I've got some three story condos behind my property now. I'd like to hide them :) Are there any regular hedges that grow tall enough to hide them? If not what would you recommend? I only prefer the idea of a hedge because it would only be a metre or so think.
Titan how high did you want this hedge?. Also are you saying you only want it a meter thick???? Can you describe the area a little or perhaps a photo? If no one comes up with a suitable hedge for your climate you might be able to create a screen of trellis properly mounted and a vine suitable for your area. This may of course be subject to building regulations but seems to me if they allow 3 storey condos you should be allowed the screen. http://www.garden-services.com/visual_screens.htm Here is a nice idea for a movable screen if any one comes to read http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/better-homes-gardens/642/lattice-screen/ Liz
One thing to consider is that when a situation like this first occurs there is a tendency to think the entire offending view has to be blocked. When something not large enough to do this is installed then it may be discovered that it provides sufficient relief. The fastigiate bamboo Semiarundinaria fastuosa could be planted inside a root barrier to make a very strict evergreen screen. Occasional older culms would have to be pruned out as they filled with branches and began to lean over, but the majority of stems would be quite upright. For good growth and leaf color watering, mulching and fertilizing should be undertaken and maintained. Two issues that could be turn-offs are that bamboo mites are now very common in this region, these cause the leaves to develop yellowish spots and sections and require diligent pesticide applications to get rid of - and may come back again later. The other is that like other broadleaf evergreens bamboos drop dead leaves and other rubbish over long periods. Otherwise your best bet would probably be certain extra narrow-growing cultivars of deciduous shade trees, such as the 'Newton Sentry' sugar maple. If you can locate stock of this one it makes a comically slender tall specimen. Such a tree is about the only thing that will have a three-storey height on a shape only one metre wide. A deciduous tree such as this will not have leaves for much of the year but perhaps the bead curtain density of the bare branches will be found to be acceptable. If you do end up looking at tall deciduous trees be sure to throughly investigate their potential spreads as many upright selections do not remain nearly as slender with age as they are when young. A particulary bad and common example is the pyramidal European hornbeam which is bought and planted as a spire-shaped tree in small spaces and then goes on to bulge out into nearly a globe shape as it develops.
Our house has a deck (roof of carport) that looks down our sloped property and off to the mountains with condos along the right side. As sitting on the deck puts us up relatively high I'd like to have the hedge be much higher than it would be if we spent most time on a ground level patio with an upward slop. The hedge can be more than one metre thick, but I'd prefer it to be skinny and tall instead of fat and tall. My first thought was a Thuja Occidentalis 'Pyramidalis' (Pyramid Cedar) hedge, but I was hoping for something that could eventually get a bit taller than 25', even if I myself might not live at this place long enough to see it. After a bit of research I found the Italian Cypress and though that might be good, but those trees a pretty pricy to purchase. Then I thought I'd turn to the internet for advice :) Until this weekend we had a few short deciduous trees growing along the edge. We wanted year round tall privacy and decided this year was the time to replace them.
Just had a look at the cypress they look nice http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en&q=italian+cypress&um=1&ie=UTF-8 If you have the deck then put a screen down one side. Maybe the movable one I mentioned till you get something growing from down below. The screen could have hanging baskets or something interesting growing on it. It could be made of bamboo or other screening material. This one looks like a great idea............. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2007/11/02/garden-screen-fence102.xml Liz
We already have a bit of a screen on the deck as of this spring, and worked surprisingly well. It isn't really a solution though since out lot narrows allowing the condos to gradually move from the side of the view to being in the centre of it. It's a decent start, but it's not quite what we want. I'd rather just figure out something pretty plant along the side. At the moment Thuja Occidentalis seems like the best bet due to availability.
Italian Cypress would be my first choice in obstructing a view, however, they are costly, and take too long to mature. I would recommend adding a barrier vine called the Creeping Fig. Creeping Fig, Climbing Fig, Creeping Ficus (Ficus pumila). You can place several plants in rectangular containers on your patio/deck above the carport. They love to cling to smooth surfaces, so for effectiveness, plant and stake using heavy gauge wire and wood, to resemble a fence. I have them planted along my entire stationary fence line and they are a beautiful backdrop to other garden components and are effective in hiding intrusive elements. They will grow as tall as a the wall they are clinging to.[be mindful of that] These plants are rapid growers and a gorgeous emerald green color.
