Cherry Laurel or Arrow Bamboo?

[parkgate]

A neighbour has taken down a 20 ft high hedge which was beautiful and gave both our properties complete privacy.  This has resulted in a vital gap of 12 ft wide whereby they now can see clearly into our home living, dining room and also outdoor area where we sit in the summer.

 

This now means we have no privacy whatsoever.  We think the hedge belonged to our property as ours was the first built many years before but we have no way of proving this and now it is of no consequence as the hedge has gone.

 

We have some arrow bamboo either side of this gap which we like and in the middle of the gap on our side are three, 4 ft high, cherry laurels that I planted 3 years ago when they were 1 ft 6 ins high.

 

We now need something quick growing, can form a dense screen and can grow to about 15/20 foot.  We are thinking of planting further arrow bamboo but that means taking out the cherry laurels. 

 

Question 1:  Is arrow bamboo the best for this particular situation.? Question 2:  Should we just wait quite a bit longer to get 15 feet from the cherry laurels?

 

Kind Regards,

 

[Lowestoft Firewood]

Please do not plant bamboo, its one of the most invasive plants. Keep the laurels well fed, weeded and watered and theyll be up to that height in no time. I planted some 2ft plants about 4 years ago which are in places now about 10ft high.

[parkgate]

Thank You for your prompt reply.

 

We intended to plant the Arrow bamboo within a bamboo root barrier.

 

also Arrow Bamboo is a "clumping bamboo" so shouldn't run anyway?

 

I would prefer the laurel hedge, but it has only grown 2 ft 6 ins in three years despite constant watering and feeding.

 

If I replace them with 6 ft laurel trees is there any advantage to this in the long run? 

 

[Dan Maynard]

Bang some posts and put up woven bamboo screen or similar just as a temporary measure while the laurel grows.

It hasn't done much whilst shaded and competing for water with the old hedge which is gone, but has established good roots. I would expect it to take off now, much better than new big plants which will be shocked by a transplant.

[doobin]

How much do you want to spend?

[parkgate]

8 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

Bang some posts and put up woven bamboo screen or similar just as a temporary measure while the laurel grows.

It hasn't done much whilst shaded and competing for water with the old hedge which is gone, but has established good roots. I would expect it to take off now, much better than new big plants which will be shocked by a transplant.

Yes good point - I would be happy with another 2 feet this year.

 

Although potted plants would not suffer too much of a shock?

 

Thank You.

[parkgate]

4 hours ago, doobin said:

How much do you want to spend?

I would spend it if I had the room!

[Macpherson]

43 minutes ago, parkgate said:

I would spend it if I had the room!

So was the previous 20ft hedge shading their garden or whole house and had you had any conversation about it, it would seem like grounds for animosity ? although I couldn't comment without pictures.

 

I agree with not planting bamboo from previous experience.. but although Laurel will be slow to begin with after a few years the right species will take off and become a thicket of dense trees... which may result in an unnecessary standoff.

 

I have thick Laurel just like this between myself and my neighbours which I keep to a height just enough for me to manage easily about shoulder+ height which gives them privacy but also daylight .. ie, I can't see into their Gable windows or patio area, which I see as respectful.

 

But they on the other hand  they don't give 2 fecks about a beech hedge at the front that's getting to 15ftx10ft and mixed jaggy shite at the back about the same height that spreads over to me which twice every year I've got the task of knocking back, so as I get older they may be in for a rude awakening😈 feckin 2nd homers  anyway... not much respect do they have, and less do I .

 

 

 

[parkgate]

I have just had a landscape gardener down to quote for some structural work in the garden.

 

I mentioned the Laurel v Bamboo debate - he thinks the Laurel which he described as “very healthy” will outpace the Bamboo - he also recommended Bay Laurel - as this should grow faster than the Cherry Laurel.

 

Looking online the Cherry Laurel is described as having the faster growth rate?

[Mick Dempsey]

No bamboo, ever.

They say it stays where it is and won’t get away, but you’ve seen Jurassic Park right?

Nature finds a way.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Mick Dempsey