Thuja Steeplechase & Green Giant Questions

I want to put in some tall, columnar trees that will provide a screen against a back fence. We are thinking of the Thuja Green Giant, and then I have been reading that the Thuja Steeplechase variety holds a nicer shape on top and has a nicer texture.
Does anyone have experience with or knowledge of this this tree? One place I found information was at Wayside Garden's web site: http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&cid=wgblog0001&mainPage=prod2working&ItemId=47064

I want to begin with plants that are at least 5 feet tall. I understand that they can grow 2 feet a year, a little slower however than the Green Giant. Where is the best place to go in the Columbia SC area?

Here's some information you may be able to use ... http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/conif/msg012224393615.html ...

I'll look for some information now that may be more applicable to your question!!!!

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I searched for the best place for you to go in Columbia, and I couldn't find any!!!! Maybe someone else can do better. Sorry!!!

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ask the good folks at Cooper's Nursery in NE Columbia; they are on Parklane and they usually have a wonderful selection of trees. They will also be able to tell you if that is a good selection for the area; evergreens can be difficult in the Midlands heat.

I went out to Cooper's today. Their prices are substantially lower than at Woodleigh's and I don't mind the more informal setting. They do not stock the Thuja Steeplechase, but they can order it from Monrovia. On the other hand they had some nice looking Emerald Green arborvitae, and they just look much nicer than the Green Giant, and the Leyland cypress. The Emerald Greens seemed more dense, prettier foliage, and more compactly shaped. I'm told they grow slower and will take 10 years to go from about 5 ft in the pot to 10 or 12 feet, which is where I want them. I may investigate getting larger trees to start with. The 5 ft ones were under $90 each.

Can anyone advise me on the pros and cons of these varieties? I'm new to this and to the area.

I'm with Ardesia on this one, Doyledh! Evergreen conifers are a real "iffy" proposition down here in the low country, and you ain't that far off in Colmbia! I've noticed the big "push" on Thuja in all the mail order catalogues lately, but I'm not convinced they're all that the hype proclaims for our climate. I think these "Thuja" varieties being offered are Chamaecyparis thyoides in various forms, and there HAS been a lot of interest in the genus lately by commercial growers that may have led to some breakthrough developments. Don't know. But I'm skeptical. The only way to find out for sure is to try them yourself! (And PLEASE report back!). The conifers that have done well for me in these hot climes are the native Juniperus virginiana, and the Leyland Cyprus ( a hybrid of the Chameocyparis genus, which I suspect is responsible for the fast growth). But neither approach the growth rates claimed for "thuja". Love to know the results if you try these "mighty giants"!

It just occurred to me that any evergreens that will do well in Columbia will be growing at Riverbanks. They showcase all plant material that succeeds in the Midlands. You might take a walk through the zoo and gardens and see if they have any growing there. The horticulturists there could also tell you of their experiences with evergreens. a

Good idea re Riverbanks. I see enormous conifers by the side of the road around Columbia, some are Leylands, which have a more pyramidal shape, and some appear to be Thuja's, which have a more columnar shape. All that I read about the Steeplechase makes me want to try those. We want fast and big growth for the back yard screen to give us privacy (and noise control) around the pool in back.
Monrovia sells the Steeplechase, and others of course, but is out of stock, Glenn at Coopers informs me.