Hello I live in zone 5 and receive morning and mid afternoon sun. My neighbour's house is 14 inches from my deck. I want to create privacy and have thought of planting dense , hearty, columnar conifers that would grow to 7 feet in a container. I don't want to encroach on my neighbours house. Any suggestions? If so what type of container would you recommend. I am open to all suggestions regarding creating privacy. Thanks Copperbird
Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca `Conica'). Great choice and they are not sharp if people are going to bump into them. How much sun does that spot get? It might be an issue. M.
I'm sorry to disagree vehemently, Globalist, but I can't think of anything that Dwarf Alberta Spruce are good choices for, and they aren't right for this application because they aren't columnar but rather conical. For the morning and afternoon sun exposure mentioned, fastigiate yews or other upright and less narrow forms might be good, though they aren't fast growing either. And for them to provide privacy, you need them literally cheek to cheek. I think thujas (like deGroot's spire) might work in that sun exposure too (at least that's how I grow mine) but again, that's a long term proposition for privacy. How about a trellis with some vines that will grow up every year and can be cut back annually? Assuming you can get to the outside of the deck to trim them. If you definitely want a plant screen, maybe put up a folding standing screen (assume this can stand on the deck, as the containers would?) until they grow.
As for what kind of container, if you use columnar conifers, you're best with a box-type of container where you can plant the trees close together; in effect, you're planting a hedge. Type to use depends... will it be on the deck, with weight being an issue, or on the ground?
One of my thoughts. Clearly not your favorite tree, eh? I've seen more than a few in containers, so some people must like them. Very little care is needed, and while they are wider at the bottom then at the top, they normally don't grow wider than the container they are in. Plus they smell nice. M.
That the dwarf alberta spruces are seen often is a phenomenon similar to that of the Plymouth K car, or the fact that furniture built of particle board is seen often - it is obviously easy to produce and looks good in the store. That people buy them often is a function of their wide availability; most people don't know that there are better choices out there to shop for, and so they don't shop harder. Given proper care they can look good, but most aren't given that care and they are lamentably prone to diseases that cause sections to die off.
