Best Trees for Screening Neighbours UK | Natural Privacy from Overlooking Windows

Feeling overlooked in your garden? Whether you live in a new-build estate, a row of terraces, or a rural plot with open boundaries, the right screening trees can create a natural, beautiful barrier between you and your neighbours.

This post explores the best trees for screening neighbours in UK gardens—including fast-growing, above-fence, and evergreen options that offer both privacy and charm.

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Why Use Trees to Screen Neighbours?

Privacy fences are often limited to 6ft due to planning laws.

Trees give you a way to:

• Create privacy above fence height

• Soften views from upstairs windows

• Block sightlines from balconies or decking

• Add structure and shade

• Increase property value and wildlife appeal

  
  

The right trees blend seamlessly into the landscape, creating a softer, greener alternative to hard boundaries.

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Best Trees for Privacy from Neighbours

1. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ (Pleached or Standard Form)

• Type: Evergreen

• Height: 2–4m trained

• Best For: Colourful screening above fences

With vibrant red new growth and a tidy shape, Photinia is a favourite for above-fence screening. In pleached form, it creates a green "privacy panel" that blocks views from upper-storey windows. Bonus: Great for small gardens and looks good year-round.

2. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

• Type: Deciduous / Semi-evergreen

• Height: 6–12m

• Best For: Holding privacy through winter

Hornbeam keeps its copper-brown leaves through the cold months, offering excellent screening even when not fully in leaf. It can be planted as a natural hedge, pleached screen, or trained standard. Use it: Along boundary lines where year-round privacy is key.

3. Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)

• Type: Evergreen

• Height: 8–12m

• Best For: Vertical privacy in tight gardens

If you need to block sightlines from an upstairs window without taking up floor space, this ultra-slim tree is perfect. No pruning needed—just plant and let it grow tall. Design tip: Line 3–5 trees in a row to form a green vertical curtain.

4. Lombardy Poplar (Populus nigra 'Italica')

• Type: Deciduous

• Height: Up to 30m

• Best For: Fast, tall boundary screening

One of the fastest-growing trees in the UK, Lombardy Poplar offers instant height. Ideal for larger plots where neighbours' windows or gardens loom nearby. Be cautious of its root spread—plant well away from buildings. Growth rate: 1–2 metres per year.

5. Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)

• Type: Evergreen

• Height: 5–8m

• Best For: Dense, elegant hedging

Portuguese Laurel grows into a thick, dark green hedge that offers excellent visual and noise screening. It’s slower-growing than Cherry Laurel, which makes it much easier to maintain—perfect for long-term privacy. Bonus: Hardy, shade-tolerant, and easy to shape.

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Privacy Above a Fence: Your Options

Want more than a 6ft fence can offer?

Try:

• Pleached trees to lift the screen above eye level

• Standard trees with clear stems for a "hedge on stilts" effect

• Container-grown trees to raise the rootball and get instant height

• Layered planting with climbers, shrubs and trees for multi-level cover

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Screening Strategy by Situation

Neighbour Problem	Best Tree Solution
Overlooked by upstairs windows	Pleached Hornbeam or Photinia
Small garden, close fences	Japanese Holly or Italian Cypress
Need fast results	Lombardy Poplar or Hybrid Willow
Want winter cover	Evergreen Laurel or Holm Oak
Modern garden design	Photinia, Olive, or clipped Yew

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The Etiquette of Screening Neighbours

• Check boundary lines before planting

• Avoid trees with invasive roots (e.g. large willows or poplars near houses)

• Communicate with neighbours if trees may impact their light or views

• Maintain trees responsibly to avoid disputes or legal issues

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Shop Privacy Trees for Screening Neighbours

At Bowhayes Trees, we specialise in natural screening trees to help you regain privacy—beautifully.

✔️Pleached and standard forms available ✔️Evergreen and deciduous options ✔️Delivery across the UK. Explore Screening Trees for Neighbour Privacy

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FAQs

What is the best tree to block a neighbour’s upstairs window?

Pleached trees like Photinia, Hornbeam, or Portuguese Laurel are ideal for adding privacy above fence height, screening upper-floor windows without taking up too much ground space.

What trees grow tall but don’t take up much space?

Can I legally plant trees for privacy in the UK?

Do I need planning permission for screening trees?