I will be having a very overgrown, rarely pruned laurel removed from my back garden. It has been, if a monstrosity, an effective visual screen. The bare area that it leaves is appproximately 40′ in length, is atop a rockery, approximately 3′ high, and will look up into the neighbor’s back hillside, while they peer down at us in dismay. Can you suggest one or several fast growing, shrubby plants or suitable trees that will act as an attractive visual screen? I do not want bamboo.
Here are a few ideas:
Osmanthus delavayi is also a good choice, but it doesn’t get quite tall
enough–my own hedge, which is pruned at least twice a year, is about 8
feet tall, so if I really let it go, maybe it would be 10-12 feet.
Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’
Juniperus virginiana ‘Manhattan Blue’
Ceanothus would also be striking, with blue flowers, but you’d need to
find the tallest possible species, and they tend to be short lived.
You could plant a mixed hedgerow, which would allow you to include some of the flowering plants you prefer. King Conservation District has more information on hedgerows.