just plant it 50 cm away from the wall. plants roots never crack anything unless there is a crack or hole in the foundation then it will penetrate that but other than that go for it. i also like the idea of u building a raised bed as the hedge needs to be quite tall to beat the hight of a 7ft wall!!

I can't see the planning restrictions on adding a trellis on top of an existing wall. The legislation is exact in mentioning new walls and fences requiring permission over 2 metres.

Thanks for the replies folks.

My plans are ever evolving here but I think the raised bed is the way to go. My big problem is that the concrete foundation of the wall seems to extend about 50cm from the wall? Does that mean the hedges will have to be planted further out or would it be possible to build the bed high enough to take the hedges above the concrete? Wildlife, if I plant the hedges 50cm out from the wall will I need another 50cm extending out on the other side, or can the hedges be planted right by the "outer walls" of the raised area?

Botanic, I assumed a trellis would be classed as a fence? Do you think this may not be the case?

Thanks again for the replies, total beginner here...

A lot of people on here with similar problems have settled for a trellis with no reported problems, and it would certainly be quicker and easier than a hedge. I'm pretty sure the regulations don't include trellis but they do include hedges.
Whether 50cm would be enough for hedge roots would depend to some extent on what sort of hedge you plant. Many hedges can become very wide as they age and the roots spread out further than the hedge in any case.If you restrict the root run you will also restrict the growth and therefore the height of the hedge to some extent.Bear in mind also that any hedge that grows quickly will keep on growing and need regular trimming.

In the longer term do you have enough space for a tree to be planted far enough from the wall not to overhang it?

The questions to ask are - do you own the wall, is it shared or is it someone elses? If yours then adding trellis is no issue. Adding trellis to a partywall might fall under various legislation but the odds of needing permission are low. If it is wholly anothers wall then 100% do not add a trellis. As Steragram has said, a hedge next to a wall will take time and work.

Many thanks again for the replies, although they've made me more uncertain rather than less... :)

It seems the raised bed idea would take a lot more space and earth than I envisaged, but I'm still not quite sure how much. If I built a raised bed about a metre high and a metre wide (out from the wall), with concrete wall foundations underneath extending the first 50cm out from the wall, would that hold a good tall hedge? Presumably if it was a metre wide (out from the wall) the roots could extend deeper in the outer part, beyond the concrete?

As for the trellis, it would certainly be quicker and easier, though I don't think it would provide as much seclusion and i can't help thinking it would make the garden look a bit messy.

I'm pretty sure the wall is a party wall, and its shared with the back service entrance of a row of shops where they get deliveries etc, so I doubt that any of the shops would have a problem with a higher screen, it's just that most other info I can find online suggests that outting a trellis on top of a fence amounts to extending that fence and thus falls under the 2m planning permission rule.

Many thanks again for the replies, although they've made me more uncertain rather than less... :)

It seems the raised bed idea would take a lot more space and earth than I envisaged, but I'm still not quite sure how much. If I built a raised bed about a metre high and a metre wide (out from the wall), with concrete wall foundations underneath extending the first 50cm out from the wall, would that hold a good tall hedge? Presumably if it was a metre wide (out from the wall) the roots could extend deeper in the outer part, beyond the concrete?

As for the trellis, it would certainly be quicker and easier, though I don't think it would provide as much seclusion and i can't help thinking it would make the garden look a bit messy.

I'm pretty sure the wall is a party wall, and its shared with the back service entrance of a row of shops where they get deliveries etc, so I doubt that any of the shops would have a problem with a higher screen, it's just that most other info I can find online suggests that outting a trellis on top of a fence amounts to extending that fence and thus falls under the 2m planning permission rule.

If I understand you correctly, you're thinking of making this raised bed so that half of the bottom is on concrete and the other half onto open soil, is that correct? If that's what you are suggesting, then yes, you could put a hedge in that because the roots will enter the ground where they can and extend beneath the rest of the concrete.

Thanks, yeah, that was the idea. Originally I didn't realise how far the concrete extended out from the wall but it became apparent that the raised bed was going to need to be quite wide and probably fairly deep too.

Now my mind is turning back to the trellis idea and the possible planning permission implications...

Thanks, yeah, that was the idea. Originally I didn't realise how far the concrete extended out from the wall but it became apparent that the raised bed was going to need to be quite wide and probably fairly deep too.

Now my mind is turning back to the trellis idea and the possible planning permission implications...

As the wall just backs onto shops its pretty unlikely anybody would object to trellis. As I said lots of people on here have gone down that route. What hedge would you be thinking of putting in a raised bed?

The 2 metre legislation requiring planning permission would be from the highest point of the ground. So it the wall is 1.5m tall on the shop side and 1.7m on yours, then you have 30cm to play with.

A strategically placed shed can solve a lot of problem and does not require permission and need not be some vulgar brown tat from a shed.