Pleached Trees for Above-Fence Screening | Elegant Garden Privacy UK
- Kerri Cuthbert
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
When a 6ft fence doesn’t offer enough privacy—but you don’t want to lose garden space to bulky hedges—pleached trees offer the perfect solution. These architectural beauties provide elevated screening above your fence line, combining elegance with function.
In this post, we’ll explore the best pleached trees for screening in the UK, how to use them effectively, and what makes them ideal for formal gardens, patios, courtyards, and tight urban spaces.
What Are Pleached Trees?
Pleached trees are specially trained with a clear trunk and a flat, square crown—like a hedge on stilts. They're grown with the canopy lifted above head height, creating a living green screen that blocks views from above without taking up floor space.
They are perfect for:
Creating privacy above fences or walls
Blocking sightlines from upstairs windows
Adding a formal, structured look to gardens
Defining zones or framing pathways
Best Pleached Trees for Privacy Screening
1. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Type: Deciduous / Semi-evergreen
Height: 4–6m trained
Best For: Year-round structure & native character
Hornbeam is one of the most popular trees for pleaching in the UK. While it’s deciduous, it holds on to its golden-brown leaves in winter, creating reliable screening even when bare. Its flexible branches make it ideal for training, and it's well-suited to formal layouts. Top cultivar: ‘Frans Fontaine’ – narrow growth and tidy shape.
Type: Evergreen
Height: 2–4m trained
Best For: Colourful, modern privacy
With vibrant red new growth and glossy evergreen leaves, Photinia makes a striking pleached screen that looks beautiful all year. It responds well to shaping and is particularly useful in smaller urban gardens where space is limited. Bonus: Produces white flowers in spring and can be clipped to maintain shape.
3. Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica)
Type: Evergreen
Height: 2–5m trained
Best For: Dense privacy and traditional style
Portuguese Laurel offers deep green, leathery leaves, ideal for neat, formal screens. It clips well, has a restrained habit, and its compact growth makes it easier to manage than Cherry Laurel in pleached form. Pro tip: Trim twice yearly to keep a sharp pleached shape.
4. Evergreen Oak (Quercus ilex)
Type: Evergreen
Height: 3–6m trained
Best For: Coastal or windy gardens
A brilliant choice for year-round above-fence privacy, Holm Oak tolerates wind, pollution, and drought, making it perfect for urban or coastal screening. In pleached form, it offers a dense, tidy canopy that remains green in every season. Style note: Great for contemporary or Mediterranean-style gardens.
How to Use Pleached Trees in Garden Design
Extend fence height: Place pleached trees directly behind a 6ft fence to increase privacy without upsetting neighbours or breaching planning rules.
Screen out buildings: Block views from windows, balconies, or high-traffic areas with elevated canopies.
Frame garden features: Use pleached trees to line a patio, pathway, or lawn edge, creating structure and balance.
Divide zones: Create stylish outdoor “rooms” by placing pleached panels between seating, dining, or play areas.
Planting & Maintenance Tips
Spacing: Plant 1.2–1.5m apart so crowns merge into a continuous screen
Support: Young pleached trees are trained on bamboo frames—replace or remove after 4–5 years when the form sets
Watering: Keep roots moist during the first two years, especially in dry spells
Pruning: Shape once in summer and again in early autumn to maintain a tight screen
Stem cleaning: Remove any suckers or shoots from the clear trunk to maintain the “stilts”
Are Pleached Trees Right for You?
Pleached trees offer elegant, space-saving privacy, but they may not suit every situation:
Not ideal for very exposed sites without some wind protection
Require regular pruning to keep their flat shape
Initial cost is higher than standard trees or shrubs—but the results are unmatched in design and effect
Where to Buy Pleached Screening Trees
At Bowhayes Trees, we offer a carefully grown selection of pleached trees ideal for UK gardens. All trees are trained to professional standards and shipped securely from our Devon nursery.
✔️Pre-trained on bamboo frames ✔️Evergreen and deciduous options ✔️Expert advice on spacing, pruning & placement. Browse our full range of Pleached Screening Trees
FAQs
What is a pleached tree?
A pleached tree is trained to have a straight, clear stem with a flat, square canopy—like a hedge on stilts. It’s perfect for adding privacy and screening above fences or walls, especially in formal or compact gardens.
Can you buy pleached evergreen trees?
How close can you plant pleached trees to a fence?
How tall are pleached trees?
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