If you are looking for a way to increase the privacy of your yard, you may want to look towards a more natural form such as trees and landscaping hedges. If you are a first time diy landscaper you may be asking the question What are good privacy trees and where do I start? With the wealth of trees, shrubs, and bushes on the market it is easy to get overwhelmed with the number of options. However, with the help of our DIY experts you will easily discover what the best privacy trees and shrubs are and how you can get started planting them in your yard!
Growth rate is big factor that should be considered when searching for the right hedge plants for your yard. Depending on the type, you can find either slow or fast growing trees that have an average growth rate anywhere between 1 to 6 feet per year, so focus on this rather than the size you see at the plant nursery. Thuja green giant trees are extremely quick growing, animal and pest resistant, and offer lush, thick green coverage year round, making it a top choice among gardening experts. Also ranking high on the long list of landscaping trees for privacy are spireas, weeping willows, and the red maple tree which can all be trimmed and pruned to increase growth and keep them healthy. Weeping trees grow to a remarkable 30 feet tall and 30 feet wide with beautiful light green leaves that reach the ground. With this type of girth it easily provides both shade and privacy during the sunny warm months. A more colorful version of this landscaping wetland native is the weeping cherry tree which blossoms similarly to the willow, but sprouts gorgeous pink and white flowers.
Accent these brilliant maples with dark evergreen shrubs and you will have beautiful contrasting hues that all your friends and family will admire. Another plant of Asian descent is bamboo, which is a flowering perennial evergreen native to Southeast Asia. Bamboo plants are characteristically grown in closely spaced rows that provide an almost impermeable shield from unwanted pests, unsightly scenery or meddlesome neighbors. Though one of the best trees for your yard in terms of privacy, bamboo is not the easiest to care for so a homeowner with little time for maintenance may want to search for a simpler hedge. Although not a flowering plant, maple trees can also add color and ornamentation to an otherwise dull yard. The Japanese maple tree produces striking red, pink, yellow, green, and even purplish foliage depending on which variety you plant and the different months of the year. The “Dancing Peacock” is a specific variety of this type of maple that produces deep purplish pink leaves in the fall making them the ideal colorful plant for Japanese garden ideas.
The arborvitae emerald green giant is classified in the evergreen family and ranks among some of the strongest and best landscaping ideas for privacy because it grows to heights upwards of 30 feet, provide excellent protection from the wind and animals, plus requires little maintenance. Holly bushes also make the list as some of the best large shrubs for privacy as their average growth is 20-30 feet in height and 10 feet in width to provide densely packed protection from both animals and neighbors. Holly shrubs are also easy to grow, pest resistant, and can grow in both the shade and sun, making them ideal for any location in your yard.
While wood and wrought iron fences can add ornamentation to a dull yard, they may not provide much in terms of privacy. On the other hand, stone and brick fences can do more to shield your yard from the view of nosey neighbors, however unless built greater than five feet high, they will not completely conceal your yard. Plus, these materials can be costly.
Browsing through our images online is a quick and easy way to see what shrubs are good for privacy. However, if you want to gain more detailed information on growing seasons, the best soil for tree planting, or watering schedules, our in depth articles and online plant nursery will provide you with such. When it comes to privacy bushes and shrubs there are a few things you need to consider, including the climate in which you live, what size you want the plants to reach, and where you are going to plant them. For areas that are subject to changing weather patterns and cooler temperatures you will benefit from choosing durable, and stress-tolerant species such as tall evergreen shrubs and pine trees. Unlike deciduous trees that shed their leaves in the winter, evergreens keep their lush green foliage throughout all the seasons and therefore make great year round privacy hedges. Plus there is a wide range in types of evergreens for privacy including holly, arborvitae, and cypresses which make choosing the right one for your yard a breeze!