I live in a strata complex that is looking at shrub or tree options to separate our townhouse complex from public property adjacent to it. The public area is parkland that is used by hikers and dog walkers mainly. We would like the boundary which would be about 50 feet, to provide some privacy for residents and also encourage walkers to use the public walkways, but we'd also like the area to be attractive to all. Does anyone have experience with leylandi cypress used as a long border in a situation such as this. Thank you for any assistance. Carole.
Looks OK if kept small and sheared. Otherwise apt to become tall, gloomy and scruffy. In UK rules were eventually adopted prohibiting the planting of Leyland cypress hedges.
There is a 100 ft. long screen about 20 ft high here in Mt. Shasta. Most of it has been sheared and looks quite nice. The pruned side is very leggy and not attractive IMO. The trees are planted about 5 ft apart. Normally I don't like L.C. I find them leggy and awkward looking. I am planning a screen myself and plan on using Giant Sequoia [Sequoiadendron gigianteum]. These will get too big eventually, but I will be compost by that time. I plan to mix in some other conifers as well as a grove or 2 of Quaking Aspen. allenm in Mt. Shasta, CA
Hi and thanks for your information. Your experience with the Leylandi confirms what I've been hearing. We thought it might be a good choice as it is relatively drought tolerant and we're going to be looking at water metering in the future. We're on Vancouver Island and western red cedar has been a suggestion so might go with that. Your property screen sounds like it will be beautiful when you're done. Cheers, CaroleM
Another problem with Leyland cypress plantings is finding stock that is not potbound. Fast-growing trees like this are probably even more likely to be produced and sold with deformed roots than other kinds.
