Looking for fastest growing, tallest, dense tree/shrubs I can find (landscaping, trees)
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I've got these next door neighbors who have decided to build a 14 ft. high addition 7 ft from our common wall. I would like to plant something that will grow to 14 feet or more really fast. I completely want to block off the view if possible. Can anyone recommend something or tell me if this is even possible and, if so, how long this would take? Thanks in advance.
Well, a row of Lombardy Poplars planted close together would do the trick. the drawback is that they have relatively short lifespans and may have to be replaced in 10 years or so.
A dense clump of bamboo would also work. The drawback here is that the taller varieties of bamboo are of the "running" sort. This means that their roots spread quickly, invading nearby areas where the bamboo isn't wanted. So you have to find a way to contain the bamboo or it will get out of hand.
A row of tall evergreens would surely block the view, but it takes longer for such a plant to reach that height.
You could consider a pergola covered in vines. There are also "cooleroos" (unsure of spelling), which are man-made, decorative shades that hang like sails in your yard. Their intended purpose is to provide shade, but they do a good job of blocking one's view also.
I personally wouldn't think of planting bamboo. In time you'd hate it worse than your neighbors' monstrous addition. Also I believe it's illegal in many areas.
Red Tip Photinia grows very tall (at least 14-16 feet if not taller), is evergeen, and grows fairly quickly. It handles heavy snow storms better than a lot of the tall shrubs. It's quite dense and attracts songbirds who like to nest in it.
Bamboo works in some areas, but be careful. It can be scarily invasive in some parts of the country. Where I live it has been known to swallow backyards in no time at all. It's very difficult to get rid of.
We had some trees called Sapphire Dragon. They grow about 7 -15 feet a year. They have huge elephant ear leaves and purple flowers. Downside is they shed their leaves in the fall, but they could provide some quick temporary cover for you until you get something else growing there.
Bananas grow real fast too, but they fall over when they get fruit. However they are quickly repalced with a new tree. They spread like Bamboo though.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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You should tell us your USDA Hardiness zone or City, so we can recommend plants that will do well in your area. Italian Cypress
would work well, and are fairly compact but tall, you could also
use Juniper 'Skyrocket'. The amount of time it takes depends on
how big the trees are when you buy them, a good tree nursery might have them already 10-12' tall but that will cost.
Thanks for all your posts. I am thinking why oh why couldn't I have just gotten normal neighbors to move in next door? They are new neighbors and coming back really far with the addition so there is a lot of ground to cover. PLUS, they are now building a patio right on the other side of the fence very close to one of my bedrooms so who knows what that means.
I was looking on the net and there is this plant/tree/shrub that is called willow hybrid that will grow 6 to 12 feet the first year. It can grow to 35 or 75 feet.
What they did today was add another block of concrete to my side of the wall so now I have two different levels of block fence in my back yard. They did this without even telling me. Now it's level with THEIR fence but not mine. This doesn't bode well.
So I am thinking of taking out some oleanders and planting this willow hybrid this raised area about 18 inches off the ground alreadly. They make not like this at all and it may interfere with their lighting, but at this point I don't care. Now I just have to find a nursery that has these plants or I can order online.
Evergreens would be lovely but I live in the desert, btw. The only saving grace is that they aren't painting the house some weird color, although they are chaning the color of the drive way (thereby making any distance between my property line in terms of landscaping) non-existent as they are adding a third garage. Grrr...
Don't know where you live but if you are in the right climate zone, Italian cypress will make a nice privacy shrub. If you buy several Italian cypresses in 5 gallon buckets and plant them close together--no more than 15 inches apart--they will grow to make a very dense privacy shrub. If you top them off when they get high enough, they will continue to fill out laterally and give you an even denser privacy shrub.
Thanks for all your posts. I am thinking why oh why couldn't I have just gotten normal neighbors to move in next door? They are new neighbors and coming back really far with the addition so there is a lot of ground to cover. PLUS, they are now building a patio right on the other side of the fence very close to one of my bedrooms so who knows what that means.
...
They like you? On the bright side, it sounds like there's no HOA where you live? Whoopty DOO.
hmm... I agree that even "fast-growing" plants grow too slowly to provide instant privacy.
If you're in the desert(?) I bet plants grow even more slowly... How about just putting up a fence? You'll need to get a permit and there's probably going to be a hearing in case your neighbors complain.
In my experience, people normally ignore permit notices, so you may be able to put up the fence unhindered.
I suggest getting some quotes from fence companies. They'll also handle the permit, and should be able to get the special permission you may need for such a high fence.
You should tell us your USDA Hardiness zone or City, so we can recommend plants that will do well in your area. Italian Cypress
would work well, and are fairly compact but tall, you could also
use Juniper 'Skyrocket'. The amount of time it takes depends on
how big the trees are when you buy them, a good tree nursery might have them already 10-12' tall but that will cost.
Thanks, I think I am in zone 9. I called a nursery and I can the Italian Cyprus planted by them for $66 each one. I figure maybe 10 should do the trick. Maybe more I am talking a lot of ground to cover. There are other issues and I don't think I will mention the trees to the neighbor. He did not consult with me when he drew up the plans to build 7 feet from our common wall. This could turn out to be ugly.
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On the bright side, it sounds like there's no HOA where you live? Whoopty DOO. 
I agree that even "fast-growing" plants grow too slowly to provide instant privacy. 
