Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Aug 06, 2011 7:28 pm Hi all, our house is currently under construction and we have a 2 storey house behind us that, due to the fact we are higher, has windows that look directly into our alfresco, dining and kitchen, main bedroom and lounge room. I also hate the thought of looking out my beautiful timber bi fold doors only to have this big house smack bang in the middle of my view! I would much rather look at a nice tree, it doesn't need to block the house out completely, just take the attention off it. We are after a nice tree (or 2) that gets to at least 4 m, with a wide canopy. We like natives, love the snow gum but think it might get a bit big and not dense enough. This photo is taken from the alfresco, behind is the dining and kitchen, to the right is the main bedroom and to the left is the lounge room. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Here is the layout of our yard Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 2Aug 06, 2011 7:36 pm How about a grafted Western Australian flowering gum or three they woud look stunning I went outside once. The graphics were alright, but the gameplay sucked! Settlement:22nd June Slab:27th August Frame:16th Sept Bricked:21st Oct Roof:24th Nov Linings HANDOVER23rd March! Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 3Aug 06, 2011 7:45 pm Not sure where you are but I rather like the Chanticleer Pear or other ornamental pears. The Chanticleer Pear grows up to 7mt and 4mt wide. It is fairly drought tolerant also. Very pretty tree. Building NBG Buckingham 320E Eastern Suburbs Melbourne Knockdown & rebuild Build startup 28th October 2010 http://buckingham320e-the4ofus.blogspot.com/ Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 4Aug 06, 2011 8:11 pm Thanks for the suggestions I will google them now! Would a water gum work? Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 5Aug 06, 2011 11:55 pm selina2106 Thanks for the suggestions I will google them now! Would a water gum work? Which water gum?? eucalypts/angophora's go by many common names but there are lots of species/subspecies etc I went outside once. The graphics were alright, but the gameplay sucked! Settlement:22nd June Slab:27th August Frame:16th Sept Bricked:21st Oct Roof:24th Nov Linings HANDOVER23rd March! Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 6Aug 07, 2011 8:45 pm Melaleuca nesophila, Grevillea olivacea The kings, faster than anything else. Less prone to disease than anything else, denser than anything else. Job done. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 7Aug 07, 2011 8:54 pm Ok so hubby not keen on the flowers on the WA flowering gum I really like the ornamental pear but wouldn't provide a screen in winter without leaves. Will definatley consider getting one for another position though, very lovely. Not sure what water gum it was but it's out anyway as I read it's slow growing. I like the evergreen ash I think, and the Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Tuckeroo). I know absolutely nothing about trees so can someone tell me if the Tuckeroo would be suitable? And how close to the fence can I plant? From what google can tell me it has the look I'm after and grows quickly. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 8Aug 07, 2011 8:57 pm Neither are flowering gums? The Grevillea hasn't got much of a flower show. Trees are right up there with being the major cause of neighbour disputes. Trees have no place in a landscape along fence lines. Large shrubs will be the way forward. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 9Aug 07, 2011 8:59 pm A couple of trees in addition to the dense hedge will look a treat and finish the area off perfectly. Just position the two trees (or three even) central in the landscape rather than right down the back. Overall they will be of far greater benefit to the overall plan that way. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 10Aug 07, 2011 9:07 pm Thanks Fu, I'm not sure those you have mentioned will get tall enough though? From what I have read on here you are extremely knowledgeable, can you recommend a tree? I think I'll need something that gets to at least 5 metres and preferably a tree than a hedge (our estate rules state we must plant 2 trees anyway). I dont mind havind it a bit back from the fence if necessary. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 11Aug 07, 2011 10:32 pm The M. Nesophila will get tall enough. In the end your answer lays in large shrubs, not small trees. A tree to 5m is one very small select list. A small tree to 8m, that's getting easier. Tallow, Manchurian Pear etc Yes that is a small tree. A large tree would be to 50-60ft A medium tree would be like many of the ornamental Pears. Much bigger than 5m. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 12Aug 08, 2011 9:43 am Perhaps I should have made myself clearer, the tree I am after will need to be a MINIMUM of 5 metres, bigger is ok. I googled the Tallow you mentioned, I like that shape, but again I am after an evergreen. LOVE the Manchurian Pear but it's not suitable for the same reason. I have no interest in a hedge, doesn't really appeal to me, I prefer the look of a tree. We are on almost 1100m2 so we have the room. Can you comment on the suitability of the Tuckeroo? Or can you suggest another evergreen? As I mentioned we must plant 2 trees as part of our estate rules anyway, and I want to make sure the trees we choose will be the right size to screen our neighbour with non-invasive roots, so suggestions would be appreciated. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 13Aug 08, 2011 8:30 pm I may not be able to help. All large trees will have root intrusion problems. It is generally accepted that a small tree to 5m at the most will be safe at around 2-3m from a fence line or home but with some risk. Bigger trees need to come well away from fences and homes. This may help explain. http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/impor ... 04_019.pdf Some of the bigger Magnolia grandifloras may reach the heights you are looking for. They will have roots that are considered invasive as with all bigger trees. Macadamia Metrosideros Melaleuca Grevillea robusta Grevillea banksii Lemon tree Avocado Irish Strawberry tree Be on extremely good terms with your neighbours. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 14Aug 08, 2011 9:58 pm Thanks for that Fu, but it seems I have forgotten 1 very important fact, we have a 1.5m stormwater easement all along the back boundary So I'm not sure what my options are now, I have tried searching the threads but can't find anything that is safe to plant over the easement, gets high enough to block the view from the neighbours 2nd storey windows, that's also nice to look at. Does such a plant exist or is the easement going to be a no go zone altogether? Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 15Aug 08, 2011 10:11 pm Fu, found a post where you recommended Viburnum Emerald Lustre. Would this be safe over easement and get tall enough? Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 16Aug 08, 2011 10:29 pm Nothing will be safe over an easement and get tall. Tall plants need big roots. Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 17Aug 09, 2011 11:20 am Hi Fu, we also have an easement to consider - in our case where we don't need a lot of height, would palms be okay as they don't have huge roots? For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 18Aug 14, 2011 6:13 pm I did think of one option to try. Hibiscus tiliaceus rubra (Cottonwood Hibiscus) Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 19Aug 27, 2011 10:52 pm Oh for some reason I didn't get a notification of a reply Will look into that one Fu, thanks, I'll try and find a nursery that has one as it's hard to get an idea what it will look like off a computer screen. Went to a local nursery and asked for some advice, the fellow there said I should be safe with a couple of evergreen ashs' as they are non invasive and due to our clayish soil the roots will stay close to the surface, and the PVC pipes are less likely to crack (although I will research further before risking it). Also considered timber screening along the retaining wall (about 2 metres from back of house) but I don't want to block too much light. Maybe we just need to wait untill it's finished and decide what we need Re: Help me choose a tree to block my rear neighbour 20Aug 27, 2011 10:59 pm I'd be looking at the other options way before those. Hi All, see above image. The required setback from the rear boundary in my case is 5m, as you can see the shape of the site and location of the boundary is slightly… 0 8451 |