Living in close proximity to roads or neighboring homes often means sacrificing privacy. However, nature has a solution – lush vegetation can effectively conceal views and enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property. When it comes to creating a natural barrier, taller plants that form a solid wall are ideal.
Whether you’re looking for standalone trees and hedges or vines to cover an existing fence, consider these stunning plant varieties that offer the perfect blend of beauty and functionality.
Plant A Stand of Arborvitae
If you’re seeking a natural and imposing privacy fence, consider Arborvitae, an aromatic evergreen option. This species of tree is known for its remarkable growth rate, with some varieties capable of reaching up to 4 feet per year. As they mature, Arborvitae trees create a stunning wall of greenery that can take around a year to establish. The result is a beautiful and natural-looking barrier that provides privacy year-round.
Fill In An Iron Fence With Azalea
Elevate your outdoor space by incorporating azalea plants, which effortlessly combine stunning color and enhanced privacy. These vibrant flowering shrubs burst forth with enormous blooms in a kaleidoscope of pink hues, then transform again in the fall with another spectacular display. To maximize their screening potential, opt for varieties boasting dense branches, ensuring an impenetrable barrier for your yard.
Leafy Bamboo Adds Height And Privacy
Transform your outdoor space into a serene oasis by growing a natural privacy fence with bamboo. This remarkable plant boasts vibrant green stalks that can be planted close together to create a unique and visually striking barrier that’s sure to turn heads in your neighborhood. With its ability to thrive in warm, humid climates, bamboo is the perfect choice for creating a lush and tranquil atmosphere.
When provided with sufficient water, this quick-growing plant can sprout up to 3 inches per day, allowing you to enjoy the fruits of your labor in no time.
Fill In With Lush Bougainvillea
Replace a dull chain-link fence with the vibrant beauty of bougainvillea. This versatile vine can grow up to 20 feet tall when given proper support, transforming your outdoor space into a stunning oasis every spring and summer. The rapid-climbing vines produce clusters of bright pink flowers that burst forth in warm weather, perfect for climates with mild winters.
With its ability to thrive in temperatures that most plants find too hot or cold, bougainvillea is an ideal choice for upgrading your yard’s aesthetic.
Low Maintenance Boxwood Hedge
Transform your home’s exterior into a classic oasis by incorporating boxwood hedges. These versatile plants boast compact foliage and dense growth, effectively screening out unwanted views while maintaining a high level of seclusion. The versatility of boxwood lies in its ability to be pruned into precise shapes or allowed to grow freely for a more relaxed, natural appearance.
Hardy Fast Growing Chocolate Vine
The chocolate vine is an excellent option for covering an existing fence, boasting thick, densely packed leaves that grow rapidly. A notable feature of this vine is the stunning purple flowers that burst forth every spring, transforming your fence into a vibrant display. However, it’s essential to plan for regular pruning, as the plant has a tendency to sprawl and take over nearby structures, requiring some attention to maintain its desired shape.
Rows Of Evergreen Cypress
Tuscany’s landscape is often characterized by the majestic presence of cypress trees, their slender silhouettes lining driveways and surrounding country villas with an air of elegance. However, these trees are more than just aesthetically pleasing – they’re also incredibly effective at creating a sense of seclusion when planted in rows. Some varieties can reach heights of up to 60 feet, making them the ideal choice for those seeking to create a grand privacy fence that commands attention.
Flowering Duranta Fence
Transform a pool or yard with a stunning mid-height privacy fence using the versatile duranta hedge. Its tall varieties, reaching up to 7 feet in height, provide both seclusion and low-maintenance appeal. For those willing to invest time in pruning, the duranta erecta can reach impressive heights of up to 10 feet, offering a unique combination of privacy and aesthetic appeal.
Classic Climbing English Ivy
English ivy’s versatility as a privacy fence option lies in its ability to effortlessly climb and cover existing structures, creating a lush, vibrant wall of bright green leaves. This low-maintenance option requires minimal upkeep, simply requiring regular watering and the occasional pruning to maintain its desired shape. While it may take up to three years for the ivy to reach full coverage, the end result is well worth the wait.
Go For Height With English Laurel
English laurel, a perennially appealing evergreen hedge, boasts vibrant hues and sumptuous leaves that remain a visual treat throughout the year. Its sturdy branches are densely packed, providing unwavering privacy for those seeking seclusion. Notably, in zones 6-9, numerous varieties can reach impressive heights of up to 12 feet tall and expansive widths of approximately 8 feet, making them an attractive addition to any landscape.
Japonicus Hedges
The Japanese Spindle, also known as Euonymus japonicus, boasts vibrant green foliage that can instantly elevate your outdoor space. Its compact growth habit makes it an excellent choice for creating a natural screen or hedge along a lower privacy fence, reaching heights of around 3 feet tall, although taller varieties are available if needed. As the seasons change, this evergreen plant also produces beautiful blooms in the spring, adding another layer of visual interest to your yard.
