The Best Types of Privacy Plants for Your Backyard

Privacy Plants

Not all homes are blessed with large yards. Living the urban life has its benefits, but for many homeowners it can mean that spending time in your backyard isn’t always a private retreat. More than likely you are able to see into your neighbor’s yard, and they, into yours. If you love your backyard and spending quality time in it, but want more  privacy, there are ways you can create a more private sanctuary for you and your family, and it doesn’t have to be with a basic, boring privacy fence that isn’t anymore pleasant to look at than the neighbor’s yard. You can use beautiful plants to create a natural border for a more private backyard. Even with a fence, just adding a variety of plants or vines in front of it can turn your fence into a gorgeous garden wall that gives you the feeling you are in your own little oasis, every time you step out into your backyard. For more ideas, here are the best types of privacy plants for your backyard.

1. Bamboo

There’s something intriguing about Bamboo; exotic and appealing, and it’s used in so many ways when it comes to building and creating elements for the home. Bamboo in its natural state can be ea great way to create a border or line a dull, boring fence to hide it from site. It’s fast growing, and although there are some types of Bamboo that are said to be an invasive plant, there are types that are not hard to manage. If the look of Bamboo has always been a favorite of yours, here’s an opportunity to use it in its natural state by using it to help create a natural border for your backyard oasis.

2. Arborvitae

The Arborvitae is a very popular border shrub due to its thick, luscious, and scented foliage. It’s great for those who want a tall border as some of the species can reach a height of up to 20 ft. Even so, you can also keep it trimmed to as low as you like to create the perfect coverage.  These are fast growing shrubs, so if you need privacy quicker than you’re willing to wait for other types of foliage, this may be a good option for your property. Familyhandyman also suggests mixing and matching Arborvitae with other types of foliage to create a more appealing privacy border.

3. Waxleaf Privet Hedge

Privet is considered to be a fast growing hedge that is easy to work with in training its shape. It’s often found to line borders of all kinds due to its ability to be shaped neatly into the perfect fence-like border. It grows thick and hearty, and tall enough to detour even the nosiest of neighbors from peering over the fence-like hedge. Decoist recommends being patient with even the shrubs that are considered to be fast growing, because even they too, still take time to grow, and it doesn’t happen over night.

4. Boxwood

This evergreen shrub is one that can be used in planters, or put straight into the ground. They’re versatile with how you can use them as a type of border. When planted in tall planters, you can sculpt the tops of the hedges into round bulbous shapes to give them a unique manicured look. Setting several planters together can create a type of privacy border in a small space, or for larger spaces, ground planting Boxwood closely together can create a more structured, fence-like border. Manicure these shrubs into a squared-off hedge-line for a neat, manicured English garden appeal.

5. Hicks Yew

The Hicks Yew (pictured behind), are a beautiful, upright-growing evergreen that grow to be dark green, thick and luscious column-like trees, due to their narrow girth. These are excellent border plants for creating a natural fence line border, when you’re not necessarily needing a thick, hedge-like coverage. The Hicks Yew are great choices to plant along driveways, walkways, and line other areas that you may be looking for a border and some privacy.

6. Italian Buckthorn

Buckthorn is an evergreen shrub that is considered to be fast growing, that is, if they are planted in good draining soil and watered regularly. The great thing about the Buckthorn is the variety of ways that you can use these plants. You may choose to plant one Buckthorn in a pot and have an individual patio tree. For a screen-effect, plant the Buckthorn with a little distance from each other and watch them spread into a beautiful fanning border look, but planted closer, and you will get a full coverage that becomes a natural fence line for maximum privacy. You can determine how thick of a coverage you want, keeping in mind that they will spread 20 ft. out, and according to The Smart Gardener, they will require regular pruning due to their potential height, growing up to 20 ft. tall.

7. Red Tip Photinia

If you’re looking for a simple, yet colorful shrub that can give you a fuller coverage when it comes to privacy, a Red Tip Photinia is one shrub that can be planted in a straight line along your lot line, or in smaller patches, clustered for privacy in particular areas of your yard. The glossy leaves with red tips add color and luster for a more vibrant border shrub than other specific genres. Mix this  evergreen shrub with other plants or shrubs for a unique look to your natural border creation.

8. Pompas Grass

Pompas Grass is a beautiful plant that looks like tall pompoms are growing straight up out of the plant. The pompoms wave in the wind and can be a visually relaxing plant to spend time watching. It’s also a popular choice of privacy plant due to its ability to grow to be as big and full as you allow. People often plant Pompas Grass plant in areas of their yard to block unwanted views, maybe a neighboring house, a building, such as a storage shed among other unwanted sites. One added benefit is their ability to help buffer some sound. Planted along the property in front of a busy road or between houses, it can help tone down the noise disturbances to make your yard more peaceful and relaxing.

9. Sunflowers

Bright and cheery, you can’t help but feel happy when you see a sunflower. Not only are sunflowers some of the most popular and beloved flowers ever, but because of their stature, they are also some of the most beautiful type of flowers to be used for creating privacy in people’s yards. Planted along a wall, or in clusters in designated areas in your yard, either way they will hide obstacles you don’t want to see when trying to enjoy your backyard, while making your yard a bright and sunny place to spend time.

10. Clematis (Vines)

These beautiful vines don’t look like your run-of-the-mill, creepy, crawling vine. The Clematis blooms beautiful flowers that will add a picturesque view to any border gate or wall on your property. Of course, because they are a vine, they will still need to be maintained on a regular basis in order to keep them in check, or like any other, they do have the potential to take off and take over anything it finds its way to. Properly maintained and trained, however, and you can turn that wrought-iron gate or boring wooden fence, into a blooming botanical, natural border.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply