Hey everyone! I'm dealing with a bit of a privacy issue in my small garden (about 12m x 4m) because I'm in a ground floor flat that shares the space with the upstairs neighbors. When I moved in, there were several large trees—an elder, a cherry, and a plum—that provided some nice privacy, but the new neighbors chopped them all down. Now, my garden is overlooked by around 15 houses! I've planted some Portuguese laurel, pyracantha, photinia, and hollies to create a hedge on one side, but I'm worried that the last cherry tree on the other side might be cut down for a hot tub, which would expose my garden even more. I want to plant something small, evergreen, and wildlife-friendly at the end of my garden for privacy, but the north-facing, shaded, heavy clay soil makes it tricky. Any suggestions?
2 Answers
I'm sorry to hear about the loss of those trees! You might want to consider some Japanese maples; they can do well in shaded areas, but they can be pricey. Also, black elder can be a good option if you get a smaller variety in a pot to control its growth. 'Ballerina' fruit trees could bring in some wildlife, even if you don't get to enjoy the fruit yourself!
Well, if you buy smaller acers, they're not too expensive, and sales pop up all the time at places like Aldi or B&Q. It's much cheaper than buying larger ones.
Have you thought about reaching out to the council for a Tree Preservation Order? Hot tubs can get noisy too, just a heads up!
I thought about that, but I'm not sure if councils protect trees in someone else's property. Plus, my neighbors seem a bit confrontational about changes. It’s frustrating! I'm more worried about them taking down yet another tree, especially since the area used to have so much greenery.
I'm with you; I was pretty upset to see trees go down too! I do have a tiny Sambucus nigra and I'm not sure how it would handle shade, but I'm planning to try more. I can see the black elder being a nice touch as well!