Urban sprawl, we all have to deal with it. We live on smaller and smaller plots of land, with our neighbors sometimes just a little to close for our comfort level. Perhaps putting up a privacy fence is restricted by zoning or budgets, what can you do to afford a little privacy in your back yard oasis? Plant a privacy screen. The benefits of a natural privacy screen include the obvious, privacy, as well as a natural habitat for birds, and aesthetic beauty.
When selecting shrubs or bushes for your privacy screen you will want to determine how much privacy you need, when you need it, and how much care you will need to give the plantings to keep them thriving. Other factors to consider are your climate, sun, and soil conditions.
If you are wanting a dense privacy hedge look at the Emerald Green Arborvitae plants. These plants are evergreen, meaning they do not shed their leaves in the fall. They are hardy in zones 2-7, and reach a height of 12-14 feet with a nearly 3 foot spread. It is important not to overcrowd your Arborvitae planting. Know its mature size and plant just close enough that at maturity your property is well screened. This will minimize stress on your plants, and have a pleasing effect on growth and vigor. These plants do not tolerate drought, provide irrigation or select a different plant if you live in water restricted or dry zones. Arborvitae lends itself well to pruning if you need the plant to stay within a confined size or shape. Plant in full or partial sun, avoid full shade.
Privet is one of my favorite hedge plants. It is very fast growing, easy to establish, tolerates a pretty wide range of soils. Privet plants come in semi-evergreen, and evergreen varieties. They are hardy in zones 5-9, preferring partial shade to full sun. Privet hedges need to be well watered to thrive. Be careful planting these as the plants are poisonous if ingested and can be invasive if you are not a careful gardener. Putting those aspects aside, Privet takes well to vigorous pruning and shaping, and creates a very quick growing privacy screen. Depending on the variety your privet hedge will reach 4-15 feet in height. The more you prune it, the denser the foliage will become. If left to its own devices it will create a loosely formed hedged that still affords good privacy. Please do take into consideration your neighbor’s needs when planting hedges that have toxic leaves or berries. Be a good neighbor!
Canadian Hemlocks create a dense, lush screen. These vigorous evergreen plants can reach heights of 40 feet and beyond. Canadian Hemlocks should be spaced 3-5 feet for formal hedge. The needles are soft and respond well to the pruning needed to keep them neat. Failure to prune will give you an overgrown and unsightly hedge row. They will thrive in zones 3-7, and perform best in a full sun environment.
Try planting Chinese Elm hedge if you like pretty colored foliage in the fall. This plant holds its leaves until late fall, turning vibrant reds and purples. It can be pruned for a formal look or allowed to grow to tree height for a less formal hedge. Zones 4-9, full sun, with spring blooms makes Chinese Elm an excellent choice for your hedge.
Mock Orange is a beautifully fragrant shrub vigorous in zones 4-8. This shrub is a good choice for a beautifully informal privacy screen. It will mature to about 5-8 feet in height, depending on variety. Mock Orange prefers full sun and will drop its leaves in the fall. If year round privacy is your thing, select an evergreen instead.
Rose of Sharon makes a beautiful screen. It adapts well to pruning for a low hedge or can be allowed to grow naturally for a more shrubby appearance. These grow 8-10 feet all with a spread of about 4-6 feet, hardy in zones 5-9. Rose of Sharon is a deciduous plant and will drop all of its leaves in the fall. The blooms are magnificent in white, red, lavender, or blue. People with bee allergies may want to avoid this shrub as the flush of beautiful flowers will attract bees.
There is a shrub for every garden and a selection available for every gardener. Speak to your local nurseryman about your needs and they will be happy to assist you with plant selections and care instructions for your specific requirements. Many of these hedge plantings are more cost effective than a privacy fence, and also more neighbor friendly as your neighbor benefits from the hedge as much as you do! Shrubs can be purchased very affordably from many mail order sources as well as your local nursery.
Plant sources to keyword search on the internet: Spring Hill Nursery, Henry Fields, Nature Hills, Autumn Ridge Nursery, and Direct Gardening.
