A good bush barrier

[Gotalaugh]

Hi guys I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to the best tree type to use as a bush to give a secure boundary to a few rai of land with buildings inside. Originally, I was being pressured into a wall but a combination of the cost and ugliness helped me get support for my idea but I don't want to blow it. We have now put a 2 metre tennis court fence in with a bar at the top and bottom. The idea then was to create a further pretty, natural barrier with the bushes. I had something like leylandii in mind but have been advised by the expert to use Hokkian tea trees - I'm just a little worried they won't be dense or robust enough to really add to the barrier. Am I wrong to worry or is there a better type of tree/bush to use? Anything useful to consider for the Chiang Mai area would be appreciated.

[SDH]

A little off topic but here goes, what exactly is this place? Tennis court, bars, is it public or private?

[Gotalaugh]

It's a restaurant for now and some time in the future a small resort. No tennis court at all I'm afraid.

[Gotalaugh]

How do you add a photo on this forum? If I could then I could show the present situation?

[ataloss]

I recommend the 'ugly' cement block constructed perimeter wall as being more secure than shrubs. Planted climbing vines on the inside - looks good when completely grown. Use the rectangular flat brick (approx 1'x8"x1.5") on the outside entrance wall, leaving a ledge on the ground beams wide enough to support the stacked flat bricks. FWIW

Edited October 10, 2013 by ataloss

[onthedarkside]

How do you add a photo on this forum? If I could then I could show the present situation?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/614372-posting-images-guidelines/

[harrry]

You have to also consider the shrubbery can also hide snakes.

[daoyai]

Natal plum makes a great security hedge (thorns) and the flowers are similar to jasmin ,fruit is good to eat.

Edited October 10, 2013 by daoyai

[Gotalaugh]

This is it. As can be seen, the 2 metre tennis court like fence is already up and now it is a matter of the thick bush to grow high enough to cover it and thick enough for the added security.

[seajae]

you can always grow a plumeria/frangipani/lillawadee hedge by planting the trees a metre apart, you can use all different colours and as they grow through each other you get a great colour show and smell from them. You trim them to keep them hedge like and control the height, they thicken up over the years plus you can see under them as well for snakes etc as they have a low ground clearance. Not many people are aware you can do this but I had one 200 metres long in Australia, brilliant.

Edited October 10, 2013 by seajae

[BruceSmith]

You have to also consider the shrubbery can also hide snakes.

... and, do not forget - the people that say NEE or something like that

[harrry]

You have to also consider the shrubbery can also hide snakes.

... and, do not forget - the people that say NEE or something like that

If it was a boundary fence it would not matter too much. It is a restaurant though and I am not sure I would lilke to be sitting at a table next to it here. Snakes both ground and tree are real here.

I have seen a lot of swallows though. I do not know if they were african or european.

[Gotalaugh]

I recommend the 'ugly' cement block constructed perimeter wall as being more secure than shrubs. Planted climbing vines on the inside - looks good when completely grown. Use the rectangular flat brick (approx 1'x8"x1.5") on the outside entrance wall, leaving a ledge on the ground beams wide enough to support the stacked flat bricks. FWIW

Thanks for the idea Ataloss and perhaps I can look at that for the front but as the photo I've now been able to add shows the tennis court fence is already up and in total it is about 250 meters.

[Gotalaugh]

How do you add a photo on this forum? If I could then I could show the present situation?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/614372-posting-images-guidelines/

Thanks very much - I've done it.

[Gotalaugh]

Natal plum makes a great security hedge (thorns) and the flowers are similar to jasmin ,fruit is good to eat.

Hi Daoyai - I looked at some pictures after your suggestion but the plants were all low. Do you think they could grow to 2 metres densely?

Edited October 11, 2013 by Gotalaugh

[Gotalaugh]

you can always grow a plumeria/frangipani/lillawadee hedge by planting the trees a metre apart, you can use all different colours and as they grow through each other you get a great colour show and smell from them. You trim them to keep them hedge like and control the height, they thicken up over the years plus you can see under them as well for snakes etc as they have a low ground clearance. Not many people are aware you can do this but I had one 200 metres long in Australia, brilliant.

Thanks Seajae - I'll follow that idea up today when I speak to the plants expert. How hi his the ground clearance as it seems good for not covering snakes but too high and we'll still have the security problem.

[Gotalaugh]

You have to also consider the shrubbery can also hide snakes.

... and, do not forget - the people that say NEE or something like that

If it was a boundary fence it would not matter too much. It is a restaurant though and I am not sure I would lilke to be sitting at a table next to it here. Snakes both ground and tree are real here.

I have seen a lot of swallows though. I do not know if they were african or european.

