Our neighbours have done a fantastic job of clearing shrubs and cutting down trees on their section, which has left us naked, bare and exposed along the back of our place, which now includes a full view from their backyard into our bedroom window. Does anyone have recommendations for quick growing trees and shrubs so we can build the privacy back up again over time! This is a beautiful area with lots of natives and greenery. I'm absolutely gutted they've done this. Any advice greatly received.
macandrosie,
Nov 25, 6:09am
Pittosporums are a good screen, try and buy the biggest size you can afford.
projac,
Nov 25, 6:29am
Fantastic thank you. Are they easy enough to come by! What sort of height and coverage/density do they achieve!
redhead96,
Nov 25, 6:41am
They can grow to about 4 meters but you can trim them to keep height down.
countrybumpkinz,
Nov 25, 6:52am
Cooper Sheen, Australian Native, grows pretty quick with reddish/copper fine leaves and the bonus of little white flowers at certain times of the year.
gabbysnana,
Nov 25, 7:02am
buy some rolls of brush fencing and attach to fence, then plant pitts at 600cms, my 1 foot highs at 2 years are now 4 metres, they had their first side trims today, i want them to go to 6 metres then the tops will be trimmed so that they fill out.my neighnours can no longer perv my backyard.
projac,
Nov 25, 7:17am
Thanks everyone. I love the sound of the cooper sheen, does it give good privacy! I've just got off the phone to my mum, in tears, asking for her advice too. She strongly recommends the pittosporum, and has suggested getting even the little ones at this stage, and planting them about a metre apart, as they will take off in next to no time (she might have been applying some mum TLC wisdom there too though). Gabbysnana, I wish there was still fence to attached the brush fencing to - even that's gone! It's just a big gaping hole! It's heart-breaking.
samb00,
Nov 25, 8:36am
x1
I recommend griselinia. You can get different small or large leafed varieties and it is a lovely glossy green. We have used it around our property for privacy.
piquant,
Nov 25, 8:41am
That should read Copper Sheen (sometimes also known as Copper Shine) It is an australian version of our manuka but the leaves and flowers are bigger. It is a very useful screening plant and has the added bonus of looking slightly weeping and graceful instead of rigid and upright as the NZ ones are. Pittosporums are very variable - my suggestion, if you were to use them would be to use the smaller leafed varieties, like Mountain Green. Limelight etc.
countrybumpkinz,
Nov 25, 8:46am
Yes you are right piquant, sorry my mistake (happens after a 12hr shift).Projac if you Google Copper Sheen you can see the images of the tree.Planted as twigs 2 years ago ours are 4 foot high.
sossie1,
Nov 25, 8:49am
just a thought, but have you asked the neighbours if they are replanting along the border again!They might be putting in a hedge as well
projac,
Nov 25, 9:06am
Thanks sossie, yes, tonight we asked them (over the fence - the part that's still standing) what their plans are. They're putting in a veggie patch in that part of the garden and decided to rip everything out in that corner to make room for it. No plans to replant and replace on their side. Tonight I'm feverishly looking for cooper sheen, pittosporums and griselinia. Mum has the lemon-y version of the pittosporum. Looks like next weekend will be a trip round all the local nurseries!
mirddes,
Nov 25, 2:06pm
hemp, grow a row of hemp. will be fence high in a few months
oldschool78,
Nov 25, 5:38pm
-1
ribbonwood grows really fast. Looks good with pittosporums and griselinia
We planted these ^^^^^between us and our neighbours they are great fast growing easy to top and a lovely little white flower and evergreen.
willoughbys,
Nov 25, 11:45pm
suggest you look for nerseries that specilise in trees and shrubs they often have specials, we got pittosproms ( sp! ) over 1m tall for $5 each at tidel road
rodeoraz,
Nov 26, 12:09am
You can also buy 'instant' trees and hedging. My dad has a nursery that grows big trees, they get lots of people like you who want something instant because a neighbour has taken away their privacy. You just have to weigh it up with cost. It will be cheaper of course to buy something smaller and let it grow. We've recently planted Griselinias, they double their height in two years so that is the context of fast growers. As someone else has said, you could team this with some brush fencing in the short term.
There is an instant hedging place called Living Walls http://tvn.co.nz/about-us No idea how much it costs sorry (though I imagine it's rather pricey). but that is another instant option for you.
Good luck!
pedulla,
Nov 26, 1:25am
althought griselinias are supposed to be fast growing we have found ours have taken quite some time to grow :-(
judetheobscure1,
Nov 26, 2:41am
The fastest native i have grown is Houheria angustifolia. Shoots up in no time and is a divaricating (bushy) in its first five years then becomes a tree with bigger leaves. You also get lovely white flowers. Looks very nice with Pittos too.
tigra,
Nov 26, 3:38am
What ever the OP does growing a sight screen is still going to take a year or two. Might have to think about blinds in the bedroom!
mirddes,
Nov 26, 4:23am
hemp is native
lindi4,
Nov 26, 5:14am
May be start with some trellis between 2 posts to get instant privacy and then plant trees in front of it. Just an idea.
ruie,
Nov 26, 7:52pm
Hi projac . we have planted Evergreen Alders between (Alnus Jorullensis) between us & the neighbours for much needed privacy.They are a fast growing shelter tree & grow to 6m x 4m.They can be used as specimen trees or clipped into a hedge.We keep ours clipped so they form a high hedge.Prior to planting the Alders, we had Pittosporums which looked nice for a while but became very woody & ugly after a few years.
helianthus,
Nov 26, 9:10pm
Lacebarks!
liggy2,
Nov 27, 12:30am
Red Robins,or Feijoas are good and youv'e got the fruit too.
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