[beth123]

Afternoon All

Can anyone suggest a plant that will grow quickly in the shade?  It needs to be something that will grow quite high as I need it to create a screen between our garden and the neighbours.

Thanks
Beth

[LilacSandy]

Hi Beth,
Leylandii make a quick growing hedge and can be kept under control by clipping back when they reach the required hight.  Alternatively if you dislike your neighbours .....

[Aunt Sally]

Leylandii is a terrible weed (IMO) please don't plant it.

Elaeagnus would be my choice.

[totalnovice]

Some honeysuckles like the shade, and if you have an existing boundry fence or could erect a trellis they would make a lovely scented border, not sure how fast they grow though.

My Pyracanthus seem to be shooting up at the moment and are in partial shade - only down side with them is they are spikey, and tend to jump out and bite you as you walk past, not idea if you or the neighbours have kids but quick growing and form a nice hedge if kept clipped and looked after.

[totalnovice]

Leylandii is a terrible weed (IMO) please don't plant it.

Meant to say in my other post - i quite agree having been the 'victim' of a Lellandii and it's irresponsible owner in the past. They are horrible things and i for one would never ever plant one in my garden, having recently moved, the three in our garden have been removed, even though they were short and well clipped. Our new neighbours couldn't have been more pleased!

[lancashiregardeninggal]

What about Laurel?

[beth123]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will definitely be avoiding leylandii, I don't dislike my neighbours that much.

Thanks again.

[Goosegirl]

If you have a fence, try Hydrangea petiolaris, or better still the evergreen pyracantha as recommended which has small white flowers then lovely red or orange berries - just prune out the breastwood (the bit that comes towards you) or try espalier pruning (Google RHS for that - it's not difficult) to get a nice trained shape. Another one is the evergreen euonymous green-and-gold or green-andsilver - they are shrubs that can grow upwards too and make a nice screen - I have one that is now 6' tall but can easily be controlled.

[Trillium]

You could always go with good old ivy. It's fast and thick, and clipping will control it.

[stompy]

You could put up trellis then fix willow screening up against it.

Then grow what you like as the screen is already there so grow something nice rather than fast.

Thats what we've done.

[viettaclark]

Hazel is good. Easy to cut back to shape and thicken and the bonus of catkins in the spring and nuts (depending on squirrels!) in the autumn.
Good old English hedge!

[JayG]

I'm a big fan of the variegated euonymus, having got the green/yellow and green/silver versions alternating as a 3' hedge in my front garden. It's extremely attractive, totally hardy and evergreen, and seems to thrive on neglect!

There is another one near the privet hedge and given half a chance it escapes up into the hedge and has to be yanked out!

I would say it's rather slow growing which is good when it's established but not so good if you are looking for quick results, and I suspect (but not 100% sure) that it wouldn't grow to full hedge height (i.e. 5-6') without support.