Column Or Hedge Of Hicks Yew
The Hicks yew plant boasts a unique combination of long, slender leaves and sturdy branches that make it an excellent choice for creating a natural privacy fence. Its understated charm belies its ability to thrive with minimal care, making it an ideal option for those short on time or patience for gardening and pruning. One of its most striking features is the profusion of bright red berries that adorn the plant throughout the winter months.
Add Vibrant Color With Holly Shrubs
While holly is often associated with Christmas decorations, it’s also a versatile and attractive way to screen off outdoor spaces or add a pop of color to your landscape. As a shrub, holly boasts deep-green leaves that take on a beautiful texture when pruned, creating a stunning visual display. And if you time it just right, you’ll be rewarded with vibrant red berries in mid-autumn, adding a festive touch to your yard.
Hydrangeas Add Height And Dramatic Blooms
If you’re on the hunt for a dramatic and eye-catching privacy solution, look no further than the hydrangea plant. As the seasons change, this versatile shrub transforms into a stunning display of enormous flower spheres, bursting forth with vibrant colors each spring and summer. But its charm doesn’t stop there – even during the quieter months, the lush green foliage provides a natural barrier that’s just as effective. And the best part?
Hydrangeas are quick to grow, allowing you to create a majestic fence in a remarkably short period of time.
Drought Tolerant Italian Buckthorn
The evergreen Italian buckthorn is a remarkably resilient and low-fuss plant that can thrive with minimal attention. Its dense foliage may not completely obscure the view, but it still provides an attractive screen when planted in front of an existing fence or structure. The real showstopper, however, is its variegated leaves, which add a pop of dynamic color to any landscape.
Fill In Open Fencing With Colorful Jacob’s Coat
If you’re looking to revitalize an existing fence, consider incorporating the visually stunning Jacob’s Coat rose into your design. This versatile plant is capable of leveraging nearby structures like chain-link or picket fences for support, allowing its lush foliage to provide a sense of privacy while its showy, romantic blooms infuse the space with vibrant color and alluring fragrance.
Aromatic Juniper Trees
Transform your outdoor space into a serene oasis by incorporating juniper trees into your privacy fence design. For a unique and fragrant option, consider the Wichita Blue variety, which boasts dense branches that can spread up to six feet wide. When selecting this tree for your fence, be sure to allocate sufficient space to accommodate its natural growth.
Stunningly Brilliant Forsythia
The Lynwood Gold forsythia is an impressive flowering shrub that steals the show with its vibrant yellow blooms every spring. As the flowers fade, the plant transforms into a lush green wall of foliage, providing a beautiful backdrop for any landscape. However, to achieve maximum privacy, you’ll need to invest time in shaping and pruning the plants to create a dense, impenetrable barrier.
Resilient Fast Growing Privet
For those seeking a rapid-growing plant that can double as a natural fence, privet is an ideal choice. With regular watering and pruning, this flowering hedge has the potential to grow up to 3 feet annually, making it a convenient option for those looking to create a boundary quickly. The yellow-green leaves of the privet plant provide a unique alternative to traditional fencing materials, while its frothy spring blooms serve as a vibrant farewell to winter’s chill.
Photinia Makes For A Tall Colorful Fence
Experience the enduring charm of the vibrant red tip photinia, a unique evergreen shrub that boasts striking green and red foliage. Not only does it provide year-round color, but its versatility also makes it an ideal choice for adding a pop of color to your outdoor space. Simply plant it in front of a fence or gate for a speedy transformation, or carefully prune it to encourage dense growth and create a lush, verdant hedge.
Vibrant Red Twig Dogwood Shrubs
If you reside in an area with extreme seasonal fluctuations, where winter’s chill gives way to summer’s swelter, fear not – the red twig dogwood is a stalwart companion. This resilient plant has adapted to the cyclical rhythms of nature, shedding its foliage come fall, only to reveal stunning scarlet branches that remain strikingly beautiful, regardless of the season’s leafy attire.
Classic Rose Bushes
One of the most stunning plants for creating a natural privacy screen is the rose. This flowering beauty has many varieties that thrive with structure – think trellises or fences – which they’ll rapidly cover with lush vines. Not only do roses need pruning to maintain their robust growth, but the effort pays off in breathtakingly fragrant and vibrant blooms.
Warm Weather Weeping Fig
Weeping figs offer a distinctive solution for creating privacy screens in warm climates. As houseplants, they thrive in most zones, but in regions 10 and 11, they can be pruned to form lush hedges with drooping leaves that create a sense of drama. Cultivating weeping figs requires patience, as they grow at a moderate rate of approximately two feet per year.
