Screening, Privacy Trees

Ilex castaneifolia, commonly known as the chestnut-leaved holly, is an excellent choice for gardens where year-round structure and refined foliage are desired. As a standard tree, it forms a neat, rounded crown on a clear stem, making it ideal for formal layouts, entrance features, patios, or as a focal point within borders. Its large, glossy, dark green leaves resemble those of sweet chestnut and provide a bold, elegant texture that contrasts beautifully with finer-leaved plants.

Being evergreen, it maintains interest throughout all seasons and offers shelter for birds and beneficial wildlife. In winter, female plants may carry bright red berries if a suitable male pollinator is nearby, adding valuable seasonal colour. Ilex castaneifolia prefers a sheltered position in well-drained, fertile soil and performs best in full sun to partial shade. It is tolerant of urban conditions and light pollution, making it suitable for town gardens as well as rural settings. With minimal pruning required, it is a low-maintenance, long-lived tree that brings lasting form, colour, and character to both traditional and contemporary garden designs.

Photinia  fraseri ‘Red Robin’ grown as a standard tree is an excellent choice for gardens seeking year-round structure, vibrant colour, and a smart formal appearance. Raised on a clear stem with a rounded head of evergreen foliage, it creates an elegant focal point for entrances, patios, driveways, terraces, and borders. Its most striking feature is the flush of brilliant red young leaves that appear in spring and again after trimming, gradually maturing to glossy dark green.

This attractive contrast of red and green provides long-lasting seasonal interest, while clusters of small creamy-white flowers may appear in late spring on established specimens. The neat tree form makes it especially useful where ground space is limited, allowing underplanting beneath the canopy or placement in pairs for symmetry.

Photinia ‘Red Robin’ thrives in full sun or partial shade and prefers fertile, well-drained soil. It is hardy and tolerant of urban conditions, coastal air, and routine pruning, making it highly adaptable for many garden settings. Light trimming after new growth helps maintain a dense crown and encourages further red foliage displays.

Ideal for contemporary, formal, or traditional gardens, this standard tree offers colour, privacy screening at height, and dependable evergreen presence. It is a stylish, low-maintenance option that adds instant maturity and strong visual impact.

Ligustrum Lucidum 'Varigatum' 1/2 std is a small, evergreen tree with a great, rounded crown which retains its rounded shape if grown in full sun. Long, ovate, pointed, glossy, light-green leaves have attractive, greenish-yellow to creamy-yellow margins. Numerous clusters of scented, creamy-yellow flowers almost cover the leaves in summer and autumn, and are followed by small, black berries that remain on branches for a long time. Chinese privet 1/2 std can thrive in wide range of soil types, except waterlogged. It prefers deep, fertile, moist, well-drained soils, in full sun, but it can tolerate some shade. Once established, it is resistant to drought. Tolerant of urban pollution and salty air. Low maintenance plant. In harsh winters, it may lose its leaves. Ligustrum 1/2 std is a tough tree, perfect for restricted spaces as it can be planted very close to buildings, therefore, suitable for a street tree. Great for informal hedges and screens, or as an accent plant.

Elaeagnus ebbingei, or Ebbing's Silverberry, is a cross between Elaeagnus macrophylla × Elaeagnus pungens. It’s a large, bushy, dense, rounded shrub, evergreen in warm winter climates, semi-evergreen in colder. Leathery, oval leaves are green with silver scales. As the plant matures, leaves turn dark green with silvery undersides. The clusters of creamy white, intensely fragrant, flowers bloom in late autumn, and are followed by edible, reddish-brown fruits in winter and early spring.

Elaeagnus ebbingei can grow in wide varieties of soils, as long as they are well-drained. It prefers average, medium moisture, well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. Once established, it can withstand drought, wind, and salt spray. Coastal winds may cause chlorosis when planted on shallow chalky soils. Generally, pest-free and disease-free. Elaeagnus ebbingei has a beautiful silvery-green foliage that creates nice shimmering effect. It is perfect as a background plant, for hedges and screens, in shrub borders, or along highways.

Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' 1/2 std is a New Zealand selection of Fraser's Photinia. It’s a large, evergreen shrub or small tree with leathery, oval, glossy, brilliant, bright red leaves when they emerge, and dark green after several weeks. Small, 5-petal, white flowers bloom in spring and are rarely followed by red fruits which can persist throughout winter. Spring pruning eliminates flowers and stimulates new red growth.

Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' 1/2 std grows best in average, fertile, slightly acidic, medium moisture, well-drained soils, but is adaptable to a wide range of soils, except waterlogged and compact. Once established, it is resistant of frost and drought. Young leaves may be damaged by late frosts, therefore it should be sheltered, especially from harsh winds. Low maintenance plant.

Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' 1/2 std is a very popular evergreen shrub, great as a specimen or accent plant, but perfect for hedges and screens, useful for noise reduction, or wind protection.

Photinia fraseri 'Compacta', when espaliered on a metal frame, presents a striking and structured display of horticultural artistry. This particular variety of Photinia, known for its compact growth habit, reaches a height of 150cm and spans 100cm in width, making it an ideal choice for espalier training. The metal frame, robust and unobtrusive, provides the necessary support for this method of cultivation, guiding the plant's growth in a controlled, two-dimensional form.

The leaves of Photinia fraseri 'Compacta' are its most notable feature: vibrant and glossy, they emerge as bright red shoots, offering a vivid contrast against the greenery. As the leaves mature, they transition to a deep, rich green, maintaining their luster throughout the seasons. The espalier technique emphasizes the plant's natural beauty, showcasing its dense foliage in a symmetrical pattern.

