Everyone likes a little privacy. We want to feel like at least some part of our garden is a private oasis, a place where we can go to relax and leave the cares of the world behind. That doesn't necessarily mean building a fortress of walls around your yard. In fact, there are many creative options for privacy screening.
Editor’s Note: updated for 2022!
Here are some things to consider as you begin. First, what are your screening needs?
Do you prefer a formal hedge or plantings that blend into the landscape?
Do you need to cover the entire length of your property line or will you screen only one area?
Do you want to block views from overhead, such as from a neighbor’s deck or windows?
When you have determined your basic screening needs, ask yourself a few more questions:
Do you want year-round or seasonal coverage?
How tall and wide would you like your plantings to grow?
Don't forget to consider multiple angles of coverage as well. View the site from different angles to be sure you are covered from all sides.
You may also want to think about a temporary solution while waiting for your plants to fill in, such as bamboo or brush fencing.
Formal Hedges
Yew hedge
These plants offer a dense, geometric screen for formal hedges. They will need regular shearing maintenance (at least twice a year) to retain their shape:
Cupressus x leylandii
An individual specimen can grow to 30’ high x 20’ wide
As a hedge can be pruned to 8’-10’ high x 4’ wide
Plant at least 6’ apart
Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’ (evergreen)
Individual or hedge, grows to 10'
Sun or shade
Can be shaped to any form
Informal Hedges
Lonicera nitida, Boxleaf Honeysuckle
Less formal but equally as dense, these plants need less shearing and maintenance and have a more natural shape:
Fargesia rufa (evergreen)
A clumping bamboo that doesn’t spread!
Grows to 10'
Nandina domestica
Individual or hedge
Great red/orange winter color
The look of bamboo but doesn’t spread
Lonicera nitida
Try the variety ‘Baggesen’s Gold’
Individual or hedge
Can be sheared to any width or depth
Versatile! Can handle sun, part shade, or shade
Narrow Spaces
Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil,’ a cultivar of Japanese Holly
For extremely limited, narrow spaces, these tall, narrow shrubs work well:
Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’ (small evergreen)
Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ (evergreen)
Cupressus ‘Wilma Goldcrest’
Bright gold foliage
8’ x 3’ wide
Sun or part shade
Or consider structures like a trellis or arbor with smaller vines:
Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea’ (deciduous)
Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’ (semi-evergreen)
Akebia quinata (semi-evergreen)
Clematis armandii (evergreen)
Hedera canariensis ‘Sulphur Heart’ (evergreen)
Sun or shade
x Fatshedera lizei cvs. (evergreen)
White flowers
Can handle full shade
Other Options
Weeping Beech Tree
Weeping trees can also serve as a single architectural accent for screening:
Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’ (Weeping Beech)
Tsuga ‘Sargent’s Weeping’ (Weeping Hemlock)
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ (Weeping Alaska Cedar)
Also, consider large potted accents of the following, either singly or in rows:
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
6’ h x 2’ w
Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’
Fargesia rufa
Now that you have a few screening options, experiment to find the best solution for your space. Formal or not, remember that all screening plants will need some maintenance to retain their form and thrive.
Want to see some of our suggestions for real customers with screening needs? Check out our Pinterest board: Privacy Screening & Hedges, which has customized inspiration for different spaces!
We can help with your individual needs as well. Come in, email us, or chat with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #heyswansons and we’ll offer personalized advice and suggestions!