Suggestions for shrub or small tree needed

can you put a solid trellis in place and put climbers in pots or troughs at the base? Most large plants have proportionate roots and they can affect drainage. Another idea is a support to which you tie willow (or similar ) screening which is available in rolls

A fatsia Japonica might do the trick, they can grow quite dense, but are easily pruned.
To get a large specimen you would have to go to a specialist nursery and have it delivered.
The same with Bamboo, which you could grow in a large planter.

Thank you both for your ideas, I think you are right that I need to find something that I can put in large containers/pots or grow up a trellis.

Bamboo may be the answer, I love the sound of it in a breeze.

I just can't wait till I can get out and about to garden centres, my OH is recovering from an illness (not covid-19) and we are still being extra cautious.

We have some evergreen eleagnus plants that provide privacy against a trellis fence - they are a nice light-medium shade of green so look good in summer as well as later in the year; and are easily pruned and controlled to the height you want.You might want some advice from the garden centre if you plan to grow them in pots. We have yellow climbing roses growing through ours which also works well as long as you can give them enough light.

Bamboo, you get the hight straightaway and then they thicken up after about three years.
Also, have a look at Portuguese Laurel, evergreen, pretty and fast growing.

Magnolia Stelata is lovely.

Be very careful with Portuguese laurel unless you are able to keep it under control. There are some near here twenty foot tall.

And whatever you do, don't plant bamboo straight into the ground! You'll have a jungle within 5 years and will need a machete to get out!

Good recommendations here, just to say I’ve always got my upstairs windows open and definitely aren’t watching my neighbours all day.

shandi6570

Since my neighbour retired I am increasingly uncomfortable in my garden as their property is adjacent and overlooks it. I can feel their 'eyes' and they often have their main upstairs windows open, just makes me feel as though I'm being watched, although of course it could be in my imagination. Whatever, I need something to give me privacy.

I would like to buy a large shrub or small tree to plant against a west facing wall, growing to about 10ft, preferably evergreen. There is a drain hole cover in the vicinity so it can't be anything with large or spreading roots.

Any suggestions?

You must absolutely use bamboo or Cali bamboo... It can be a very fast growing for bamboo fencing.

I’ve just bought lots of photinia because I have to get plants that aren’t poisonous to dogs and I’ve always admired them as hedges in other peoples gardens: I like the way that the leaves at the top turn red. Not sure how tall or how fast they grow, though.

shandi6570

Thank you both for your ideas, I think you are right that I need to find something that I can put in large containers/pots or grow up a trellis.

Bamboo may be the answer, I love the sound of it in a breeze.

I just can't wait till I can get out and about to garden centres, my OH is recovering from an illness (not covid-19) and we are still being extra cautious.

I’m the same. I bought lots of photinia plants from an online company called Yougarden because I didn’t want to go to a garden centre. Their service was excellent.

Another fan of Photinia Red Robin here. They will grow as tall as you let them or can easily be trimmed to the required height and shape, so hedge or tree. I have even seen them pleached which is a good idea.

If you want something that grows fast (albeit not being evergreen) elderberry shoots up. I only have it in the front garden as the berries are poisonous to dogs. I don’t plant it: it just appears.