This living art form, a blend of nature and craftsmanship, not only serves as an ornamental feature in gardens but also as a practical solution for space-limited areas. The plant's ability to thrive with minimal lateral space, combined with regular pruning and training, results in a visually appealing, living wall of lush foliage, perfectly complemented by the understated elegance of the metal frame.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonniere' is an exotic evergreen tree of conical to spreading pyramidal habit, with thick, leathery, glossy green leaves, velvety haired and rusty-brown beneath. Very large, saucer-shaped, creamy-white flowers with purple stamens bloom in summer and early autumn. Their fragrance is strong and pleasant.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonniere' is easily grown in a wide range of soils, but prefers hummus-rich, slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soils. Once established, it can withstand some drought. It thrives in full sun and partial shade. It has very good cold tolerance, but needs to be sheltered from harsh, dry winds. Low maintenance, it doesn’t require much pruning. Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonniere' is a French variety of Southern Magnolia cultivated 150 years ago. It’s an excellent ornamental tree, often grown against the wall, rarely free-standing. Great for informal, cottage, woodland, and urban gardens. Excellent for beds and borders, informal hedges and screens, and for growing in containers.

A Prunus lusitanica shrub trained on a frame creates an elegant, evergreen screen that resembles a living fence panel. Its glossy, deep green leaves are held on rich burgundy stems, providing year-round structure and colour. In early summer, upright spires of delicate white flowers add seasonal interest and attract pollinators, followed by small dark berries.

This form is ideal where space is limited but privacy is essential. The elevated frame allows light and airflow beneath, making it perfect for patios, terraces, boundary lines, or dividing garden rooms. It offers a softer, more natural alternative to timber fencing while delivering strong architectural definition.

Portuguese Laurel thrives in well-drained soil and is well suited to UK conditions, including coastal and urban gardens. It tolerates wind, pollution, and light shade, yet performs equally well in full sun. Once established, it is robust and relatively low maintenance, requiring only light trimming to maintain its crisp outline.

For contemporary or formal designs, a framed Prunus lusitanica provides immediate impact, evergreen privacy, and timeless garden structure.

Magnolia grandiflora ‘François Treyve’ is an outstanding evergreen standard tree, valued for its bold foliage, elegant form, and spectacular summer flowers. Trained on a clear stem, it develops a dense, rounded crown of large, glossy, dark green leaves with attractive rich brown, felted undersides, providing year-round structure and colour. From early to mid-summer, it produces impressive, creamy-white, cup-shaped blooms with a powerful, sweet fragrance, creating a striking focal point and adding a touch of Mediterranean character to the garden.

This variety is more compact and hardier than many evergreen magnolias, making it particularly suitable for gardens in cooler climates. It thrives in a sheltered, sunny to lightly shaded position in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, and is ideal for patios, lawns, entranceways, and formal plantings. The standard form allows light to filter beneath the canopy, enabling underplanting with shade-tolerant shrubs or perennials. Requiring minimal pruning and offering excellent wind tolerance once established, Magnolia ‘François Treyve’ is a long-lived, low-maintenance tree that delivers year-round interest, fragrance, and architectural elegance.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonniere' is an exotic evergreen tree of conical to spreading pyramidal habit, with thick, leathery, glossy green leaves, velvety haired and rusty-brown beneath. Very large, saucer-shaped, creamy-white flowers with purple stamens bloom in summer and early autumn. Their fragrance is strong and pleasant.

Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonniere' is easily grown in a wide range of soils, but prefers hummus-rich, slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soils. Once established, it can withstand some drought. It thrives in full sun and partial shade. It has very good cold tolerance, but needs to be sheltered from harsh, dry winds. Low maintenance, it doesn’t require much pruning. Magnolia grandiflora 'Galissonniere' is a French variety of Southern Magnolia cultivated 150 years ago. It’s an excellent ornamental tree, often grown against the wall, rarely free-standing. Great for informal, cottage, woodland, and urban gardens. Excellent for beds and borders, informal hedges and screens, and for growing in containers.

Ligustrum excelsum Superbum - is a small, evergreen tree with a great, rounded crown that retains its rounded shape if grown in full sun. Long, ovate, pointed, glossy, light-green leaves have attractive, greenish-yellow to creamy-yellow margins. Numerous clusters of scented, creamy-yellow flowers almost cover the leaves in summer and autumn, and are followed by small, black berries that remain on branches for a long time. Chinese privet 'Excelsum Superbum' - can thrive in wide range of soil types, except waterlogged. It prefers deep, fertile, moist, well-drained soils, in full sun, but it can tolerate some shade. Once established, it is resistant to drought. Tolerant of urban pollution and salty air. Low maintenance plant. In harsh winters, it may lose its leaves. Ligustrum excelsum Superbum – is a tough tree, perfect for restricted spaces as it can be planted very close to buildings, therefore, suitable for a street tree. Great for informal hedges and screens, or as an accent plant.

Acer rubrum ‘Armstrong Gold’ is a striking, upright selection of the red maple, valued for its refined form, vibrant seasonal color, and adaptability to urban conditions. This cultivar develops a strong, columnar habit with a narrow canopy, typically reaching 40 to 50 feet tall and 12 to 16 feet wide at maturity. Its tidy silhouette makes it an excellent choice for streetscapes, parking lots, or smaller residential landscapes where space is limited but vertical impact is desired.

In spring, the tree produces clusters of inconspicuous red flowers before leaf emergence, adding subtle early-season interest. The leaves unfold bright green and remain fresh through summer, then transform into brilliant shades of golden-orange to red in autumn, creating a dazzling display of color. The bark is smooth and gray, adding winter appeal and contrast.

‘Armstrong Gold’ thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil but tolerates a range of urban conditions, including compacted or slightly alkaline soils. It is also relatively low-maintenance, pest-resistant, and adaptable, making it a dependable choice for both aesthetic and functional landscape use.