Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:52 am
Going off at a tangent slightly, have you considered a living willow wall? From what I remember, it is two parallel fences woven from willow cuttings, that root into the ground and become a living willow hedge. The space between them is filled with earth to form a fairly solid, and reasonably soundproof wall. The higways agency has used them next to new roads as environmentally friendly sound deadening measures.
Red Ken's Guide to Greening London has a bit about them...
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor....ext.pdf
"In certain circumstances living, woody material can be used as a structural component. A new concept in green walls is that of a soil bank held together with a framework of willow cuttings which sprout to form a hedge. The wall is erected in stages one metre high, with willow uprights supporting a basket weave of willow on the outside and soil inside. Cross
members hold the two sides together. A second layer is established on top and so on until the desired height is achieved. An irrigation system is buried within the soil to ensure a luxuriant growth of willow, which is usually achieved within three months of planting. The willow wall is particularly effective at absorbing noise, with a three metre wall providing nearly twice the protection of that of a simple earth bund of similar height. Where noise levels are high frequency and are being emitted from a stationary source (rather than from road or rail traffic) then the effects can be even more dramatic. The willow wall also has the advantage of providing its own rather more soothing sound when the wind gently rustles the leaves."
Red Ken's Guide to Greening London has a bit about them...
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor....ext.pdf
"In certain circumstances living, woody material can be used as a structural component. A new concept in green walls is that of a soil bank held together with a framework of willow cuttings which sprout to form a hedge. The wall is erected in stages one metre high, with willow uprights supporting a basket weave of willow on the outside and soil inside. Cross
members hold the two sides together. A second layer is established on top and so on until the desired height is achieved. An irrigation system is buried within the soil to ensure a luxuriant growth of willow, which is usually achieved within three months of planting. The willow wall is particularly effective at absorbing noise, with a three metre wall providing nearly twice the protection of that of a simple earth bund of similar height. Where noise levels are high frequency and are being emitted from a stationary source (rather than from road or rail traffic) then the effects can be even more dramatic. The willow wall also has the advantage of providing its own rather more soothing sound when the wind gently rustles the leaves."
