A screen of trees between you and your neighbours’ homes will not only help maintain your privacy, but provide welcome shade and a cooler garden environment. As garden space between houses and dividing walls may be narrow, selected trees should have an upright or columnar growth habit or be able to take frequent pruning. Making a right choice of trees will ensure that you and your neighbours remain on good terms for a long time!

The following are some points you have to consider before you decide. Check out tree species for constant leaf-shedding. Green bamboo and small-leaved trees may create problems with gutters, pool maintenance and daily sweeping of compounds. Multi-trunked palms are good, shedding the occasional frond but not so good when flowering and fruiting. Select trees with large leaves if ground area is sufficient, or tree-form shrubs if growing space is limited. Also always bear in mind eventual root growth and the probable future effect to your garden walls or tiled flooring. Examples of columnar shaped trees are Polyalthia longifolia var pendula and Gnetum gnemon. If planted in a row, they form a narrow screening but will need to be kept in shape after some years of growth. Other tree species may be used but will also need to be regularly pruned to keep their form and height.