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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 11:19 pm Post subject: Privet hedge? |
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Hi, I was thinking of planting a privet hedge this autumn for privacy . My back garden is very long and narrow. On one side the neighbours overlook us even with a boundary wall. The wall has a pathway along it with my narrow garden to the side. I was thinking of planting a privet hedge along here so i can make use of my garden without being overlooked? Would privet be a good option? I was also considering putting up some mesh and climbers as the garden is very narrow. How much can you trim privet. Could it be kept at a spread of 2 foot? I could possibly still plant some climbers in pots and put trellis against wall too in addition to the hedge. I was also considering bamboo put i'm not sure.
Many thanks |
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tippben Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 921 Location: north tipperary
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 6:14 am Post subject: |
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Firstly, what are you doing in the garden that you don't want anybody to see?
Second, how much money do you have? You could have a screen of pleached trees starting from 6' clear stem. Will it block light to your garden at any time of day? If so, when? Keeping privet to a 2' wide hedge will not work for long unless you are very diligent with secateurs and feeding. Trellis and Ivy? |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 8:02 am Post subject: |
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What height is the wall and where is north? A photo would be a help. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 9:06 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the reply. The wall is 6 foot right outside door but then staggers downwards to about 5 foot. It's really not pretty especially with concrete path adjoined to it and it's all concrete outside door. I've attached photo to help explain..
Maybe i'm mad thinking of a hedge for this width? Would a few nice shrubs that grow tall be better and maybe some bamboo. The garden is south east facing. It gets sun up til about 4pm. Strangely my northwest facing garden gets more sun so i will probably use it more but would still like to make it a bit private out the back. Thanks
Last edited by jaffa20 on Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 9:08 am Post subject: |
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another photo attached
Last edited by jaffa20 on Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Would thuja smaragd be a better option? Thanks |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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Are you taking up the concrete to the left of the path or the path itself?
You could always get a commercial guy to drill 10" holes in the concrete also.
Soil is likely to be dire beneath that concrete.
Photinia Red Robin isn't a bad hedge. It's not dense, though. A tall bamboo would be good provided you put in a concrete underground barrier. It's not cheap, though.  _________________ .
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A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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Don't think i'll be taking up path. Think it would be big cost involved I guess a hedge would not work here. I suppose i could go with making part of the garden private with a seating area and maybe some climbers on freestanding trellises. I think it's all the concrete too that is ugly. I guess i could even grow some climbers in pots up a trellis against wall and then just some nice shrubs and perrenials in a border. Climbers in pots sounds like high maintenance though but at least it would be prettier  |
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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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I do like red robin too. It even looks nice as a few standalone shrubs. Bamboo is also nice. Just very hard to design this garden in my head. If only the path wasn't there I was thinking too instead about 2 small trees like snowy mespilus underplanted. Do you think they'd work in this space? |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 6:29 am Post subject: |
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OK. The wall is 6' high? Build a Pergola along the path, 8' high on the right and 2' high on top of the wall. Plant your climbers alongside the right of the path, let them climb up the Pergola uprights, across the top and you can train them down the 2' section on the wall. Put trellis in between the uprights on top of the wall.
Use Douglas Fir for Pergola. _________________ .
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A little garden in Co. Limerick. Some non-gardening photographs. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 11:17 am Post subject: |
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My tuppence worth.....
Which direction is the wall in question facing, your answer is not clear?
The garden is too narrow for anything bushy. You need to go espalier style tied back to that wall with suitable plants.
KS idea is a good one. There is a concrete strip between the path and the wall, take that up but as previously said the soil below will be crap, plus the wall foundation will be there, so some decent soil may be imported to help that. Possibly a raised bed would help with soil depth.
If it was mine I would take out the path too, get in some good quality soil and make a new path a little further out from the wall with pavers or slabs and form the trellis/pergola. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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jaffa20 Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 22 Apr 2016 Posts: 11
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the advise. I think i am going to give up on the hedge idea and go for planters/raised bed along the concrete path. I know this is higher maintenace but i might test it in just part of the path to see how it would work. I know maybe bamboo would be ideal as screening but i was thinking Pyracantha might be a nice option as i'd like a bit of colour through the seasons. Also good for security. Would it grow quite well in containers against the wall? Open to any other plant suggestions. The wall is south/west facing. If this doesn't work i guess i could look into getting the concrete removed in future. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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Do it once. Do it right. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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tippben Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 921 Location: north tipperary
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 6:15 am Post subject: |
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If you are looking for height, forget containers with trees, shrubs or bamboo. Bamboo does horribly in pots because it is so thirsty. I'd also avoid it in the ground, because it spreads quickly, and you'll x off the neighbours. You COULD buy large specimen plants (100-300 euro each), but they will need constant water and food, plus repotting or replacing every year or two. Then there's the cost of the containers and a means of preventing the wind from blowing them over. I think it would be cheaper and easier to get rid of the concrete. Get some quotes before deciding what to do. |
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