Garden design new build end-terrace house

Don’t you have curtains or comparable privacy screens? I also find the desire to look outside at greenery in winter a bit odd. Aren’t you living at the wrong latitude for that?

No, we only have decorative curtains that are not meant to be drawn. Because we want to be able to look outside. Otherwise, we could just lower the shutters. Sure, another latitude would be nicer, a year-round tropical garden with palm trees and tropical flowers would be my dream. But that’s not as easy to achieve as a few evergreen plants.

Hello everyone,

in the meantime, we have looked at and received advice on quite a few things at the nursery and have decided to plant only hedges on the long side of the house (top of the plan) to the right of the terrace, no other privacy screens. From the terrace to the kitchen window there will be oil trees, to the right of that up to the property boundary and around the following corner glossy mock orange.

The question now is: Espalier or regular plants. In the first consultation, espalier was recommended to us, but in the subsequent ones, regular plants were recommended, as apparently after about 2 years there is no difference anymore. So at the beginning, of course, denser, but after a while, the regular plants would be just as dense and could be kept just as thin. So no advantage of espalier anymore.

Can you confirm this, or does espalier have advantages that would justify the four-figure additional cost?

that would justify the four-figure additional cost?

I would say: no. However, I am not an expert. Only a four-figure amount for the espalier would make me dizzy. Normal plants definitely do what they're supposed to do, namely grow. I would bet on that.

Maybe in the end it's "only" a few hundred euros. For that, we would need to calculate exactly how many plants per meter we need from the trellis and how many from the regular plants. But in any case, the trellis is significantly more expensive. If it brings advantages, we would consider it; otherwise, we'd rather save the money.

Well, the only advantage is the quick opacity. It is basically already somewhat older than the young plants that you usually plant and wait for. As always, you have to decide if it's worth it to you. It wouldn't be worth it to me. The oil palm does not grow super fast, but at least about 20-30 cm per year.