My fence offers no privacy – my £7.99 solution is recommended by professionals
Installing new fencing to give your garden a little more privacy can be quite expensive.
But what if you could achieve the same effect by simply adding some greenery around your home, creating a beautiful oasis on a budget?
6
6
According to market research and home improvement trends, the demand for garden fencing, including privacy fences, is increasing.
Not only are people aware that they can provide extra privacy, but garden screens can also enhance aesthetic appeal and value of their properties.
A typical UK garden will require 10-15 panels, and they don’t come cheap.
Fortunately, an expert with a knack for the business has come up with an affordable alternative. He has listed a number of trees and shrubs that can provide more privacy without costing you a fortune.
Professional Steve Bender dropped bombs of knowledge on Spotify, encouraging him to buy evergreen songs that “grow into a narrow column.”
Japanese Holly
6
One of the recommendations the expert made on the Ask Grumpy podcast was Sky Pencil, also known as Japanese holly.
This beautiful evergreen plant is available from most garden centres in the UK. It is a narrow, columnar shrub that can grow up to 2 metres high and 61 centimetres wide.
By pruning them, you can keep them at a height of 2 meters. However, if you have a pet, it is better not to do this option, because the berries and leaves can be harmful to dogs if they ingest them.
Brits can buy the beautiful evergreen plant for just £7.99 at Hedges Directmaking it an affordable solution to your privacy concerns.
Thuja plicata Sugar & Spices
6
Similar to the Japanese holly, Thuja is a narrow upright plant that is ideal for smaller spaces.
This evergreen plant has a very fine structure with green leaves on orange-brown stems and will leave a wonderful, warm scent in your garden after pruning.
This plant is heat tolerant and makes a good vertical accent plant for small spaces or mixed borders.
Skyrocket juniper
6
Are you heading to your local garden centre before the harsh winter sets in?
The expert, who likes to call himself The Grumpy Gardener, also advised looking for Skyrocket Juniper.
This ornamental tree has a slender, elegant shape and a special steel-blue leaf.
Although this plant is easy to grow and likes most soil types, ideal conditions are full sun and, if possible, dry soil.
The large cutting is ideal as an evergreen screening tree in small city gardens, as it grows quite slowly, eventually reaching about 5-6 m tall.
Garden elements that add the most value to a home
A well-maintained garden can add 5-20% to the value of a home.
Sellhousefast.uk conducted a survey and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from the UK.
And the experts found that the garden feature that adds the most value to a home is a shed.
- Barn – 82%
- Terrace or paving – 76%
- Secure fencing, walls or gates – 72%
- Outdoor lighting – 66%
- Sturdy decking – 62%
- Water features, such as a fountain or pond – 58%
- Modern garden furniture – 54%
- Artificial grass – 40%
Blue arrow juniper
6
Blue Arrow, also known as the Blue Rocky Mountain tree, has a columnar growth habit and grows to approximately 2.5 x 0.5 metres in 20 years.
Any well-drained soil in full or partial shade is suitable. This tree can tolerate some drought and sun exposure.
These evergreens look beautiful as a solitary planted tree or in groups of two or three for a formal garden.
