Leylandii

[Charnwood]

My neighbour has planted 2 Leylandii (?) in our communal garden.
They have been planted at about 30 degrees off vertical, leaning in a north-westerly direction and 12" behind a bench seat, less than a foot from the tarmac under the bench.

Pardon my ignorance, but me and gardening......no.

1) should they be planted at such an angle?
2) are they too close to the bench?
3) are they too close to the tarmac?
4) how fast do they grow?

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[Nick98]

1) should they be planted at such an angle?

No! Upright - was the person who planted them drunk - or have they got one leg shorter than the other?

2) are they too close to the bench?

That depends on what sort of leylandii they are. You can get dwarf versions but I wouldn't know from looking at the picture what they are

3) are they too close to the tarmac?

Again that depends - if they are dwarf ones then no but if they are plain leylandi then I would say so. A lot depends on how well they are maintained and whether they are pruned back each year to restrict the growth. If trimmed every year they can make a hedge which would screen the back of the bench - but if left untended they will grow quickly and thicken out. It will take a few years to get to that state (they are young trees at the moment) - but once established then look out!

4) how fast do they grow?

As they are young then about 1ft per year but once established, in a soil they like then plan on 3ft per year. I have some that border the western side of my rear garden, they were planted by my neighbour some 20 years ago with the intention of being an 8ft hight hedge but were left to grow out of control. When I moved in 4 years ago they were over 30ft tall (taller than a telegraph pole) but they were cut that year to about 18ft - they are now back to about 25ft high and will go through the same process this autumn although this time down to 15ft.

 

[Charnwood]

Actualy, she got her teenage grandson to plant them.
She walks past them 2 or 3 times per day. They've been in about a week. I can't believe she hasn't done anything about straightening them.

 

[merlin50]

you will need to move the bench as they will grow at least 10 feet wide

 

[Richard C]

Shrubs are far more intelligent the most of the people who plant them, they will straighten up on their own. I’d be more concerned about them planting Leylandii, they are totally unsuitable in a shrub border. They will become a complete PITA, destroy your drive & nothing whatsoever will grow in the immediate vicinity once they get established. I have a very large garden & I inherited several; even cropped, they have a mind of their own & one is now over 30ft tall. I am gradually working my way through them with a chain saw. They burn well though

 

[Loofah]

I don't think that they're actually leylandii, they look more like gold crest conifers (cupressus); they're smaller than a leylandii but definitely too close to the bench.

I can only think that the planting angle is due to the path of the sun but it's still daft. I'd pop out and replant them upright and a bit further back from the bench. With trimming it won't be an issue.

 

[steveb1964]

They're not Leylandii