Help with species recommendations for clay soil

[Guest Gimlet]

A hedging client has asked for ideas for large trees to screen a neighbouring property. The soil type is not my usual chalk but a clay/loam mixture that is medium heavy and poor draining. I assume it will also be slightly acid too.

 

I have to plant/infill and restore a hedge and I know where I am with that but the specimen trees I'm less sure about.

 

The site is readily accessible client is prepared to buy large mature trees (I assume he knows what these cost..) and wants a suggestions for a mixture of deciduous and evergreen. The soil looks pretty stodgy. 

 

So far I've come up with 

Natives:

Field Maple

Hawthorn

Holly 

Crab Apple

Hornbeam (maybe)

Whitebeam (maybe)

(Ruled out oak. It's by far the most prolific wild species locally but it's too slow growing)

 

Ornamental (less sure of these):

Laburnum 

Catalpa

Magnolia

Errm...

 

Suggestions welcome, especially more evergreens/semi-evergreens.

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2020 by Gimlet

[Will C]

Mimosa does well down here on clay, grows fairly quick and screen well

[Guest Gimlet]

Should add, wants to grow to 5 m high. They want screening from a first floor balcony as well ans garden level. 

[gary112]

10 hours ago, Gimlet said:

Should add, wants to grow to 5 m high. They want screening from a first floor balcony as well ans garden level. 

Spent 4yrs travelling to Dorset(Bournemouth)and noticed when you get down towards wiltshire and beyond a lot of pine is used for screening(scots and austrian),they obviously grow well there,is that an option

[Stere]

Wouldn't rule oak as they can grow pretty fast, seen the annual new growth reach near 3ft a yr once established (Think it depends alot on how exposed and windy the site is)

 

Sycamore  can be used as a nurse crop very fast growing.

 

Birch good pioneer speices for new sites likes acid soil

 

Yew as a native evergreen?

 

EDIT maybe not good as grow to all will high eventually?....

 

Smaller trees...

 

Maybe goat willow   & Rowan?

 

Hazel but that likes limestome...

 

Edited November 1, 2020 by Stere

[Guest Gimlet]

I think they need a mixture. It's a clump they need to plant rather than a strip so it needs variety, bit like planting a flower border I guess. I think a couple of not too dense evergreens at the back (pines maybe, something columnar) and some seasonal interest at the front. The bungalow they want to screen is to the south west of their house so huge evergreens on the boundary might block too much light. But a more open canopied pine might work as long as it's not too tall a species.

What I'm not sure about is ornamentals. Not really my province. Nor is that type of soil. 

I thought Catalpa would be a good large tree for the middle of the clump perhaps with a native like a field maple for dense foliage and autumn colour with something smaller and more ornamental at the front. Actually mimosa might work there, especially as it's fragrant.

[Guest Gimlet]

It is quite a sheltered site and only mildly acidic. There are some hazels in the hedge I've got to restore, so they do cope and Hawthorn will manage fine. They're not keen on hawthorn in the hedge because they don't like the thorns. I'm trying to win them round, but a specimen hawthorn, trimmed to produce a dense canopy covered in blossom in spring would be different matter. 

The clients are in their mid 40s with youngish kids and this is their forever house, which they've designed and built, so they're probably going to be in it for 30 years. Ideally species want to be between 5 and 10 metres high maximum at maturity, or something that can take pruning and reducing. I don't want to recommend some species that will have outgrown its screening function and the clients end up having to cut it down and start again just as they reach retirement.

Slotting in a birch or a rowan could work.

Edited November 1, 2020 by Gimlet

[Mick Dempsey]

Hornbeam does well in the clay soil of the Weald.

[Mark J]

Robinia seem to like clay soils.

[Stere]

Smaller Natives

 

dogwood

spindle

buckthorn

elder

cherry

Wild privet

Common box