[Duncan]

I inherited a plantation of bamboo at the end of my swimming pool which is effective in screening an unattractive concrete and metal wall.  One downside is that it requires a lot of water to keep it looking good - which it doesn't receive !!  More significantly, I had always thought that the previous owners of the house had contained the bamboo in a proper trench.  However, the bamboo has recently escaped into the municiplal garden behind so I am now less confident about how it is contained and potential damage to the pool.  My awareness of the danger of bamboo is heightened as I am discussing with the Mairie the folly of them planting 25 Bamboo Phyllostachys nigra - without any form of trench - on the other side of my garden wall !!

If I replaced my bamboo - (the width of the platning trench is about 3 1/3 metres by 50 cm) I thought perhaps 5 cypress trees would form a good screen and if I kept them to a height of about 2 1/2 metres I would be able to prune them myself.  I am not sure what depth of soil there is in the current 'trench' until I start escavating the bamboo. Does any one have recommendations for a particular variety of cypress - ie reasonably compact, good dark colour.  Cypress occurred to me as they are classic to the area and if trimmed would suit the more formal style of the pool terrace and wouldn't drop too much debris int he water !!  I am open to suggestions for other planting for the areas too.

Cheers, Duncan   

[Alisdair]

Duncan, you'll find some thoughts specifically about cypress hedging by clicking here.
For other suggestions for hedging in this sort of situation click here, and again for more thoughts click here.
You can find one suggestion for dealing with unwanted bamboo by clicking here, with a more general discussion of glyphosate by clicking here.

[David Bracey]

Duncan cypress can be very boring but would suit an area close to the pool.  Look at C. sempervirens `Stricta`and C.macrocarpa .  Quercus ilex is another rather boring tree but it can be pruned, is local and available.

Look at the Acacias for example A baileyana, jacaranda if your climate is mild enough, Diospyros  a magnificent tree with lots of seasonal interest, do not forget the olive and  Koelreuteria-easy from seed .

[MikeHardman]

Duncan, I have to point out that David's suggestions of Acacia and Jacaranda can shed a lot of debris into the pool.

And if you go for the pencil Cypress, I suggest you plant smallish specimens, as I have seen many mid-sized plantings blown over in the winds we seem to get a lot of. The smaller ones should establish a root system better able to withstand winds. But also be aware that those roots can form a dense mesh of near-surface roots that strongly inhibit other plants (eg. underplanting). I know from experience [I must post some photos on this forum].

Perhaps consider Pittosporum?
There's mention of one forming a 3m hedge in this post.