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If you are looking to add privacy to your garden you may be asking yourself what trees are good for screening. Our favourite varieties for this purpose are Photinia Red Robin, Laurel, and Leylandii!
1. Photinia Red Robin
Photinia ‘Red Robin’ is a popular, fast-growing evergreen renowned for its brilliant red foliage in the spring, which brings a wonderful burst of colour to any garden! Beyond its beauty, ‘Red Robin’ is also a practical choice as its shallow, fibrous root system allows it to be planted in smaller spaces. Although ‘Red Robin’ is fast growing, its maintenance is straightforward, generally needing just two trims a year to maintain its desired shape.
We offer Photinia in both tree and hedging forms to suit your specific needs. Our hedging plants are ideal for establishing dense, evergreen privacy screens right from ground level. Alternatively, our standard trees, featuring clear 1.8m stems, are perfect for creating elevated hedges above fences. This provides an excellent solution for effectively screening less appealing views or neighbouring properties that might overlook your garden. We also stock pleached trees with foliage trained onto a framework if a more formal look is preferred.
Regardless of the form, Photinia ‘Red Robin’ is a superb option to add both beauty and privacy to your outdoor space!
2. Cherry and Portuguese laurel
Like Photinia, we stock Cherry and Portuguese laurel in hedging and tree form. We even stock pleached Cherry laurel!
Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) has large, glossy green leaves and establishes quickly, growing 30-50cm annually. Portuguese laurel features slightly glossy, dark green leaves that emerge from purple stems. While its yearly growth rate is a little slower, it maintains its shape well with minimal pruning. Both varieties are excellent for defining borders or providing evergreen privacy and tolerate annual clipping for a dense, neat screen!
3. Leylandii
Leylandii is a large conifer with flat sprays of green, scalelike leaves that are easy to clip/trim. Leylandii are known for creating dense evergreen hedges and screens, but why else are they so popular?
• Leylandii is extremely quick growing.
• It is evergreen, so will make an all year round screen (ideal in this country as we crave privacy)
• Very easy to establish
Leylandii vs Shallow rooting screening trees
While Leylandii’s rapid growth and ease of establishment are appealing, it’s important to consider the potential issues associated with its root system as the trees mature. If left unmanaged, the roots can become extensive and potentially cause problems in proximity to buildings, and in some cases, contribute to subsidence by drawing a significant amount of moisture from the surrounding soil.
If you prefer a lower-maintenance option that won’t require ongoing size management, it would be better to consider a shallower-rooting screening tree like Photinia or Laurel. These varieties typically reach a mature height of around 5m and only require trimming to maintain a desired shape.
Despite the negative attention, evergreen conifers continue to be popular and sales are steadily increasing, even with other options available. An often-unacknowledged benefit of their widespread popularity is the significant habitat they provide for wildlife. Check out this article for a detailed look at Leylandii, its benefits and important care tips!
Hopefully this guide highlighted what trees are good for screening, but we are happy to answer any other questions you may have. Feel free to email us, phone us or visit the nursery to speak to a member of staff!
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