Poplars and firs.

Hi! I'm new to both gardening and this forum. I joined to get some advice and help with our garden. We moved into our house about 18 months ago. The garden is mostly in lawn but the boarder of the garden is edged basically all around with mature trees. I think there's about 75 of them, mostly poplars and firs that we think we're planted around 60 yrs ago.

They aren't the prettiest of trees and my husband would very much like to take some of them away. I agree that there are better looking trees and these wouldn't have been the ones I'd have chosen to plant, but I don't want to take them away without replacing them with something else.

Are all trees equal when it comes to being good for the environment and wildlife friendly? Are poplars and firs particularly bad or good?

There are a few fruit trees and sycamore trees too, which are staying.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

This is the front/north boundary. There are 3 rows of trees, 2 rows of poplars closest to the road and then a row of firs closest to the garden.

The trees along the west side are just a single row of poplars.

 

You can kind of see the west side in this picture. I'll get better pictures tomorrow in the daylight.

 

A couple of thoughts:
Why were the tree planted in the first place?
Are they covered by any form of preservation order or in a conservation area?
I would however get rid of the sycamores, they grow like mad, seedlings come up all the over place and their regular aphid infestations drip honeydew on anything below them.

 

I assume they were planted to screen from the road in front and the neighbour to the west side. I'm guessing they chose poplar because they grow so fast...
They're so tall that they aren't really offering that much privacy as you can see clearly past the trunks.

 

I never knew that about sycamores. They may well have to go too then.

 

I dont think sycamore is all bad, but in the right situation.

Yours do look like they were planted to form some kind of screen/hedge but were just left to their own devices.

 

Yes, they really are a bit of an eyesore. I have a feeling they'll be expensive to have taken down too .

 

Hi Heffalump

All trees have their pros and cons. As far as providing screening and privacy the conifers are great at that - all year round cover and colour. However, they also block an enormous amount of sunlight and cast a lot of shade onto the house and garden. Poplars are fast growing but can be prone to failure in high winds. Both species aren't great for providing habitat for wildlife. You're only likely to get pigeons and maybe magpies in the conifers, with the poplars being... popular... for sects such as hawk moths and their grubs. No great loss if you were to remove them completely and replant with something more suitable.

 

Thanks for all of this info. I think we will look to have them removed then.

I have heard that it's illegal to chop down trees during the spring due to nesting season, do you know when it is legal to chop them down?

Can you recommend any trees that are particularly good for wildlife?

 

We will definitely look to get them taken down as people have mentioned their instability in high winds. It's just the cost!

 

It's unlawful to destroy nesting birds during any season, not just the spring. Generally speaking nesting season runs from Feb - Aug and is at its height between 1st March - 31st July. Conifers are often home to nesting birds for a long time, so you will need to keep an eye on any bird activity. If you get a reputable arborist in to do the work for you they should take nesting season into account and may postpone the work until afterwards.

If you are planning on replanting with more suitable species intended to promote wildlife in your garden then I admire you for that. You may need to be aware that trees will need to mature before they are of full benefit. you'll be planting now for future generations to come. In my opinion I would aim to plant native British trees that are suitable for your garden; i.e., right for the location; soil type; proximity to house; outbuildings and roads; exposure; soil water availability etc. Help to be part of the rewilding in Britain!

Good luck with it. Keep us informed as to how you go!