Privacy hedge that’s tall, fast growing, dense, evergreen but not too wide

[Anonymous]

That’s the objective. Don’t want anything pencil thin as I want it to be a solid wall. But it can’t grow to be 20 feet wide like Green giant arborvitae or Leyland cypress either.

Want it to be at least 20 feet tall and no spaces in between within 3-5 years.

What to get? Looking at types of arborvitae, cypress, juniper, dragon lady holly; what is best?

It’s going to be along a fence line between house and too-close nextdoor neighbor and want it to grow higher than second story windows! Without mobilizing all the square footage in our back yard.

[Anonymous]

Green giant

[Anonymous]

Need ideas for a yard with some shade.

[Anonymous]

You can trim leyland cypress to do what you describe. (But you do need to keep up with it every year. )

https://www.rootsplants.co.uk/products/leyland-cypress-tree-cupressocyparis-leylandii

[Anonymous]

schip laurel

[Anonymous]

Holly trees are best for hedges

Don't get a leyland cypress - ours are massive and in an urban/suburban environment, they only last 30-40 years. Ours are coming down next week because they're dying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holly trees are best for hedges

Don't get a leyland cypress - ours are massive and in an urban/suburban environment, they only last 30-40 years. Ours are coming down next week because they're dying.

30-40 years is long enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holly trees are best for hedges

Don't get a leyland cypress - ours are massive and in an urban/suburban environment, they only last 30-40 years. Ours are coming down next week because they're dying.

Holly trees are slow growing, you fool. The OP specifically asked for fast growing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Green giant

Can you not read?

[Anonymous]

OP there is nothing that meets all of your criteria. I’ve been looking into this for a few years for an identical scenario

Rank your criteria and go from there. For me, speed and height outweigh % of the side yard covered by branches.

I already have a few thuja green giants near my intended new planting area so I know they thrive really well there. They grew 75 feet in 17 years (four storeys!). They can take a thoughtful shearing and shaping around the lower ~ 15 feet, meaning you could THOUGHTFULLY cut them back as they mature in order to preserve some side yard.

This is also true of hollies but they’ll take decades to block your 2nd storey windows

Cedars are experiencing blight in the DMV (skip) and junipers are a sunny dry site plant so likely wouldn’t thrive if your area is too shady

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Green giant

Can you not read?

Yes I can. You’re looking for a unicorn tree.

Maybe an emerald green.

[Anonymous]

You don’t want it too thin, but it can’t be too wide either, but needs to grow quickly, it needs to be an evergreen and needs to be at least 20ft tall when mature. I’m not sure this tree exists.

Your best bet is to get literally any variety of fast growing conifer and pay someone to shape it every year after the first couple. Plant them close together.

[Anonymous]

Op and the nonnegotiables are fast growing, will form a dense wall, at least 20 feet tall, and evergreen/nondeciduous. Up to ten feet wide and preferably prunable to keep width in check.

How fast do the fastest growing hollies grow? And which varieties are they?

[Anonymous]

Emerald Green are slow growing. Look into American Pillar arborvitae. The little brother to the Green Giant, but with the same fast growth.