Clive Mitchell wrote:

In message , Tim Snell
writes
I would be really interested to hear any constructive comments, and how
other people had tried to reduce noise in their gardens

Wouldn't a wall of conifers have an effect on absorbing the noise?

Apparently you need a huge amount of vegetation (50m) to halve the noise...
However foliage does give the all important psychological barrier that
prevents viewing the road.

Think fence + trellis + attractive climbers - leylandi