Planting for Privacy

Create a peaceful oasis in your backyard or provide year round privacy in your home when you design and plant a living screen. Houses are getting taller and lots are getting smaller.  As a result the proximity to our neighbors is increasingly closer.  And don’t get me started about the removal of all existing vegetation during these construction projects.  As much as we are delighted to sell the ubiquitous screen, the Emerald Green arborvitae,  we want to share some additional ideas and suggestions for those looking for something a bit different.  Before you jump in, the following are a few criteria to consider before making plant decisions.

1. What exactly do you want to screen? In many cases, you may be screening an upper story window that looks into your kitchen or patio.  You may be screening the heads popping up over the fence from the neighbor’s trampoline.  In some cases, the whole home sits below the grade of an adjacent neighbors.
2. What is the season of optimal screening? If you want to screen an outdoor deck or patio, this may be most important during the spring and summer, when you are spending time outdoors.  Alternatively, you may be screening interior rooms during those short winter nights.
3. Do you have an existing fence in place? If so, then you are most likely looking for screening that is taller than 6’  A plant that grows to 8’ will likely take a while to reach the desired height.
4. Do you know the height needed for the ideal screen? Remember Geometry class?  Well this is a time in your life where it may actually come in handy.  The distance you are from the object you are screening, will help determine the ultimate height you need from the screen you select.  As illustrated below, the further from the object, the shorter the screen.  While the closer to the object, the taller the screen will need to be.

 

Similarly, the closer the screen is to your line of sight, the shorter it can be.

 

5. What sunlight is available in the summer? Full sun is more than 6 hours a day.  Part Sun is 4-6 hours per day.  Shade is less than 4 hours a day.  If the screen is going to be along the north edge of your property line, it will get the most potential sun while still allowing optimal sun on your patio.  If you are wanting screening from the sun for your patio, consider placing the plant towards the southern and western part of your patio.  I know what you are thinking… geometry and compass directions, yikes!  Let’s get to the discussion of plants.
6. Will you have water during the summer for your plants? Some plants are drought tolerant and can take less water during our dry summers than others.  That means less water, not no water.  Some plants (like Arborvitae), need summer water throughout their lifetime.  Something to consider.

 

What follows are landscape designs for formal and informal screens. Plant lists are also provided to help expand your imagination about the wide variety of plants that can be used to provide privacy.  There are many other plants our friendly, knowledgeable staff would love to share, in addition to the ones listed here.

A formal screen has a consistent backdrop. In our first design a mid-height screen forms a living fence, while three identical trees are strategically placed to block taller eyesores.  The second formal screen has a much taller formal screen forming a green wall. This provides optimal privacy, and also creates a backdrop allowing you to landscape creatively in the foreground.

 

FORMAL SCREEN

 

	Full Sun	Part Sun
A:	Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald Green’ Juniperus scopularum ‘Blue Arrow’, ‘Skyrocket Styrax japonica ‘Snow Cone’	Stewartia pseudocamellia Cornus kousa Camellia sansanqua or japonica
B:	Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ Euonymous fortunei ‘Silver Queen’ Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’	Ilex crenata ‘Northern Beauty’ Taxus x media ‘HM Eddie’, ‘Hicksii’ Cornus alba ‘Crème de Mint’
C:	Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffriticosa’ Hebe pinguifolia ‘Sutherlandii’ Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’	Spiraea japonica ‘Magic Carpet’ Choisya ternate ‘Sundance’ Azalea ‘Hino Crimson’

 

Informal screens have a more natural appearance, but still achieve our privacy goals.  The first informal design features tow differing varieties of trees that help obscure the neighbors second story windows. A variety of lower shrubs help form a living fence below.  In our second design a curved garden bed helps to create a softer feel. Trees are again strategically placed for optimal screening, with the addition of an assortment of taller shrubs to provide a tall living fence.

INFORMAL SCREEN

 

	Full Sun	Part Sun
A:	Calocedrus decurrens Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’	Thuja plicata ‘Green Giant’ Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’
B:	Acer rubrum ‘Karpick’ Ginkgo biloba ‘Gold Spire’ B2-Malus ‘Gladiator’, ‘Royal Raindrop’	Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’ B2-Acer griseum B2-Acer palmatum ‘Twombley’s Sentinel’
C:	Osmanthus burkwoodii Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’	Ligustrum japonicum ‘Texanum’ Fuchsia magellanica
D:	Viburnum davidii	Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Rainbow’ Vaccinium ovatum
E:	Abelia grandiflora ‘Edward Goucher’ Escallonia ‘Pink Princess’	Myrica californica (aka Morella) Rhododendron ‘Anah Kruschke’, ‘Horizon Monarch’
F:	Erica carnea ‘Kramer’s Rote’, ‘Springwood White’ Lonicera ‘Moss Green’	Mahonia nervosa Prunus lauroserasus ‘Mt Vernon’
G:	Arctostaphylos uva ursi Sedum ‘Angelina’	Leptinella squalida Vinca minor ‘Bowles’

We welcome you to stop by Squak Mt. Nursery today and allow our friendly staff to assist you in selecting the perfect plants to provide privacy for your garden and home. When you come, bring a photo or two of what you are trying to screen.