As promised last week, I’ve been looking at trees that are best for each circumstance and have come up with the following list, to hopefully cover the main circumstances our customers encounter. We think of this as ‘trees for a reason’, or to fit a purpose, where you need the trees you choose to either play a particular role; like provide screening and privacy, or suit specific conditions, like seaside or smaller sites.

Screening & privacy

Portuguese Laurel or Prunus Lusitanica Angustifolia is a wonderful plant for so many uses, it has dark green, long and slightly pointed leaves on rich red stems, very like the colours of the Portuguese flag!  Read More

Some of our most popular items on the nursery are specimen trees used for screening. As well as creating structure and seasonal interest in the garden, screening trees provide valuable privacy and can also be used to hide undesirable views. Mature trees, espalier trees and evergreen trees are all ideal for screening naturally.

The most popular trees used for screening often have a clear stem of about two metres, with a full head of foliage above. This is particularly effective for blocking a view from overlooking neighbours and also useful for customers who want to meet a hedge or keep an attractive wall in sight. Feathered trees provide screening from  Read More

One of the most common requests we get from our customers is for trees that can be used for screening, as a natural privacy barrier. Evergreen hedging can provide an excellent screen, with many additional benefits like wind and noise reduction, and providing nesting sites for wildlife. In an age where we can have instant access to almost anything, fast growing species are highly sought after. Two of the most popular privacy trees traditionally recommended are Leylandii and Laurel.

While Leylandii is often thought of as the best option for the cheapest, bushiest and fastest growing hedge, it is much higher maintenance and more difficult to keep under control. This  Read More