We have a 90ft long fence that faces the highway, facing southwesterly. Another fence also 90ft runs in a northsouth direction and we share this with our neighbour. We are faced with the task of coming with a landscaping design to block off the traffic and growing a screen fast enough within 3-5 years. So far we have picked out 10 of the 'Pyramidalis' eastern white cedar variety and 10 of the 'Smaragd' eastern white cedar. My mom has warned that the Smaragd grows too aggressively and becomes dry towards the middle and will just expand and expand. Is this cause for worry? Another question is, I have a list of candidate trees to plant along with the cedars and they are: Himalayan Birch Katsura Russian Olive Cleveland Flowering Pear Eastern Redbud Should some of these trees be closer or further away from our house or away from the neighbour's side (I'd like to avoid too much fallen leaves)... Are they all suitable for our zone (I live in Surrey?) and should I plant them evenly along the hedge or would clustering them look more appealing? Any advice on spacing and location would help.
In response to your enquiry seeking appropriate trees for screening your yard, we have researched your tree selections. The Eastern White Cedar Smaragd it is not as aggressive as the Pyramidalis that you have chosen and therefore will not reach the same size as quickly. In fact, there are advantages to Smaragd as a hedge plant – it will not seed itself and it is good at holding its shape. If you are not already aware, the two species have different leaf colours: Smaragd is a brighter pea-green than the Pyramidalis and this may create a tapestry effect in your hedge. Furthermore, dying back of branches in the interior of a hedge is a normal phenomenon and should occur as the hedge ages; yet aesthetically it does not become a problem as long as new growth shields the interior of the hedge. 1. Himalayan Birch Birches are susceptible to bronze birch borer, leaf miners and aphids They are hardy to zone 5-8 They grow to a height of 60 ft and a spread of 30 ft They require moisture and cannot be planted on a hill 2. Katsura This tree is appropriate in a woodland setting and will grow quickly, reaching a maximum height of 70 ft and spread of 50 ft Katsura is hardy to zone 4-8 3. Russian Olive Hard to zone 3-8 Can be susceptible to cankers, dagger, dieback, fungal leaf spots and root rot 4. Cleveland Flowering Pear Can be susceptible to caterpillars, leaf roller, blister mites, aphids, scale insects, anthracnose, dieback, canker, scab, powdery mildew and fireblight will reach a height of 50 ft and a spread of 40 ft 5. Eastern redbud Hardiness zone 5-9 Pests include scale insects, weevils, caterpillars, whiteflies, leaf hoppers, leaf spots, blights, downy mildew, canker, dieback and verticillium wilt When designing your hedge here are some spacing and location considerations: 1. Space appropriately given maximum tree height and spread (given above) 2. Colour – consider placing lighter trees towards the front and darker toward the back of the hedge 3. Consider whether you would prefer a woodland or formal garden – spacing in clumps or groves is often pleasanter than perfectly even rows, it is difficult for us to make a definite suggestion without having seen your garden, if you are able to post pictures using the hortline forum that would be helpful for us to make a more informed suggestion. 4. I would suggest integrating these trees with the rest of the garden using shrubs and groundcovers Cheers, Hortline
