Grouping Conifers in a Screen
Novice Gardener
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
In a privacy screen as follows:
X--------------------X--------------X--------------X
X marks spruce trees of various species.
Looking to fill in the space between the spruce trees with various columnar varieties:
- Picea glauca 'pendula'
- Picea pungens 'fastigiata'
- Thuja occidentalis cultivars
With perennials facing the columnar trees.
Option 1: Group the same varieties together in groups of 3. I.e. the 3 yellow stars are 3 glauca pendulas.
Option 2: Mix and match the columnar varieties.
Which option works better? Or are both good? Or something else all together, I'm open to ideas.
The spacing is not to scale, just threw some stars up to get the idea across.
Trying to screen these townhomes: 3 stories will be built behind these bungalows.
Thank you!!
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Novice Gardener
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Conifer choice for deciduous / evergreen screen.
Comments (4)About the only thing that I can think of (and it's aestetic not for screening) would be a Yew such as: Taxus x media 'Beanpole' or Taxus x media 'Flushing'. I think 'Flushing' will give you the most "screening" but you'll need to plant it fairly close to your shed: It basically should be planted 1 meter away. You 'know' you planted a tree that given time will fit that spot perfectly, in relation to the shed. What you're looking to do now is plant something that ultimately is going to crowd walking space between your shed and eventually your Serviceberry. That includes mowing. The positive aspect of a Yew is you can prune them any which way you want to, including down to bare-inner-wood and they will form new foliage. If it ever came to be that the cultivar 'Flushing' was 5 meters tall and one meter wide and you wanted to cut it down to 1 meter tall, you wouldn't do any damage to it. For me, your plan should've included an evergreen screen behind the serviceberry and the serviceberry being brought forward to give it room away from the screen. If you were to move the servicebery (now or anytime the ground is workable) that seems to be the common sense route and gives you the opportunity to do the job, correctly. Then you could plant, i.e., going from the shed to the left in the photo: (3) Thuja occidentalis 'Hetz Wintergreen' in a straight line and then begin to make an arc with a Picea glauca 'Pendula' then a Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiata' aka 'Fastigiata'. That's my opinion, anyways... Hetz Wintergreen first one 1 meter from your shed then on center every 1.5 meter. Picea glauca 'Pendula' 2.5 meters from 'Hetz Wintergreen' Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiata' 3.5-4.0 meters from P.g. 'Pendula' This for a screen. You can make adjustments with the two spruces if you want to give them room not to touch. Dax...See MoreImproving an old conifer screen
Comments (10)also .... think outside your box ... no clue how deep your yard is.. but too many peeps.. in situations like this ... could solve the problem... by planting a very few plants.. closer to the house... aligned with certain windows or vantage points ... and solve the problem.. rather than limiting ones self to working at the property line.... which is way out there. ... and maybe down hill ... the other box you are in ... is instant gratification .... you could selectively harvest .... over say a 5 year plan ... the large stuff... and plant new things ... thereby creating the light you need for new plants ... while disposing of the old plants ... while retaining some semblance of the sight block .... and bazinga.. in 10 years... your all set.. lol ... when it all boils down .... in sight line situations.... instant gratification is rarely satisfied ... short of extreme big budget ... i would probably start.. with the tree that appears to be growing at a 45 degree angle to the camera ... removal would create a whole new range of opportunities .... ken ps: also.. it wouldnt surprise me.. if its not extremely dry under those big old trees... planting anything will be hard digging.. hard watering.... low light ... and it could take a very long time for new stuff to become established.. and start thriving .......See MoreConifer suggestions for boulevard privacy screen
Comments (32)btw embo ... that looks like a winter lawn in my MI .... not necessarily underfed ... at this time of year ... what i look for.. is weeds ... and that lawn is prime ... its been cared for in that regard.. which makes me thinks it has also been properly fed ... OP ... do keep in mind ... most conifers.. trees... do not need to be fed ... they are never HUNGRY ... but we insure the soil is fertile.. and take action if need me ... which IMHO ... is rare ... and in fact.. when your plants get going.. and actually put roots out under the lawn ... and if that lawn is fertd.. these things will get more than enough of anything they may need ... finally ... lawn watering.. is rarely proper watering for new transplants... do not rely on such .... though.. once fully established ... they should be rather free range ... refer to watering at the link ... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub...See MoreRocky Mountain Conifer Group Meeting March 5th
Comments (0)Rocky Mountain Conifer Group Meeting Saturday March 5, 2016 (1:00 pm to 4:00 pm) The next meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conifer Group will be on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 1:00 pm at the Denver Botanic Gardens in the Plant Society House. Come join us for a fun afternoon of light refreshments, virtual tours of the DBG conifers accessed via Gardens Navigator presented by Ann Frazier, information from Dave Olszyk on hosting the 2017 American Conifer Society Annual meeting, a plaque presentation designating DBG as an ACS Reference Garden, a Tour of the DBG conifers presented by Mike Kintgen, and more! Please RSVP to Barb Inman at beinman@earthlink.net if you will be attending....See More
FrozeBudd_z3/4
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoA grouping of arborvitae 'Yellow Ribbon' would look great in there, these are fast growing and very hardy. I think I've only seen any bit of browning during their first winter or so and nothing for years now despite some mean nasty Canadian prairie conditions. I originally purchased several 18 to 24 inch specimens at Walmart for a very reasonable price and all have developed very quickly, even one situated in almost full shade. 'Jantar' is another excellent yellow selection, though I believe that 'Yellow Ribbon' is a bit sturdier and better at handling snow loads without splaying apart ... oh, and an occasional sheering will get these looking especially nice and full.
'Yellow Ribbon' arborvitae, photo taken in December
Novice Gardener thanked FrozeBudd_z3/4Novice Gardener
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
Sara Malone Zone 9b
6 years ago
Embothrium
6 years agoSara Malone Zone 9b
6 years ago
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