves, aware brick wall ( 6.5ft max so ..useless ). Brains activate please.

 

[Chuck]

Yes, brains please activate and let it be known that plants must have adequate sunlight for photosynthesis to occur. A 4 foot wide swath between two houses might get 3 hours of direct sunlight in the summer months and the rest of the day in partial shade at best. 4 feet is not ample by any stretch of the imagination. What you describe as needing must be a bushy type of tree and not a skinny type of tree. And a bushy type tree or any tree for that matter must have adequate ventilation or it will suffer an early demise due to fungal problems. So a bushy type of tree not over 8 feet tall will have a diameter of about 3 feet. And the houses on either side of the 4 foot path must have been built for small people as interior walls of most modern houses is 8 feet and this doesn't count the slab or piers nor the attic space not matter how small it may be. And yes, the trees MIGHT grow up over the rooftop and the tops receive enough sunlight but what about the bottom 8 feet or so? That still needs sunlight too or it will die out. But remember that they must be a big bush to work and the taller it gets the wider it gets and the less air circulation it gets. And it gets even more complicated as it must be an evergreen tree as well. Either that or the annoying and "delbrate" neighbors take a winter long vacation to the Bahamas. I could go on about why it won't work but I don't want to sound negative about facts. A big expense would be to insulate your exterior wall with sheet foam from the inside of your house and this would reduce the noise.

 

[garjobo79]

Thanking you Chuck for the kind reply. The sheet foam i will look into ..but not sure inbetween to fences ( i have a triple layed fence not that it does anything for the 'delibrate' noise i am subjected too by these cretins each and every day - as i type in fact.

I must point out however, i do have , what must be 15 ft high hedges, in the shade no doubt largely - never getting any sun and all together. They continue to grow skywards my dear fellow. Now -back to the point in hand. There is 4ft gap running lengthways between our 'ouse and 'their' 'ourse . I have a few wooden beds, hedging sits within them now. SO, i am looking for a few 'trees' to sit in large pots and grow to the clouds. Any takers please achowledge my plight, else no need to reply.

but thanking you all the same for your reply my dearest of fellows.

 

[Chuck]

Thanking you Chuck for the kind reply. The sheet foam i will look into ..but not sure inbetween to fences ( i have a triple layed fence not that it does anything for the 'delibrate' noise i am subjected too by these cretins each and every day - as i type in fact.

I must point out however, i do have , what must be 15 ft high hedges, in the shade no doubt largely - never getting any sun and all together. They continue to grow skywards my dear fellow. Now -back to the point in hand. There is 4ft gap running lengthways between our 'ouse and 'their' 'ourse . I have a few wooden beds, hedging sits within them now. SO, i am looking for a few 'trees' to sit in large pots and grow to the clouds. Any takers please achowledge my plight, else no need to reply.

but thanking you all the same for your reply my dearest of fellows.

can you send pictures of the "disputed" area? Oh, I almost forgot. Shrubs are not trees nor are they growing in a container and I am sure they are getting plenty of air circulation too.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I think there is some confusion about the 4 ft between houses. From the way you say "Out of sight, out of mind" I take it you are not talking about a dark alley between the houses, but a strip down the side of the garden to separate you. The idea of trees in pots appeals as you will instantly raise the level of the tree, but I reckon you want something to put between them and undergrow to fill in, like a berberis or cotoneaster.
The trees themselves, something reasonably fast growing but not going to get massive. An ornamental cherry or a rowan spring to mind. Silver birch has surface roots and probably wouldn't like a container, also it grows fast, but goes on doing so. You can get willow on a dwarfing rootstock, crabapple is a nice bit of Autumn colour. Introducing things which attract a bit of wild life might help as a distraction. Buddleia grows quickly, is pretty dense, provides cover for birds and the flowers attract bees and butterflies, but it is socially responsible to dead head it, so seed does not get spread. Several of the other things I suggested would provide nectar or fruit. Choisya has nicely scented flowers and foliage, and is pretty dense. A rambling rose and a trellis might be a possibility.
Try and see it as an opportunity to introduce something you will enjoy, not only a means of separating you from something you don't enjoy

 

[garjobo79]

I think there is some confusion about the 4 ft between houses. From the way you say "Out of sight, out of mind" I take it you are not talking about a dark alley between the houses, but a strip down the side of the garden to separate you. The idea of trees in pots appeals as you will instantly raise the level of the tree, but I reckon you want something to put between them and undergrow to fill in, like a berberis or cotoneaster.
The trees themselves, something reasonably fast growing but not going to get massive. An ornamental cherry or a rowan spring to mind. Silver birch has surface roots and probably wouldn't like a container, also it grows fast, but goes on doing so. You can get willow on a dwarfing rootstock, crabapple is a nice bit of Autumn colour. Introducing things which attract a bit of wild life might help as a distraction. Buddleia grows quickly, is pretty dense, provides cover for birds and the flowers attract bees and butterflies, but it is socially responsible to dead head it, so seed does not get spread. Several of the other things I suggested would provide nectar or fruit. Choisya has nicely scented flowers and foliage, and is pretty dense. A rambling rose and a trellis might be a possibility.
Try and see it as an opportunity to introduce something you will enjoy, not only a means of separating you from something you don't enjoy

Thank you Oliver for that helpful informative reply. I have got a few silver birch and yes! they do keep growing fast! Nice idea re introducing more wildlife/differing trees/shrubs. I had done so in other parts of my garden, but just not within that narrow space which is crucial. I have bamboo, and various ideas, and growing a hedge slowly. But i have the room - just - to add 2 or 3 large pots near the side - hence wanting something to fill them - rising to around the 8ft mark. Cannot afford a well established very expensive plants, Camelia , Olive tree - have all these.

Yes a rose perhaps, if they are evergreen. It really is a case of just something to heighten so we cannot at least 'see them'. hence a 8ft - 10ft tree of tall bush was all i could think. Maybe a Willow...everygreen? i will research. But any other ideas of a plant welcome Grizlandia was recommended too me but cannot find one - again price. The containers would be around 60cm by 60cm approx , perhaps a little more.

Thanks all the same for the reply.

 

[cpp gardener]

How about:
Cherry Laurel - English, Carolina, Portuguese
Photinia
Bamboo
Arbutus 'Marina'
Italian Cypress
Green Giant Arborvitae

Screw the "wildlife habitat" and the neighbors, big green blobs will fill the bill (and the space). As this must be 'in town', anything green provides all the habitat you need.

 

[Sean Regan]

Bamboo makes a good screen.

This is our bamboo "forest" at the bottom of the garden it hides our 6ft back fence. Takes a while to reach this height though.