[StephB]

The house next door to our smallholding has been empty for the last five years and we have been pretty lucky not having neighbours to deal with.

The last few or so weeks the owner has been making a renewed effort to sell the house and is now clearing all the undergrowth.  This is great, but he seems to be concentrating on our boundary line which is full of a mix of overgrown hedging that has grown into tree's with low rubbishy stock fencing.  Unfortunately it seems that the majority of screening is on his side and I now have an ever increasing view straight through to the next doors garden.

I know we should have sorted our boundary out years ago but it hasn't felt like the priority as we have been dealing with a million other ventures like modernising the house, stock fencing, polytunnels etc etc.

Funds are low, but I am wondering if there is something cheap that I can grow that will form a screen ideally up to around 5 feet high in as short a time as possible.

Thinking maybe some parks and gardens plants that the councils uses for landscaping?. 

Wondered if anyone else has had similar problems and what you did about it.

thanks

[clydesdaleclopper]

What about bamboo - it's also great for sheep and goats to eat so would perform a dual function

[Fleecewife]

The first bit of hedging we planted was needed in a hurry so we bought a bundle of 50 Rosa Rugosa from Buckinghams, mixed red and white.  It means you get a pretty hedge, with flowers then huge red hips, plus it rapidly becomes impenetrable.  It won't be as tall as you want in the first year but it can rapidly reach about 7'.  You trim it with a hedge trimmer, at an angle so you get all the flowers on your side, from the fresh growth.  They are very cheap and councils use them a lot to keep out unwanted youths (unwanted in the council's eyes), to look good quickly, and to be easily maintainable.  I'll see if I can find a link, as I'm not totally sure of the name.

I've just checked on Google - 'Rosa Rugosa images' and that is the plant I mean.

[Carse Goodlifers]

Fleecewife beat me to it  -  I was going to suggest Rosa Rugosa 
As she has said - quick growing, pretty flowers and hips, thorny - an ideal choice I would say.

[Penninehillbilly]

But beware, rugosa spreads!
Pity you don't live near, I'm digging a lot of the runners out this spring.

[farmershort]

What about bamboo - it's also great for sheep and goats to eat so would perform a dual function

Noooooooo - non native and highly invasive..... rhodedendron anyone? himilayan balsam.... same problem!

[suziequeue]

Willow? Very easy o plant a headge and grows fast. Only need to stick 1m twigs in the ground in the winter and they all spring up. Salix viminalis is vigorous. Lots on Internet about willow hedges.

[Penninehillbilly]

What about bamboo - it's also great for sheep and goats to eat so would perform a dual function

Noooooooo - non native and highly invasive..... rhodedendron anyone? himilayan balsam.... same problem!

I like my bamboo, some do spread, some are clump forming,evergreen ones are a good winter treat for my goats.

[Bionic]

We also needed a fast growing hedge and blackthorn was suggested to us.  OH is currently outside planting a load

[Backinwellies]

We also needed a fast growing hedge and blackthorn was suggested to us.  OH is currently outside planting a load

Tell him to STOP!  Yes blackthorn will grow fast but is lethally spiky ... and spreads everywhere!!

[Bionic]

We also needed a fast growing hedge and blackthorn was suggested to us.  OH is currently outside planting a load

Tell him to STOP!  Yes blackthorn will grow fast but is lethally spiky ... and spreads everywhere!!

Lethally spikey is good if you want burglar deterrent, not that we need it for that, but it will work well where he wants it, at one side of the field where the bee hives are.

[Penninehillbilly]

We also needed a fast growing hedge and blackthorn was suggested to us.  OH is currently outside planting a load

Tell him to STOP!  Yes blackthorn will grow fast but is lethally spiky ... and spreads everywhere!!

Lethally spikey is good if you want burglar deterrent, not that we need it for that, but it will work well where he wants it, at one side of the field where the bee hives are.

I believe blackthorn spines can cause blood poisoning so beware of being stabbed.

[Black Sheep]

It's what the thorn introduces into the body that is the issue, I don't think there's anything particularly different about blackthorn versus any other thorn in this regard (apart from their ability to stab you in the first place!).

[Big Light]

Plant as much Blackthorn as you like that's what Sloe berries grow on- the gin will cure any thorny issues 

[Coastie]

Our hedges are full of blackthorn and it is beautiful in flower, and I make a lot of sloe gin    . 
However it is horrible to prune or lay, viciously spiky (blinded a spaniel  ), and suckers everywhere.  Quickthorn (hawthorn) is far easier to manage as a hedge with a few blackthorn as standard trees in it.