Affordable replacement trees

[Racerbear02]

Following the losses of some of our trees in the recent storms, poplars, tilleul and pines, we are looking to replace them with something reasonably quick growing to re establish a bit of protection. I do not want leylandi !!

I am looking for ideas of types of trees to suit our purpose and also a cost effective source of supply for around 15-20 reasonable size plantings

Any ideas??, we live near Laon in Aisne 02

[Tresco]

Hi Racebear,

Sorry I have no specific ideas to give you, just general advice.

I spent a lot of time going through 'tree books' choosing my favourite trees, only to find that the time was wasted. Many were not available nearby, and to order good sized trees mail order would have been very expensive.

We did spend about 3000E for 15 reasonably mature trees, because we had nothing, and desperately wanted just a bit of instant maturity. These were delivered, planted, (there is no way we could have planted many of them ourselves) and garuanteed for 1 year by the supplier about 30K away.

We then ended up wanting roughly the same number of reasonable sized trees as you do now. What we did then, was go to local suppliers, check out what they had available, then sit in the car with the books and check that they would suit our soil type, and what rate of growth to expect, (many plants here have a little rabbit or tortoise on the label to indicate rate of growth). We bought roughly another 15 5/6 foot trees, some of them were only 15 Euros, and ordered a further 100 bare rooted 'whips' (tiny baby trees that don't need staking) from a website.

If you havn't got a 'tree book', let me know what your soil type is, (and where 02 is!), and i'll try and give some more specific advice.

tresco (post edited, mistaken cost adjusted)

[zeb]

Racebear - Go to your nearest pepiniére and try doing a deal as you want a quantity. They are usually very obliging.

Poplars (in bulk) are quite popular (:blush in France as they are grown in regular clumps as a celebration of the birth of a daughter or grand-daughter. They grow quickly and will mature in time for cutting/selling when the child marries. Young ones are quite cheap.

Tresco - can you find that website please as some friends would like to plant a wood.

regards.......helen

[Tresco]

Helen, i'ts http://www.pepinieres-moissenot.fr.

TOH has just reminded me, we ordered 120 and recived about 40 more than that, don't know why, but there was no extra charge.

The cost of the ones we chose ranged from 55cents to about 2E

The delivery cost was quite high, about 30E, but all the plants (some were 4ft) were in very good condition.

You can order the catalogue on line, we had probs doing that, sent an email, very quick response and we got the catalogue in a few days.

tresco

[Athene]

[quote]Helen, i'ts http://www.pepinieres-moissenot.fr . TOH has just reminded me, we ordered 120 and recived about 40 more than that, don't know why, but there was no extra charge. The cost of the ones w...[/quote]

Thanks you all for your advice! I will be doing the rounds of the garden centres on my next visit! The thought of a would be, sapling hedge in my car on my way to France was not an appealing prospect - a case of Great Burnham Wood coming to high Dunsinane hill!  If you add to that our two aged cats who travel very sedately in a puppy cage! I guess it would not have been good!