Fastest screen / shelter hedge

[Stereo]

Got a little area of land I want to hide from the road and also a noise screen would be good, plus shelter. I need something evergreen that will grow quickly to about 8' on the south side to screen from the road and I need to be able to trim it at this height. On the West side I need more of a wind / rain shelter so shading is not a problem here (lleylandii?). Ideally, I need at least 6' of growth within a year or buy grown plants (expensive I guess).

 

At some point in a the next 10-15 years I may want to rip the whole lot out and revert to pasture so it needs to be fairly easy to pull out / kill.

 

I'm thinking that I need it in place by next winter so was thinking if I got my skates on I could get some small plants going in pots now, ready to plant out in December?

 

Any thoughts? Thanks.

[bilke_user]

Hornbeam is fast growing, but not evergreen, it does give reasonable wind/rain shelter though

Lleylandii is fast, evergreen and easy to pull out after a few years...........also goes out of control easily if left uncut for a couple of seasons

[Stereo]

Thanks, looks like Leyland is the answer. It's a time limited project. Might even get some firewood at the end of it.

[Will Heal]

If it's only a screen not a hedge what about willow? Cheap to buy grows like mad, plant 4 or five rows close to each other and just trim the top each year with a flail when it reaches the desired height

[Stereo]

Neighbour has a willow hedge and it doesn't seem to screen much in winter. He had to do it for planning. Also would worry about killing it off if I ever wanted to.

[Steve Bullman]

Got to be a choice between Leylandii and Laurel. I'd go for Laurel personally as you have the option of hitting it back hard if you ever wanted to.

[Stereo]

Got to be a choice between Leylandii and Laurel. I'd go for Laurel personally as you have the option of hitting it back hard if you ever wanted to.

 

So if I let Leyland get too big you can't knock it back as well?

[Mark Bolam]

You can if you like the colour brown.

[Mr. Squirrel]

Anyone recommending Leylandii should be banned from Arb

[Stereo]

Decent firewood if treated right though isn't it? This is a field setting. No near boundaries or neighbour issues.