Yes Harry point noted but from the picture I hope you can see the tennis court fence is about 10 metres away for the boundary and the bushes are to add security to and beautify that. Then between the bushes and restaurant that track will be a small service road so I would hope that is an open space snakes won't want to cross. Edited October 11, 2013 by Gotalaugh

[Dante99]

Bougainvillea, good flowers, thorny dense stems. Buy small plants, prep soil well and they will grow fast.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Dante99

[seajae]

you can always grow a plumeria/frangipani/lillawadee hedge by planting the trees a metre apart, you can use all different colours and as they grow through each other you get a great colour show and smell from them. You trim them to keep them hedge like and control the height, they thicken up over the years plus you can see under them as well for snakes etc as they have a low ground clearance. Not many people are aware you can do this but I had one 200 metres long in Australia, brilliant.

Thanks Seajae - I'll follow that idea up today when I speak to the plants expert. How hi his the ground clearance as it seems good for not covering snakes but too high and we'll still have the security problem.

If you buy cutting grown pieces you can determine the height yourself. I cut all mine so that they was only a 12" clearance before the branches started but you can go higher or lower, you just get your supplier to make all the cuts himself from various coloured trees. They are easy to work with and can be shaped very well although not many people realize it anywhere in the world.

Edited October 11, 2013 by seajae

[Dante99]

you can always grow a plumeria/frangipani/lillawadee hedge by planting the trees a metre apart, you can use all different colours and as they grow through each other you get a great colour show and smell from them. You trim them to keep them hedge like and control the height, they thicken up over the years plus you can see under them as well for snakes etc as they have a low ground clearance. Not many people are aware you can do this but I had one 200 metres long in Australia, brilliant.

Plumeria are they without leaves for part of the year aren't they? I see them often as just bare branches. What % of the year are they bare branches? How long are they usually in flower each year?

[sfokevin]

Looking at your beautiful fence pic I am trying to figure out what it is designed to keep out?... Any savy kamoey or street dog could get right under it?... Guess you will be safe from tennis balls...

http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/uploads/monthly_10_2013/post-189231-0-56130400-1381394110.jpg

Edited October 11, 2013 by sfokevin

[daoyai]

Natal plum makes a great security hedge (thorns) and the flowers are similar to jasmin ,fruit is good to eat.

Hi Daoyai - I looked at some pictures after your suggestion but the plants were all low. Do you think they could grow to 2 metres densely?

Easily 2 m. I grew them in Hawaii, if left alone they become small trees, can be trimmed to any shape, can withstand dry periods well.

Edited October 12, 2013 by daoyai

[daoyai]

you can always grow a plumeria/frangipani/lillawadee hedge by planting the trees a metre apart, you can use all different colours and as they grow through each other you get a great colour show and smell from them. You trim them to keep them hedge like and control the height, they thicken up over the years plus you can see under them as well for snakes etc as they have a low ground clearance. Not many people are aware you can do this but I had one 200 metres long in Australia, brilliant.

Plumeria are they without leaves for part of the year aren't they? I see them often as just bare branches. What % of the year are they bare branches? How long are they usually in flower each year?

There are evergreen varieties, the type with blunt tipped shiny leaves and white flowers hold their leaves, pointed tip, fuzzy leaf with pink to red color will shed and be bare. Any type will shed if dry and will go dormant.

[Gotalaugh]

Looking at your beautiful fence pic I am trying to figure out what it is designed to keep out?... Any savy kamoey or street dog could get right under it?... Guess you will be safe from tennis balls...

http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/uploads/monthly_10_2013/post-189231-0-56130400-1381394110.jpg

Thanks for pointing that out Kevin but not to worry we are going to fill the land to cover the gap - the problem was there is a slight slope to the land so there is a gap underneath in places just for now. I appreciate they could still burrow then will hopefully meet a thick hedge. I appreciate if someone really wanted to get in they could but even with a big wall just by resting a ladder or box alongside people could get in.

Anyway, all soi dogs and all but the most committed Khun Kamoeys will be out and we will have a guard.

[Gotalaugh]

Natal plum makes a great security hedge (thorns) and the flowers are similar to jasmin ,fruit is good to eat.

Hi Daoyai - I looked at some pictures after your suggestion but the plants were all low. Do you think they could grow to 2 metres densely?

Easily 2 m. I grew them in Hawaii, if left alone they become small trees, can be trimmed to any shape, can withstand dry periods well.

Thanks Daoyai,

I will look into them.

[cloghead]

You can't go wrong with bougainvillaea--grows thick and thorny and damn-near impenetrable. Once it's mature you'll realize the wire fence was not needed. Requires little/no water once the roots are established. Those roots are like steel cables and might even disturb your wire fence foundations...

[anto]

Nobody mentioned bamboo .