What would be a nice evergreen tree hedge that would get tall and grow quickly?

Do you really want to be trimming the darn thing two or even three times a year?

I know it is not as quick growing but Yew is the absolute Rolls Royce of hedging. Providing you prepare the soil really well and keep it fed and watered it will grow quicker than you might expect.

In the long run it will give less trouble and require less maintenance.

I would talk anyone out of Leylandi although it grows fast about three feet or just under a meter in a season the cause more arguments with neighbours. And as you trim them each year the inner dead wood appears more so your hedge gets wider after each cutting or trimming , once you go into the dead wood it will not recover, and you will simply have a brown hedge looking at you.

A good box hedge is the better way to go and you can take many cuttings to form more hedge round the house, trimming is easy, at least this is what I found while working in a large estate.

good luck what ever you do but consider your neighbours if you have any,with the height, and keep out of arguments.

remember that trees that grow fast are usually either short lived or have extensive root systems. Cypress do get enormous, not just in height but also in width, so you need to have the space. They also present an extreme fire risk due to their oil content.. they go up like fireworks and are impossible to stop.

Depending on where you live, maybe a daintier hedge, like 'screenmaster' (have mental block as to proper name right now) which can grow up to 5m, averaging 1m per year, and form a very dense total blockout hedge might be more suitable.

Some wattles might be very suitable and better for wildlife too.. It's hard to give advice without knowing where and how much space you have available.

Hello,

(ANS) I would definitely avoid Leylandi Cypress as it doesn't just grow it explodes and can become a nightmare to manage.

I would recommend an alternative which is Copper Beech, copper beech is quick growing and green in spring and summer, and yet turns a fantastic fiery copper color in the Autumn & Winter months. Its very manageable to and can be trimmed back quite easily. It can be shaped or encouraged to grow as required to form a screen. We have a copper beech that screens next doors drive and cars which we don't want to see.

Kind Regards & Seasonal wishes Ivan

Canadian Hemlock is very nice as is privet the green or golden variety Leylandi of any kind is very fast takes a lot of moisture from the ground if you intend to keep it in order very hard work with trimming grows some thing in the order of five foot a year im a privet fan my self because it dose look very nice trimmed up it flowers if you let it and it doesn't suck the moisture like leylandi Beach is a fantastic looking hedge not ever green though,

Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ (spotted laurel) m-l, with glossy, spotted foliage

Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’ m-l, best in mild districts, producing brilliant red shoots

Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) m-l.

The above are usually pruned once or twice a year in early spring and/or late summer. Prune large-leaved evergreens with secateurs rather than shears or trimmers to avoid foliage damage.

Conifers can make fine hedges but must be pruned at least twice a year. Once out of hand they cannot be restored and have to be replaced:

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Lawson cypress) (especially cultivars ‘Green Hedger’, ‘Stewartii’) m-l

Cupressus macrocarpa (milder coastal areas only) m-l

Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’ (western red cedar) m-l

Taxus baccata (yew) m-l, this grows less quickly.

Good luck with your choice :-)

Arborvitae: 6"/year, and reaching 3' to 10' wide depending on cultivar

Yew: can grow up to 10"/year if left natural, not "sheared"

Rocky Mountain Juniper and its varieties: upto 12-18"/year

Eastern Red Cedar: 12"/year

Canadian Hemlock: 12"/year

Check out some descriptions of these on this list of potential screening trees:

http://www.trimpines.com/treeoftheweek/archivescrn...

Then talk to your local independent garden center about your growing conditions. They can help you decide which one(s) are right for you.

THe alberta spruce recommended above Grows very slowly, a few inches per year.

I like Arborvitaes, they grow moderately fast and if you get the columnar style arborvitae, it won't get too wide too quickly. Makes a beautiful natural hedge.

The Cypress is probably my favorite if you have the space, for its wide and tall growth

I would recommend a Thuja 'Green Giant'. It grous over 3' per a year to 60' total. Also, it is rich in a green color, beautiful as a specimen tree or as a windbreak,and adaptable to all soil types from sandy to clay conditions. I hope, it helps.

well they will certainly do the trick, but they can be a pain in the butt as they do grow very very big. You're a landscape gardener though, you should be able to fine something from your suppliers.